Tips Guides Resources

This article is an introduction to paintball. Within a few short minutes you should understand what to expect at your first paintball game. You should also know what is required and what to wear when playing paintball.

Is Paintball Safe?

Like any sport, there is risk of injury. Paintball fields will ask you to sign a waiver of liability for their insurance purposes. Check to see if you can download their form from their website ahead of time so that you can have it completed prior to arrival. Children under the age of 18 will need a parent or guardian’s signature and some fields may ask that the signature of the parent or guardian is notarized. Once signed and on file, most fields will keep them on file for a period of time before asking you to update or renew the waiver.

Now that we have your attention, we return to the original question. Yes, paintball is safe provided you follow instructions, play by the rules and be aware of your own and others safety at all times. Be sure to receive your field orientation before playing on any field for the first time. Not all fields have the same rules.

The Main Safety Concerns.

Wear your paintball goggles at all times in designated areas. Simply stated, a paintball can take your eyes. Do not push this safety concern! Always perform the speed or velocity check for your paintball guns. The paintball gun should be firing at the stated maximum feet per second (fps) or less as per the field’s rules. Typical guidelines are 280 fps. That is right, 280 feet per second is how fast your paintball will travel.

If changing barrels or the weather changes, you change air supplies (CO2 or High Pressure Air), check your velocity again before the next game. Remember the players you are shooting at want safety too! Your paintball gun always needs a barrel blocking device or a barrel cover (condom) to protect from misfiring when not on the field. These devices must be used at all times when not on the actual playing area.

What Do I Need?

To start, you can rent everything you need. Generally this includes your paintball gun or paintball marker (the terms are interchangeable), paintball goggles, a CO2 or compressed air tank, a barrel blocking device or barrel condom and paintballs. This item should be thought of as your guns safety. It should always be on unless you are about to play a game or test your marker for velocity. After learning your individual desire and style of play, you will want to purchase your paintball guns and equipment to avoid the rental fees. The investment will soon pay for itself.

What Should I Wear?

This is an individual preference question. Personally, I don’t like welts and I don’t find anything cool or macho about playing in a t-shirt or shorts. I grew up playing sports and quickly learned that playing sports are a lot more fun when wearing proper protection and paintball gear. Wear some heavy clothing like sweatshirts and sweat pants. Bring a change of clothes and an old sheet or towels to protect your car after playing.

For your kids, we recommend buying or renting a chest and back protector which will ensure their comfort and safety. After playing a few games, consider upgrading to proper paintball gloves, paintball jerseys and pants. These items will also enhance your comfort, protection during play and cleanup.

Prepare to Have Fun!

The last thing is have fun! You will have a great time with this fast action, adrenaline pumping paintball games. Our bet is you will return to play again and again.

When playing paintball, follow the rules, play safe and enjoy your experience to the fullest. Keep researching the sport and learn about paintball guns and paintball gear for purchasing after you have played a few games. Follow these simple guidelines and you will be prepared for your first outing playing paintball.

Resources: The author is the owner of an online paintball store. At RedDotPaintball.com, you’ll find a wide selection of paintball guns. Shop online at www.reddotpaintball.com.

So, you heard about bmx, or you saw one of those extreme shows about bmx, and now you’re thinking, hey, that looks like fun. Well, before you go head first into the bmx world, there are a few things you need to know. A bmx bike consists of many different parts, and if you dont pick the right combination, you’ll end up replacing and fixing more then you will riding. And I think it goes without saying, you dont want to be in that perdicament. So, lets get to it, and get you on your way to riding your bmx bike.

The first and most improtant part to the bmx bike is of course the frame. If you get this right, you’ll only have to end up repairing and upgrading the smaller parts, which will of course be less expensive. I’ll try and keep this as simple as possible, without using to many bmx terms. First off, when picking a frame, its really gonna depend on how tall you are. If you’re bigfoot, then you’re gonna want a longer top tube length. If you’re as tall as frodo baggins, well, maybe you shouldnt be riding a bmx. Just kidding, go with a smaller top tube length. You’ll of course want to go with a custom frame, which is a frame that already hasnt been assembled. You can go with stock, but remember, you really want to make the frame your own.

