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If I asked students who take my golf lessons how critical good rhythm is to a good swing, most would agree that it's important, but not the most important factor. Many weekend golfers would probably agree with this assessment. But a new device developed by a professor at Yale reveals that good rhythm is more important to chopping strokes off your golf handicap than many think.

bob Grober, a professor of applied physics at Yale University-and a one-handicapper- recently invented a device for translating the rhythm of a swing into sound. Here's how it works: A small wireless transmitter inserted into the butt end of a club detects the club's movement. The signal produced is transmitted to an iPod-sized unit attached to the player's waist. The auditory signal is relayed to a set of lightweight headphones and the sound manifests itself as a pleasing organ-like tone when the player swings.

If your clubhead is decelerating through impact, your transition from backswing to downswing is too abrupt, or your mechanics are way out of sync, Grober's device tells you through sound. The faster the club travels, the louder the volume and the pitch. The idea is to make the loudest sound at impact, not before. Grober's device also registers how fast the club is moving on the downswing, and gives you a start-to-finish speed profile. It's a handy tool for serious golfers.

swing Profiles

Using this device, Grober was able to isolate three distinct speed profiles among golfers. Golfers with high golf handicaps (20+) are cursed with lousy rhythm. They're like dancers who have two left feet, always tripping over themselves. Golfers with golf handicaps from 20 to 5-intermediate golfers- tend to complete their swings too quickly. The loudest sound comes just before impact.

Then there are golfers with golf handicaps below 5. Let's call them tour players. They also tend to rush their swings but to a much lesser degree than intermediate golfers. Like the intermediate golfers, these players create the loudest sounds just before impact, but they do it much less often than with the intermediate golfers. More often than not, their loudest sound comes right at impact, which explains why they hit the ball so well.

improving Rhythm

The best swing according to Grober contains a brief period when the club is hardly moving at all while the lower body begins to clear out. Unfortunately, weekend golfers tend to hurry the transition from backswing to downswing. That disrupts the player's rhythm and throws off his or her swing at impact. So the loudest sound comes just before, not at, impact.

The professor's device doesn't tell us anything new about swinging a golf club. It just reaffirms what we've suspected all along regarding the rhythm of the swing: That it's one of the keys to hitting a ball well, if not the key. So how can you take advantage of this information?

First, relax your hands at address. If they're tense or tight, the rest of your body will be tense. Whenever Johnny Bench, the great baseball player, wanted to hit the ball for distance, the first thing he did was lighten up on his grip. That relaxed his hands and his arms and body.

second, work on swinging to a beat. Pace yourself when you practice. Think of your swing as a one-two motion. One is your backswing. Two is your downswing. You can even say something like "one-two" during the swing. "Back and through," "low and slow," or "turn and turn" also work.

Third, practice swinging with your eyes closed. By swinging with your eyes closed, you can feel the weight of the club and sense its speed gradually accelerating from the top of your swing all the way through to a controlled finish. Once you've mastered that, re-create the swing on the course. If successful, you'll see your consistency improve and your bad shots diminish.

Most golf instruction sessions focus on the mechanics of the swing, not the "intangibles," like rhythm and tempo. But as professor Grober's device reveals through analysis of sound, the intangibles are just important as good mechanics, if not more important. If you want to become more consistent and cut your golf handicap down to size, focus on improving both the mechanics and the intangibles.

Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book "How To Break 80 And Shoot Like The Pros." He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicap immediately. He has a free weekly newsletter with the latest golf tips, golf lessons and golf instruction.

Back pain can be caused by a variety of reasons and is generally a very painful condition that requires diligent attention and treatment. Pains below the waist are often called lower back pains and can be caused my muscle pulls or straining the muscles with heavy work or lifting heavy objects, moving or sleeping in awkward position etc.

Spinal infections and fractures might also cause lower back pain. In most cases the cause of the problem is that a particular nerve or a set of nerves are being pinched. The pinching can be caused due to the rupture of a disc in the spinal card or when a disc bulges and presses a nerve root. This causes a lot of pain to the patient. Sometimes the pain will decrease or go away completely by sitting or bending in a particular position etc. but if the pain continues, a check-up is necessary

Lower back surgery is the solution when such a pain continues for a period of time or becomes unbearable. Before considering lower back surgery, the patient has to consult their doctor or physician and check out the various options available and also get a complete information about the lower back surgery procedure, its recovery procedures, risks involved, expected costs etc.

