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Ceramic Birdhouses

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Truly functional works of art, ceramic bird houses available today offer a touch of elegance and charm to any bird lover’s outdoor oasis or indoor collection. As a highly desired homestead for our favorite avian friends, the jury is still out! Many people question whether ceramic bird houses are a good choice because they might become too cold in the early spring or too hot in the summer for the nestlings to survive or cause possible harm to the eggs. Others have expressed concerns about the potential for the glaze to harm the birds; as with any bird house finish, keep away from any glaze known to contain a lead or other harmful chemicals.

A quick study of the birding blogs shows a large number of happily occupied ceramic birdhouses. First of all, clay is known to have strong insulation properties. Most bird lovers compensate for temperature concerns by keeping the house in a shaded spot during the summer and bringing them inside when the weather turns too cold. There are no reports of dead nestlings discovered during the end-of-season cleanout. I recommend that you find one that appeals to you and suits the needs of your favorite birds and give it a try. Of course you could also place a few wooden birdhouses out at the same time to offer your feathered guests their choice of accommodations.

Hand-crafted by skilled potters, ceramic bird houses offer the perfect addition for the indoor collection. These ceramic pieces come in different sizes and shapes; however, they are often found in very simple designs such as an egg or a bottle. More elaborate designs are certainly available. In my opinion, the most amazing aspect of ceramic birdhouses is the variety of vibrant colors and color blends that these skilled artisans use to finish these pieces. Bird lovers that maintain a decorative indoor collection of bird houses should consider the vibrant color and aesthetic appeal that these pieces offer.

If you do buy ceramic bird houses, the normal safety and size rules apply. For example, do not get a ceramic bird house that is painted in dark colors, this is going to make the inside of the bird house too hot. Also, do not buy a house that has a perch. The birds do not need it and it will only make it easier for a predator to access to the house. Also you will need to get one with an entrance hole that is the right size for the type of bird you want to attract. If it is too big, then more aggressive birds could invade and take over the nest and if it is too small, then the birds will simply not be able to fit in. Remember that the size of the opening is a key security feature for birds. An opening size of 1-1/8 inch can generally accommodate most chickadees and wrens. An opening of 1-1/2 inch will generally accommodate most titmice, bluebirds, and nuthatches. Most of these small cavity nesting birds prefer floor space of about 4 x 4 inches.

Other practical considerations that apply to ceramic bird house selection include drainage, ventilation and access for cleaning. All birdhouses should have adequate drainage holes in the floor to prevent standing water after the rain. All birdhouses should have ventilation near the top in order to allow heat to escape in the summer and also to help moisture to evaporate. Finally all practical bird houses should allow access for inspection of nests and also removal of old nests at the end of the season.

Most ceramic birdhouses are easily mounted from a hanging chain or wire. These are usually included. These functional works of art can be quickly and easily hung from a tree limb, overhead porch or shepherds hook. This also makes them easy to move as required to keep them out of the direct sun. Just don’t move them far if there are nestlings inside.

Ceramic bird houses can add the “Wow Factor” to your outdoor and indoor living space while also providing a practical home for your traveling feathered companions. Consider your desired balance between aesthetic appeal and practicality and then choose accordingly.

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Source by Gregory A Branigan

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How to Buy Fresh Coffee Beans for Healthy Coffee

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Sometimes healthy food can become unhealthy. Consider instant coffee. Yes, it’s one of the modern conveniences that we can enjoy while we’re on-the-go. Instant coffee is certainly practical during different situations, such as when camping. However, the most convenient choice isn’t always the healthiest one. Instant coffee has undergone several processes to make it convenient, but during that time it has lost much of the nutritional value of healthy coffee.

If you want coffee that’s truly healthy, then you should consider roasting and brewing your own coffee. This allows the beverage to retain the vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and other substances that make it healthy. Here are some helpful tips for purchasing raw coffee beans for roasting:

1. Buy fresh beans exclusively.

This is of the utmost importance, as buying beans that aren’t fresh can significantly impact the nutritional value of the beans. So when selecting a source for your beans, choose one that can guarantee that the beans will be fresh 100% of the time.

