Archive for January, 2009

Big John is a pro wrestler that people forgot about, not to mention that young people do not even know him. The real name of Studd was John William Minton. He was trained by one of the greatest in all time in Killer Kowalski. Both of them started working together and Big John's first ever major title was the WWWF Tag Team title won in tag team with Kowalski. We loved this team, named Masked Executioners, as both wore masks.

Big John Studd left the WWWF and eventually wrestled under different names like The Masked Superstar II, Captain USA and Chuck O'Connor. A lot of wrestlers had feuds with him at the time and one that is worth mentioning is the American Dream, Dusty Rhodes. The wrestler's heel gimmick was special and innovative and older wrestling fans will surely remember it. We also saw Big John in a feud against Ric Flair in 1982. That was when he started a huge feud with the WWF World Champion of the time, Hulk Hogan. During the period we saw Studd being managed by Bobby Heenan and we will always remember the huge feud against one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, Andre the Giant. There was a huge tag team match that showed Andre the Giant's hair being shaved after the match and the end of the feud was huge. The professional wrestler was offering $15,000 to any person that could body slam him. This led to a huge feud with legend Andre the Giant and a conclusion at Wrestlemania 1. John Studd was eventually slammed by Andre the Giant, which basically won the match and the money. The feud with Andre the Giant was probably the best feud that Big John Studd had in his wrestling career, at a time when the wrestler Sting was not even known to the public (so that you understand how long ago this was).

We also saw Big John wrestle in the Over the top wrestling Battle Royal held at Wrestlemania 2. Even if Andre the Giant also participated in the Battle Royal, Studd was set on William Perry, only leading to him being eliminated. In the end the Battle Royal saw Andre the Giant as the winner. After this match and a tag team run with King Kong Bundy, Studd did not appear in the WWF for around 3 years. After Studd returned we saw him in feuds against Heenan's family and he did win the 1989 Royal Rumble. We saw this as the highlight of the professional wrestler's career. After a while we saw Studd as special referee in a wrestling match that took place at Wrestlemania V and saw Andre the Giant versus Jake The Snake, we started to see less of John. This is because growth hormones he had taken took its tow on him and he had to eventually retire. It was to be liver cancer combined with Hodgkin's disease that killed Studd in 1995. Please remember that if it wasn’t for wrestlers like Big John Studd, working hard, there will be no popular wrestlers of the day, like John Cena or Rey Mysterio or Dave Batista.

internal frame hiking backpack vs external frame backpack

backpacks|Internal Frame packs[/spin] are the current standard pack for packers and mountaineers. When internal frame hiking packs were still new, external frame packs were the hiking pack of choice for both experienced and new packers.

External frame packs are becoming more not easy to find these days compared to internal frame hiking back packs. Many packers are switching to internal frame hiking packs for their comfort and stability.

There are many features of internal frame hiking packs but their main strength is the suspension system, which really sets it apart from external frame packs.

The Suspension System

This is arguably the most critical feature of an internal frame pack. The suspension system gives you comfort and stability even when you’re carrying a heavy load.

Minor differences in the suspension system of internal frame hiking packs can have a big impact on the level of comfort.

The Hip Belt

The hip belt was originally invented to reduce the pack’s sway. Hip belts however did more. They also reduce the weight on the shoulders making the load seem lighter.

Hip belts on internal frame hiking packs have steadily changed over the years. They’ve changed from basic 2 inch belts of cotton to nylon webbings through Ensolite paddings covered with nylon materials and so on.

It’s important to note that even when hip belts feel right when you first try the internal frame pack on without any weight in the store, out in the field with full camping and hiking equipment on your back you might feel much more differently about it.

To have a rough feel of how the hip belt is going to feel on your hiking trip you should have at least 20 pounds of weight in your pack. Any empty pack would feel good on your back.

Men are likely to have problems with the hip belt because they have narrower hips.

The most critical aspect of hip belts in internal frame hiking packs is having a good fit. A hip belt that doesn’t fit well tend to slip. Tightening and hitching have their limits and they can cause pressure sores.

Another critical aspect of hip belts in internal frame hiking packs is how they are attached. Some are sewn into place, which is perfect if it fits you, so measuring your torso length is critical.

There are also internal frame hiking packs that have [/spin]hip belts that can be easily removed and adjusted|removable hip belts that slides under the lumbar pad and catches with Velcro[/spin]. Some hip belts have stiff plastic wings that bolts to a framesheet, adjusting to the angle of taper over which go molded, segmented pads of firm foam with a soft, wicking liner like the ones you see in Gregory’s internal frame hiking packs.

The Shoulder Harness

The shoulder harness in internal frame hiking packs have [/spin]gone through minor changes|been subjected to less changes|seen little changes[/spin] compared to the hip belt. However, [/spin]the role of the shoulder harness has shifted from being mainly to put the load on your shoulder to keeping the backpack close to your body|since after the introduction the introduction of hip belts, the function of shoulder harnesses have changed from putting load on your shoulders to keeping the upper part of the internal frame pack close to the body[/spin].

Internal frame backpacks are usually carried close to the body but it shouldn’t be so close that ventilation is restricted.

The Sternum Strap

The main function of the sternum strap is to adjust to bodily dimensions including changes to the thickness of clothing. It attaches the shoulder strap together and helps in increasing comfort.

It is adjusted when the pack is already on your back. Some are elastic, which allows for your breathing movement.

The sternum strap should also distribute the weight at the fore and hind part with respect to the spine. The configurations are different for men and women. Men prefer a low and wide layout for the sternum strap of their internal frame pack while women prefer higher and narrower layout.