Next of course would be the wheels, and should go without saying, but you’ll want chrome. But to start off, you’ll want to go with solid, double wall rims, or better if you can. Why? Well, you’ll proabably be eating more crap then a dog and you dont want to bend up nice and shiney chrome rims, not to mention that chrome rims also cost quite a bit more. The hub is also an important feature and you’ll want to look for what is called a cassette hub. This will allow for a smooth ride and dependibility. Try to avoid colored rims at all costs, this is for braking purposes and just trust me on this.

Now we come to the fork in the road. Sorry for the bad bmx joke, but I was talking about picking out a fork for your bmx bike. This is the part that holds the front wheel, and is also of course of major importance. And these, like the frame, you’ll want to avoid stock and go with a spereate, custom fork. These are by far more reliable and you dont have to worry nearly as much about them getting bent or twisted. Just make sure you check the brake mounts, and make sure they at least have them. Yes, braking is important when riding your bmx bike.

Of course there are other customizations you can do to your bmx bike. Just make sure you get the basics right and your bmx experience will be a much more pleasant one. Get it wrong and well, another one bites the dust.

Resources: Jarvis Malone has had experience with many things, and likes to research new things. BMX bikes have always interested him, and a place that he has found that has cheap bmx bikes for sale is clonedbmx.com. They also carry bmx bike parts.

Paintball is an exciting and fun activity. Many have heard that it is an extreme sport. To the contrary, many paintball parks are designed for the whole family. Like any sport, paintball has various levels and types of games to play. One of my favorites is woods ball. As a boy, I used to go hunting with my father. These days, hunting animals is just not what I want to do anymore. I would rather buy my food and hunting has become extremely expensive. Paintball gives me the same feeling of excitement and accomplishes what I am looking for in a weekend recreational activity.

.Paintball is a family sport.

Many people do not realize how much fun paintball can be for the whole family. Let’s face it we grew up fighting our siblings and what better way to have fun then to put a paintball right on her target. But, you brothers out there should beware, the women I see playing paintball are fast, sharp shooters and may just send 15 balls per second your way! Our trips to the paintball park are always a great way for my son and I to spend the day together.

. Do not fear the paintball game itself.

Most people fear paintball because they think it is going to hurt. While the occasional welt may happen, check your gear and wear proper clothing and you will be protected. It is like any other sport. Protect yourself to the comfort level you have. My son wears a chest and back protector, a full coverage paintball goggle, paintball gloves, paintball jersey and paintball pants. All of these are designed to give you comfort and protection when playing.

.Try all the paintball games.

There are many types of paintball games. Not everyone likes baseball. But, many of us play slow pitch in our adult lives. Paintball is no different. You can choose speedball, which is what most of the tournament players and kids love. You can also choose woods ball where you get to try your hand at flushing out the enemy in a camouflaged hiding spot. There are scenario games where you may be able to be a sniper or capture a criminal holding a hostage.

. Buy quality gear.

In every sport I know of, the biggest reason people often get frustrated or give up is that they do not have the proper gear. This should be done after either renting or starting with an inexpensive set of gear. Then after you have experienced the game for a little while, upgrade your paintball guns and gear to the style of play you are comfortable playing.

The main point of this article is to remove some of the fear of paintball and strongly encourage you to try it! Like other sports, it helps me forget about the daily stresses of life and enjoy some fun time with my family. After you erase your fears and decide to go, ask some friends that play to fill you in on what to expect. Rent some equipment or buy an inexpensive starter kit. An all inclusive paintball starter kit including a paintball gun (paintball marker which is the same thing) can be found online for less than $100.00. Compare that to the $10.00 to $20.00 you will pay for each rental. Protect yourself so that you are not afraid of playing the game. Then count on playing several games in the future to hone your skills and having a blast paintballing your friends and family!

Resources: The author is the owner of an online paintball store. At RedDotPaintball.com, you’ll find a wide selection of paintball guns. Reprint rights granted. All reprints must include a link to www.reddotpaintball.com. Content may not be altered and articles must be used as distributed by Red Dot Paintball Copyright Red Dot Paintball 2008

Perhaps you’ve seen them on the T.V. doing their tricks that look so cool and effortless. Maybe you’ve seen them at the local skateboarding park. Whatever has brought your attention to the sport, you are awed by it and think that this is going to be your thing. There is only one thing that could stand in your way…MOM.