2. Do your homework.

While you don’t need to have an encyclopedia knowledge about coffee beans, it’s important that you learn the basics about the different types of beans that are available. This will help you to make the best choice once you start searching for your healthy coffee beans. Not all coffee beans are alike! So you should know what makes them different.

3. Know your preferences.

Coffee beans are available in a wide array of types. So it’s critical that you determine which one(s) you prefer over the other types. This variety is the essence of roasting your own coffee beans, which you can’t enjoy if you buy run-of-the-mill instant coffee sold in supermarkets.

4. Examine the beans.

Taking some time to examine beans before you buy them, will help to ensure that they produce healthy coffee. If you’re a coffee lover, then you’ll likely be able to tell instantly whether certain coffee beans will produce quality coffee. Use your eyes and nose to examine the beans, before you use your hand to open your wallet!

5. Store the beans properly.

It’s important to store your coffee beans in an area that’s cool and dry. Also, you should store them in a container that’s air-tight. You could even freeze the beans if you won’t be using them within a week.

6. Shop around.

As when making any other type of purchase, it’s highly advisable that you shop around before you find a supplier of quality coffee beans. The Internet has made this process much easier, which will save you time, effort, and money.

If you want to roast your own coffee beans, the process starts by buying the best beans. These aforementioned tips will help you to accomplish your mission.

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Source by John Kirzno

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The Planter Wart Removal Mystery

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Many people find that planter wart removal is much more of a challenge then it would seem at first. Despite the countless wart treatment options available, many people find themselves unable to rid themselves of these persistent critters. Why is it that there are well over a hundred planter wart remedies out there, why do they come back after being destroyed and two simple remedies you can begin using immediately. This article aims to answer the mystery of why most methods of wart removal turn out to be ineffective.

If you want to permanently get rid of your warts, there is one question that requires addressing. What method should I choose? Acid patches from the drug store? Freezing or laser treatment from my doctor? Maybe buy a roll of duct tape and cover the wart, or try and cut it out. How about burning it with incense or using nail clippers to chomp away at them. Based on my personal experience and that of those on the web forums, most these methods seem to work for a few people, while the rest of us are stuck trying to find the next best method of planter wart removal.

Sometimes destroying a wart completely doesn’t seem to be enough to keep it away for good. Especially in the case of cutting, burning, freezing and acid, it can seem like the problem is solved. However it doesn’t take more then a few days before the planter warts have grown back. Stronger and more resilient then the time before. The secret to permanent planter wart removal isn’t destroying the roots. Many people experience the roots coming back very rapidly. The only way to get free from warts is to cut off the warts supply of nutrients.

A wart thrives by feeding off of the body’s blood stream. Every wart you have is typically attached to a major vein where it gets its energy. In order to kill off the wart virus, you must cut off its food supply. The good news is that its actually quite simple and easy to accomplish. Often times your body can do this on its own. The only problem is that it can take months or even years for the immune system to begin the process.

Now I’m going to let you in on a little secret. Planter wart removal can be as simple as altering the blood flow to the wart. How does one do this? Simple. Go out and get yourself a pumice stone. Soak your warts in warm water for a few minutes until they get soft. Rub the planter warts with the pumice stone and notice the wart skin falling away. Go and download a hypnosis mp3 for planter wart removal and listen to it once every second day for up to a week. Simple exercises such as visualization can really accelerate the process.

With all the different wart remedies out there, its amazing how confusing one can get, trying to sort out the real from the fake. Unravel the mystery for yourself and say goodbye to those little critters. Realize that most of the planter wart removal methods out there, have a reasonably low probability for success. Especially with persistent warts that keep coming back. Follow the three steps outlines here, and soon you will be looking back and laughing at how simple and easy it really was.