Stabilizer Straps

The critical relation of load-to-back as a result of internal frame hiking packs gave birth to the stabilizer strap. It solves the problem internal frame hiking packs have with the cylindrical top leaning away from the body, pulling annoyingly at the shoulder straps.

The stabilizer strap was originally the feature of Trailwise external frame pack and was added to the internal frame pack suspension system to limit the leaning motion and to adjust the angle between the load and your back.

Stabilizer straps include the ones on the yoke(upper stabilizer or load lifter) and on the hipbelt(snuggers, trim straps, delta straps or load-transfer straps).

Upper stabilizer straps which are connected between the shoulder straps and the pack are meant to adjusted with the internal frame pack on your back and some can be adjusted from both ends which is especially useful when you’re tall. It is usually not necessary if it can be adjust the pack to a 45 degree angle in relative to your back.

Snuggers, which are situated at the hipbelt, limit the side to side movement of the internal frame pack and regulate the weight transfer from pack to hipbelt.

Back Panel

internal frame hiking packs have back panels that ranges from simple(flat sheet of foam clad in mesh) to elaborate(thermo-molded foam laminates assembled coupled to wicking fabrics). Some back panels even have contours which supposedly molds to your back. You ought to be careful though because they might not fit the contours of your back and might become nagging instead of comforting.

Back panels function as more than just provide padding for your back. You should also consider the effects on ventilation and pressure distribution.

The Lumbar Pad

Lumbar pads are specific to internal frame hiking packs and don’t exist on external frames. Not only do they provide padding but they’re also a structural element that covers the crucial juncture of hipbelt and sack, and sometimes backed with Velcro to hold the hipbelt in place.

To avoid slippage, a high friction fabric is often required as the downward force is higher on the lumbar pad than anywhere on the hip belt.

If you have ever gone camping with the wrong type of clothing, then you already know what a disaster it can be.

The type of camping equipment you bring is critical for your overall experience in the woods. So camping while wearing your regular street clothes and assuming it will be enough to keep you warm or dry will quickly change your mind.

Clothes you wear every day just aren’t sufficient to keep you comfortable and protect you from the elements you normally face when camping.

The Details Behind the Clothes

The technology in camping clothes is very sophisticated compared to many years ago. There are many aspects to camping clothes that really do help when you are outside for a large portion of the day, and are made specifically for that type of environment.

The materials themselves are advanced now, with most allowing water from natural elements, as well as sweat, to escape without entering the fabric. This is a great help for the inevitable rain that comes during some of your camping adventures. If you wind up soaked, you’ll wish you had brought an RV instead of setting up camp.

Keeping the Water Out

Moisture is generally one of the biggest problems campers face, making them uncomfortable and cold at night. The newer material – such as laminates and coatings made of micro porous fabrics – keeps this moisture out to keep you warm and dry.

Monolithic membranes also help the water escape while preventing any additional moisture from entering the clothing. It uses body heat that you naturally generate to get rid of water vapor. So even as you are hard at work, the sweat you have will dissipate because of your natural heat.

The Type of Material Matters

Another option for clothing material is between nylon and polyester. Both are very popular with campers, with newer polyester material usage growing rapidly along with other standard camping apparel.

Both provide durability and are very “breathable” material, but polyester keeps you warmer. It really depends which time of the year you decide to go camping as to which one you would likely prefer.

Down filled materials that seem to be very popular with campers are not as efficient an option as the newer materials. Although they keep you very warm, wetness that seeps in will remain for a very long time.

Comfort is a Priority

You are best served by synthetic clothes that provide just as much warmth and are capable of drying more quickly than down.

When you head out for a camping trip, it is important for the enjoyment of your trip to be comfortable. There is little worse than spending a few miserable days outside.

So, the next time you plan your camping trip, take time to look for clothes that are specifically geared to camping so that you are able to remain comfortable, warm, and dry.

You may have heard someone referred to as having a natural golf swing and although it may seem as though they swing easy and strike hard, no one is really born with a natural golf swing. The mechanics of the swing itself is anything but natural, but there is a method of reproducing a golf swing more natural than others.

While the physics of backswing and alignment do not really change that much the grip is probably the best starting point to achieve a natural golf swing. Typically, the club is gripped more by the fingers to offer soft feel of the club in the hands. In natural golf swing techniques, the club is grasped firmly by the hands.

This prevents the club from slipping or rotating during the backswing, downswing and when striking the golf ball. This can be more beneficial when hitting a ball out of tall grass than off a tee, but it works quite well out of the tee box.

With a natural golf swing a straight-line setup is used to put you in the same position at impact at which you begin during the address. From the top of your shoulder to the club head should be a straight line although your hands on the grip will be slightly forward of your shoulder. The arm closest to the green, the left arm for right-handed hitter, will form a straight line from the shoulder, through the hands to club head.

Better Balance Achieved Naturally

In a natural golf swing stance, the feet are slightly further apart to help attain better balance throughout the swing. It also reduces the unnatural rotation of hips and shoulders, which can wreak havoc on the accuracy of a golf shot. With the reduced hip rotation, striking the ball at impact finds the golfer using a natural golf swing facing the ball as opposed to being in a rotation with the club. This is a significant difference between the natural golf swing and the convention method.

Golf clubs have also been designed for use with the natural golf backswing, allowing for a wider stance and the handgrip used with a natural golf swing. Even the grips are different as they are the same diameter their entire length instead of being tapered as conventional grips are. Although you can use conventional clubs with a natural golf swing, having clubs designed for straight-line swinging makes it easier to control the consistency of your drives.