Right off there are going to be two things that pop into her mind: your safety and the cost. That is of course, if she even has knowledge of the sport. Do your research. Know before you go! Research BMX bikes. Find out which brands are the best, where you can get them and what its going to cost. Next research the safety equipment needed and it’s costs. Be prepared to earn your own money to make these purchases. Despite what you may think, parents aren’t made of money. Being able to say up front that you plan to work to pay your way to participate in this sport will show them how serious you really are. Not only that but perhaps they will be more willing to help with some of the cost later down the road.

Know the details of the sport. Let me just say here that nothing gets any parent to consider your latest and greatest interest more than having you be knowledgeable and well versed in the subject. Suppose she asks what is involved. Don’t just give the, “Well, it’s doing tricks on a bike.” answer. Talk about how this sport has been around since the 1970s and how it has evolved over the years. Mention the five categories of Freestyle BMX: Street, Vert, Dirt, Park and Flatland. Explain the differences from one to the other. Talk about the different tricks and what they entail. Don’t try to smooth over the fact that this is an extreme sport that does pose some risk of serious injuries. Just gently remind mom of other sports or activities that pose risks as well as everyday activities that given the wrong place at the wrong time can be a danger as well. Put her mind at ease and reassure her by letting her know that there are training camps and facilities available to help you learn techniques and skills.

The concern may be that this is just a phase. Perhaps it is. On the chance that it isn’t though be sure to talk about the XGames. Research the earnings for some of the stars of the sport. By all means don’t forget to mention that the 2008 Olympic games saw the addition of Freestyle BMX to its events.

Now if there was any doubt before, just the mention of the Olympics should give away that this is no slacker sport. You should expect to be physically fit and to work hard at maintaining that fitness. If you are expecting to just get on any old bike and start doing some tricks then I would suspect that you really aren’t too serious about it. If you are willing, however, to commit to physical training, studying and practicing then perhaps this is for you. If you are willing to research the sport of Freestyle BMX there is an overload of information on the internet, or go to your local library. Your local bicycle shop may be able to provide information on training or connect you with others interested in or involved in BMX Freestyle tricks.

Resources: Learn some BMX Tricks and Skills the easy way play Bike Games online. Maybe you have a need to relieve some aggression today? How about trying some fun Shooting Games to work it out! Or perhaps the kids would enjoy Games For Girls!

Have you ever suffered a rock climbing injury? If you are like most rock climbers the answer is a resounding yes. You see rock climbing can be very hard on your body especially if are not doing the things you should be. Before we get into all of that let’s talk about some common rock climbing injuries.

-Climbers Elbow
-Tendinitis
-Strained or pulled finger pulleys (most common pulley injury is the A2 pulley)
-Injured Hamstrings
-Shoulder injuries

Now all five of these rock climbing injuries can put you out of commission for weeks or even months, not too mention I have seen rock climbers who had to literally have surgery to heal from these injuries. Now if you are like me and you go through withdrawals from not being able to climb, you don’t want to get injured. Especially when a majority of time you can prevent the injuries in the first place.

Let me explain. Most climbers do a lot of things that don’t protect them from injury. Now I do not have time in this article to go through that entire list but I will point you in the right direction for more information if you would like. In this article I am just going to talk about the #1 cause of rock climbing injury.

So what is the #1 cause?

Above and beyond everything else this one thing is by far the major cause for rock climbing injury. A drum roll please…a simple as it may seem the #1 cause for climbing injuries is not warming up and cooling down properly. Now before you completely dismiss this and stop reading now let me explain. This is really important, trust me I know after being injured and out of climbing for nearly 6 months a few years back.

Our bodies are capable of doing many great things, but when we look at climbing we see our bodies having to do very brute, powerful, and unorthodox things. We are heel hooking, mantling top outs, dynoing for holds, snatching up tiny crimps and monos, etc. All of these things can be very hard on the body especially if your body is not warm.

Did you know your body can perform better by 20% or warm when it is properly warmed up? You probably didn’t but it is true when we take the time to properly prepare our body it is ready for the task at hand and will perform even better.

Not too mention by warming up and cooling down your body your decrease your chance of injury dramatically.

So how should you warm up?

I use a several steps and recommend you do the same. Start by doing some jumping jacks, jogging, running in place, or any form of cardio to get your heart rate up and your blood moving. You only need to do about 5 minutes of this.