Sometimes other options like traction, physiotherapy and others can be used in the place of lower back surgery if the problem is mild and curable. Lower back surgery is not a minor surgery and has to be approached with care. Patients are normally advised to do mild exercises and keep themselves healthy before the operation and might also be told to quick smoking.

The surgery might involve making cuts and incisions and moving the muscles so that the surgeon gets a good look and approach on the spine, the discs etc. Newer inventions like Lasers and bone grafts with genetically engineered protein that induce a persons bones to grow and fuse together have been making the lower back surgery a more simple, safe and easy procedure. They help the surgeon by removing the need to make large cuts or incisions etc and help the patient by reducing the risks and pain involved , thus speeding up the recovery procedure.

After the lower back surgery, the patients should try to maintain good health and fitness. exercises will be advised for the patient for the patient. exercises or other treatments like yoga etc have to be practiced with great care and only with qualified teachers. Also the teachers or trainers should be aware of the lower back surgery and details.

To learn more about the pro's & con's of back surgery, visit Back Surgery Information webpage. Also, visit Surgery Information Guide website for help related to various types of surgeries like ear surgery, eye surgery, brain surgery and more...

Yoga for a beginner is an exciting time when you start to discover all of the wonderful benefits that yoga has to offer. When you first begin yoga, there are several things you can do to make your experience positive.

The following are ideas you might want to consider as you begin your yoga journey.

Types of Yoga
It is a good idea when you are doing yoga as a beginner, that you choose a style that matches your fitness level, personality, and health condition. Review what each type of yoga has to offer so you can choose a class that is best suited to you.

Yoga instruction
Yoga for a beginner is best practiced under the supervision of an experienced teacher. It is important to maintain proper body alignment. A good teacher will make corrections so you dont injure yourself and can also offer modifications if you have any physical restrictions. A teacher can also help you go a little deeper into a pose so you get the most from your practice.

You can find beginner yoga classes at many studios and gyms. Often the first class is free, so you can try different classes to see which ones you like best.

Yoga Attitude
An important point to realize about yoga for a beginner is that it is non-competitive. You are not trying to stretch farther than other people in the class or even keep up with them. You are paying attention to your body, and while you want to challenge it, you also want to listen to it. If, at any point during your practice, you begin to feel pain, either ease up a little, or come out of the pose. It is more important to honor your body than to try to do a pose perfectly.

Breathing
The most important point in yoga for a beginner is to breathe correctly during the postures. In yoga you breathe in and out through your nose in order to allow yourself to breathe more deeply. Breathing helps you get relaxed and it also helps you move more deeply into the poses. If you feel an area of tension in your body, you can direct your breathe to that spot to help it release. If, at any time during a pose, you find that you cannot breathe deeply, either ease up or come out of the pose. Breathing correctly is one of the most important goals in any yoga practice.

Yoga for a beginner Kit
You might want to get a beginner yoga kit, which usually includes a sticky mat, a strap, and one or two yoga blocks. Some also include a yoga video so you can supplement your classes with practice at home.

Preparing for Class
Do not eat a heavy meal fore several hours before your class. Yoga is best practiced on an empty stomach. Do drink water, both before and after your practice in order to keep your body well hydrated.

Yoga for a beginner is the first step on a journey of ever increasing self-awareness, a greater level of strength, endurance, and flexibility, and a deeper sense of peace. Have fun and enjoy everything along the way!

Della Menechella is a yoga and fitness enthusiast who has been involved in fitness for over thirty years. Here website http://www.beauty-fitness-yoga-source.com is filled with practical information about how you can make yoga and fitness a positive part of your life.

While dieting it is important to watch what you drink just as much as you watch what you eat. A great number of beverages and "healthy" fruit juices are packed with high amounts of sugar and will cause weight gain if not properly burned off. This actually defeats the purpose of dieting because by drinking all these beverages full of sugar, you are actually working against your goal. Here are a couple of rules when it comes to what to drink while dieting.

Rule # 1:

Drink plenty of water. I know, you've probably heard this a million times but it's true, this is a key ingredient of a healthy lifestyle.

If you are the kind of person who just can't stand drinking water because it doesn't taste like anything, try adding a lemon wedge to give it a little twist in flavor.

Rule # 2:

Lay off the booze. We all know about the beer bellies but what many don't know is that it has been proven that alcohol has elements which actually make it more difficult to burn off fat.

This isn't to say you can never drink again but you shouldn't exceed 1-2 drinks if you are looking to be healthy. Our liver is one of the organs mainly responsible for metabolizing fat. Since alcohol seriously impinges on proper liver function, too much alcohol means your body isn't being able to metabolize fat and therefore, you're not burning fat like you should.

drinking alcohol also dehydrates the body which completely defeats the whole idea of drinking enough water. Not to mention the fact that alcohol contains almost as many calories per gram as fat.

The fact is that if you are serious about getting in shape and losing the extra pounds, you have to lay off the serious drinking. If you must drink, try light beer or a small glass of wine.

Rule # 3:

Try not to drink too much coffee. Although coffee is very controversial, the truth is that a couple of cups a day isn't going to do too much harm.

Coffee does, however, dehydrate the body as well and extra water should be consumed if you want to keep hydrated.

If you are looking to lose weight quicker, then stay away from the creamy latte's that are packed with fat milk and creams and loaded with too much sugar.

Rule # 4:

Don't over due low-fat drinks. The fact is that diet beverages, be it tea, soda, sports drinks, etc., often bring a lot of sugar which, as we all know, is completely detrimental to losing weight. Again, the best way to hydrate is water.

Anyhow, diet drinks haven't been proven to help you lose weight and sometimes they may even cause cravings for real sugar which can work against you.

The article is posted and written by John Scott, the researcher and writer for compareop.com (Phentermine OPs Reports and Discussion board). Remember that the consumption of excessive liquid may cause the onset of Cellulite. Read more about Cellulite

To take full advantage of the great number of HDTV stations you can get with your satellite system, you will want a television with a breathtaking picture and mind blowing sound. When shopping for a television today, you have many more options than just a few years ago. From several hundred dollars, to a price similar to that of a new Corvette, you can choose the television to fit your budget and lifestyle.

If you want to watch satellite programming you will need a tv that is at least HDTV ready. Your satellite service provider will supply you with an HDTV tuner. Even if you will not be watching much HDTV programming, there is still a huge benefit to watching a digital television. All HDTV and HDTV ready tv's contain upconversion circuitry that cleans up the picture with even non HDTV signals.

If you watch a lot of movies or dvd's, you might want to purchase a widescreen television. A widescreen tv has a 16:9 aspect ratio screen, as opposed to the traditional television screen with a 4:3 aspect ratio. You can enjoy watching movies on a screen shaped like a movie theater screen, and view non digital programming in a side cropped view, or stretch the picture to varying degrees to fill the screen. All HDTV programming uses the 16:9 aspect ratio.

The least expensive option is the good old fashioned CRT (cathode ray tube) television. It has been around since 1927, and it is the least expensive option. It is built around a single picture tube, and provides excellent contrast and overall picture quality. A higher end picture tube television will actually give a smoother appearance of motion than a flat-panel tv. The primary drawbacks of tube tv's are their immense weight (compared to newer technology), and the considerable depth of the sets themselves, both severely limiting your installation choices. Also, the largest tube television available is 36", so if you need a larger picture, you might want to step up to flat-panel television.

LCD and Plasma screens are the two options available in flat-panel televisions. Both are incredibly thin and lightweight, and can be wall mounted if you choose to do so. An LCD (liquid crystal display) contains thousands of crystals sandwiched between two glass or plastic plates, which are acted upon by electrical current, creating images on the screen. A plasma screen consists of thousands of pixel cells filled with gases that excite phosphors, producing light, and thereby your picture.

The weight of an LCD and a plasma tv are comparable, with the LCD models being slightly lighter in the 40" range. As the screen size approaches 60", the weight of the LCD overtakes that of the plasma screen. The display panel tends to last longer with the LCD than with the plasma models. LCD televisions are not vulnerable to burn-in, also known as image shadowing or ghosting, like plasma screens. Burn-in is essentially burned, or worn out pixels in a plasma screen that have been damaged over a period of time and retain color information from static images like network logos, etc... Plasma tv's tend to have more accurate color reproduction than LCD models, and are currently less expensive than a comparable LCD. While the largest LCD tv at this writing is 65", that is likely to change quickly as the technology evolves with the latest innovations in the computer monitor industry. The largest plasma screen television currently produced is the Panasonic TH-103PZ600U103", which boasts a massive 103" screen, and is expected to carry a whopping retail price of about $70,000 when is hits US markets in late 2006.