After the blood is moving I recommend you do some light stretching. Start with some shoulder circles, neck rolls, and forearm stretches. Be sure to breathe deeply during your stretching and hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds. Stretch out all the muscles in your upper body including your hands and finger joints.

Don’t forget to stretch out your calves, hamstrings, and quads. A lot of climbers don’t even bother with this and that is why when they need to do a powerful heel hook their hamstring hurts for days on end.

After your stretching it is important to do some moderate routes for your ability before you try anything really hard. This will help you loosen up and prepare your body for the demands you will place on it.

After you do a couple routes do some additional light stretching and now you and your body should be ready to go.

After climbing hard all day be sure to do at least one easy route and stretch everything out once again. If you are able to do some light jogging, hiking, or even some jumping jacks after your climbing session. This will cool the body down and disperse the lactic acid in your forearms to help recovery.

I know this might seem hard for some but this little bit of extra work will keep you climbing injury free and keep your body in better health. Not too mention you will be able to climb harder and longer.

So the choice is yours if you want to improve your climbing while protecting yourself from injury follow my advice. If not don’t come crying to me when you cannot climb.

Resources: Ryan Coisson is a rock climbing expert who has helped thousands of rock climbers just like you. For more information about staying injury free, see his article entitled 7 Steps to Being Climbing Injury Free.

Surfboards are measured by various dimensions: length, width, and thickness. The length of the surfboard will determine how easily you catch the wave. The longer the board is, the easier it will be to catch the wave. The width of the board will help you with balance. The wider it is, the more balance you will have out in the water. Finally, the thickness of the board will provide you with float. The thicker it is, the more buoyant you will be. You will usually find these dimensions measured in inches and written on the underbelly of the board on the stringer by the tail.

Surfboards are usually made of one or a combination of three materials: wood, fiberglass, and epoxy. Wooden boards were the first surfboards ever used to ride waves but have since become expensive to make and therefore relatively obsolete. Most surfers have balsa wood boards hanging on their walls as collectors items. They are sturdy but heavy.

Fiberglass boards are the typical boards used on the surfing circuit. They are made of foam called a blank with a layer of fiberglass over it. They are the most delicate, but in most cases the most versatile because they can be custom shaped to your liking. The newest surfboard material is epoxy. Epoxy boards are durable but manufactured by machines. They are more expensive and ride the fastest, but they are not custom made, which avid surfers eventually prefer. Beginning surfers might prefer epoxy boards over other materials. Board makers like Bic and South Point have a line of economical epoxy boards that work well for surfers just starting out.

Most recently, there are new boards being made of carbon fiber that are extremely durable but also very expensive. Hollow-core boards are also popular because they provide more float and are extremely lightweight, yet have quick response and high performance.

Most boards also have a stringer and a rocker. The stringer is the wooden line that runs down the center and length of the board. Stringers help to keep the foam and board intact. The rocker is the curve of the board, which prevents the board from catching an edge. The bigger the rocker, the easier it will be for you to turn on your board. Long boards usually have a flatter rocker because they tend to ride on a relatively flat part of the wave . Short boards, on the other hand, tend to have more rocker because they are designed to ride a much more critical part of the wave. Bigger, faster waves require more rocker in shortboards to give the rider ample board control. .

Your collection of surfboards is called your quiver. If you stick with the sport long enough, you might eventually have a quiver of 10 to 20 boards! No matter how big your quiver is, it will certainly be a collection of boards with various shapes and sizes to suit different conditions and purposes.

When a board reaches retirement, surfers believe the board buckles. In other words, the board has developed some kind of weakness in its core that will no longer allow it to perform as you would like it to. When the board buckles, breaks, or is just overly aged, it means it is time to retire your board. One way to prevent your board from aging quickly is to store it in a board bag in a cool, dry place. Boards are best stored horizontally because that will cause any water that does seep into the board to distribute more evenly, rather than sending it straight to the tail if you store it vertically. Also keep in mind that dings even bad bumps and bruises are easily fixable, so do not give up on your board if it has cosmetic issues!

Debby Jones is a freelance writer who is known for writing reviews & thoughts on diverse topics & industry. His current article features his thoughts on surfboards & surfing. To buy your own quality surfboard visit http://www.southcoast.com