Remember the old, bulky rear-projection televisions that were almost a yard deep and weighed nearly as much as a VW Bug? Todays digital big screen tv's take up much less space, and a 60" television can weigh under 100 lbs. Digital big screens are capable of brightness that is unmatched by the older CRT televisions, and do not suffer burn-in like the plasma tv's. These digital big-screens also contains a consumer replaceable lamp that restores picture quality to its original brilliance. prices for these sets are very reasonable, usually one half to two thirds the price of a similar sized plasma or LCD television. One disadvantage of the big screen tv's is still size; even with technological advancements, these models take more room for installation than the flat screen televisions, and are not practical for wall mounting. The ideal viewing angle is only achieved straight on, and in a seated position.

For a true movie theater experience at home, a front projection tv may be a good choice. This is a two piece system consisting of a projector and a screen. They offer picture sizes up to 300", and do not include any type of tv tuner, instead displaying signals from a satellite receiver or cable box. The best viewing experience with a front projection setup requires a fairly dark environment, and is definitely not for everyone. However, for cinema lovers, there is no better way to bring your favorite film to life. Pricing for good projectors starts at just under $1000, and screen prices vary according to size, with most models falling somewhere between $300 and $1500.

Whether you watch mainly sporting events, movies, or dvd's, a modern television can give new life to your favorite programming. As technology advances at an astonishing pace, prices for larger and more sophisticated television sets continue to come down. If you do some shopping online and find that you can't quite afford the tv that you want, save money for five to six months; no matter how much or how little you are able to save, chances are you will be able to afford the set you want as prices come down. just don't blow the money you have saved - you might need to build a new room to house the larger set you will be buying in two years.

Gregg Pennington owns the website http://satellitetv.easy-lookup.com, a site dedicated to satellite tv and television technology.

Please bear in mind that I am not a dietician, or a physician, and my opinions are those of a yoga teacher, personal fitness trainer, and life-long student of Ayurveda. Always consult your family physician before changing your diet.

It may be generally agreed that eating wisely and weight loss do not often agree. Just look back that the parade of fad diets that didnt seem to work over the long term and, in retrospect, were not wise from the onset.

This article will be a union of ideas from Ayurvedic principles, modern fitness concepts, and overall strategies for better health.

It goes without saying that a vegetarian diet is healthy. Only a decade ago, there were many reservations, among local physicians in New England, in regard to this concept. How rapidly knowledge, insight, and opinions change.

Marie, my wife, exposed me to the vegetarian diet. Before that, I ate what is now called the Mediterranean Diet. The diet I eat, to this day, is a combination of the two. The combination of these two, classic diets, are easy for me to live with and it is not an effort, at all, for me.

That is the biggest hurdle for most people. Many of us take on a radical dieting change that we cannot live with. Most of us can afford to make a few small changes at a time, instead of changing everything at once - unless you are dieting under the guidance of your doctor or dietician.

Therefore, I propose a few small changes to your eating habits that will make sense. You do not have to change them all at one time.

Sit down and focus on eating your meal.

Avoid television, reading, heated conversations, etc.

Thoroughly chew your food at a slow pace and do not put more food in your mouth until you have swallowed the previous bite.

Be aware of how hungry you are before your meal.

Try to avoid too much time between meals, as this leads to over consumption and your stomach should never be more than three quarters full, after a meal.

exercise tip: Some of you practice Yoga and understand the many benefits of Sun Salutations, but have you ever tried weight resistance?

Strength training increases energy expenditure during a weight resistance training session. The high intensity of strength training indicates a high utilization of carbohydrates during a training session.

During the post-exercise recovery period, energy expenditure is elevated for a period ranging from two to fifteen hours(1). The increased energy demands are obtained by burning more calories, and a good portion of the calories are coming from fat stores.

Reference (1) - Melby C, Scholl C, Edwards G, Bullough R. Effect of acute resistance exercise on post exercise energy expenditure and resting metabolic rate. journal of Applied Physiology 75(4): 1847-1853, 1993.

Even if you work every body part just once a week, this method of cross training will effectively burn calories. When you combine this with any aerobic activity, you have a powerful combination. Rowing and bicycling are good substitute forms of resistance too.

Strategies for results: Get help from a qualified Personal trainer, Dietician, or a Life Coach. You could do it all yourself, but how much time do you have to spin your wheels. without any progress? These services exist for those who dont want to waste time and want solutions now.

Paul Jerard, is a co-owner and the director of yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center in, north Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a yoga Business Right for You? For yoga students who may be considering a new career as a yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org

Although the art of golf first reached the shores of Cyprus quite a few decades ago with the opening of the first course within the British Sovereign Base at Akrotiri, it was the opening of the Tsada golf Course in 1994 which truly marks the beginning of the games spread across Aphrodites Isle.

Since those days, golf in Cyprus has experienced a veritable explosion in popularity especially due to the growing influx of immigrants and holidaymakers from the UK.

Now, just 13 years after Tsadas opening, Cyprus already features three additional courses (not including those in the British bases), with another eleven to fourteen being constructed during the coming 3 to 5 years in a concerted effort to put the Republic of Cyprus firmly on the international golfing map.

What about the Republics existing golf courses?

The Aphrodite Hills golf and Country Club:

Located near the village of Kouklia, about halfway between Limassol and Paphos, this spectacular complex is currently considered to be the jewel in the crown of golf in Cyprus. this 6269 metres spectacular course is located on two plateaux separated by a ravine running down to the nearby coast, plays to a par 70/71 and offers some truly spectacular views of the Mediterranean Sea.

The secret Valley Golf and Country Club:

First opened in 1996, secret Valley was the second golf course to be opened in Cyprus. As the name implies, it is located in a secluded little valley, so close to Aphrodite Hills that some of Aphrodite Hills golf properties actually overlook the secret Valley course. this particular venue is currently undergoing a major expansion programme which is set to make it one of the finest golf resorts in the Mediterranean, but more of these plans shortly.

Tsada golf Course:

Cyprus original golf course is still considered by many to provide the best playing experience of any course on the island. Set at an altitude of around 500 metres above sea level in the hills above Paphos, Tsada is never without a cooling breeze. Its elevation also puts it well above the coastal humidity zone, so it offers a pleasant playing experience, even in the heat of the Cypriot summer.

Vikla golf Course:

Unlike the Republics three other courses; Vikla is not located in the Paphos area. Instead it is set in the hills above Limassol, just a few miles north-east of the town. Originally designed as a 9-hole course, Vikla was later extended and now offers a decidedly family-orientated playing experience. With no handicap certificate required, this course provides an ideal starting point for novice golfers.

But what of the new golf courses in Cyprus?

Some time ago, the Cypriot government, in association with the Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO), declared its unswerving commitment to firmly establish Cyprus place on the international golfing scene by issuing licences for the construction of a further eleven golf courses across the island.

Whilst there can be no doubt that all of these courses will be well designed and thought out, there are nevertheless two venues which have attracted more attention from golfers (and indeed overseas homebuyers) than any of the others.

secret Valley:

With the addition of a further three courses to the existing facility, this is easily the most ambitious and luxurious golf development in Cyprus and, once finished will see the resort rivalling such exclusive destinations as Vale dos Lobos, Sun City and La Manga.

But golf courses are not the only thing being constructed at secret Valley. In addition, the resort will also include a large number of highly exclusive golf properties, a retail village, leisure & fitness centre, football & tennis academies, two 5-star hotels, a seafront entertainment & water sports complex and 500 metres of manmade beach.

There is no question that, once works have been completed, the secret Valley golf and Country Club will become the Jewel in the Crown of golf in Cyprus, if not the entire Mediterranean.

Larnaca Golf Course and Country Club:

Whilst not as grand a plan as secret Valley, the Larnaca golf course has nevertheless attracted an awful lot of attention, simply because it is set to become the first 18-hole grass course in the islands east. Set just outside the small village of Tersefanou near Larnaca, this course will form the heart of a large scale leisure and residential golf complex, including hotels, shops, bars, restaurants and more which is sure to turn it into a main attraction for the Larnaca area.

If, like many avid golfers, you are tired of the rain, floods, fog and the generally damp playing environment found in the UK, you might want to consider taking a look at Cyprus. With an average 326 days of sunshine each year, there is certainly no shortage of opportunities to play its courses, both current and future.

As an avid golfer, Brian Rettendon has been living in Cyprus since 2001. Since 2005, he has been working as a sales manager for Aphrodite Property sales, the 100% independent Cyprus property specialist. To find out more about Golf in Cyprus or any of the courses featured in this article, please visit the Aphrodite Property sales website.