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Source by Peter Hill

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A Brief History of Pegson Pumps

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British based Pegson has been around since 1931 although it can actually be dated back to 1831 when it was initially founded as Samuel Pegg & Son. Starting up by manufacturing in the textile and quarry industry Pegson has grown significantly since it was originally founded both in size, structure and specialism. Now holding over 70 years experience in manufacturing water pumps Pegsons produce a range of centrifugal pumps, plunger pumps and sewage pumps with their pump systems such as their engine cooling pumps in high demand. Originally intended for use in mining and its associated industries the use of Pegson pumps has since evolved into other industries including shipping and transport.

This shift could be accredited to their mergers with Brown Lennox and Terex. Pegson merged with Brown Lennox to form BL-Pegson in 1996 when they both became part of the Powerscreen group. This was followed in a merger with an American based company Terex in 1999 to form Terex Pengson Ltd, helping to expand their brand and products internationally by acting as a driving force in the companies strategy. Now under the global name of Powerscreen, Terex Pegson Ltd has continually evolved its products to reflect the industries demands and has been awarded two Queens Awards for Enterprise, once in 2002 and then again in 2005. By evolving with the industry Terex Pegson saw its industry boom resulting in an 80% growth in exports, which is one of the main reasons for their Queens Award for Enterprise in 2005.

Manufacturing pumps in a wide variety of materials including cast iron and bronze means that Pegson pumps are ideal for a wide variety of applications and industries. Their reputation within the industry speaks volumes about the quality of their products world-wide. They have a host of large client names to their roster including brands such as Caterpillar and Ruston who use their engine cooling pumps in many of their engine systems.

Pegson are known for producing quality reliable pumps which can withstand usage in the toughest of industries. Producing both fresh and sea water pumps in a range of materials Pegson have gone on to produce a range of self priming pumps ideal for use in challenging conditions due to the reduced risk of damage to the pump when in use, increasing its popularity in demanding industries such as shipping, construction and mining.

Although Pegson have since focused on their mining and construction based products their pumps and knowledge of the technology in the industries is still very much in demand world wide.

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Source by David A Robinson

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Honey and Mold Growth

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How does honey affect the growth of mold? First, let us analyze what

mold is, how it operates and what honey consists of that makes it a fighter of

bacterial growth and why. Mold is a multi-cellular, wool-like growth made up of

tiny colonies of microscopic spores that feed off dead matter. The way that mold

works is by applying a coat of “slime” that decomposes food by breaking down

food into smaller particles.

There have been many studies on the life of a mold spore and how it operates

in order to create mold preventers that would help in preserving health as well

as mold destroyers to act as a cleaning agent in cases

when one would need to know how to clean mold from antique wood furniture or

even studying the life of a mold spore to create mold preventers for the

purposes of protecting food from decay in restaurants and homes. Honey has been

scientifically studied and proven to inhibit bacterial growth for the following

two reasons:

1. Honey has a high concentration of sugar so that it reduces water activity and

reduces the growth of bacteria.

2. Honey produces hydrogen peroxide that fights mold as it acts as a cleaner.

Honey is an invert liquid sugar. Mold absorbs water and uses that for the slime

while honey reduces water activity. This shows how and why honey can be

effective in slowing the growth of bacteria.

In addition to honey as a bacteria preventer, there have been studies that have

shown that colder temperatures for storing food such as in a refrigerator and

freezer very greatly reduces the growth of mold. When placed in the freezer,

the mold did not grow at all, while in the refrigerator, the life of a mold spore

was only perpetuated at a growth rate of .4%. When left at room temperature,

the mold growth was increased at a whopping 24%!

This proves that temperature has a lot to do with mold growth. If you ever

discover mold growing on maple syrup, you should discard the bottle. There are

four main types of mold. Various forms of the molds have been known to smother

its matter before decomposing it and to cause health problems in human

respiratory functions. This is due to the harmful pathogens that produce

difficulty in breathing. One of the type of molds is the green mold

aspergillius. It causes breathing problems. Penicillium is a blue and green mold

that contains the same anti-biotic drug that is found in the drug penicillin and

can cause breathing problems if inhaled.

Mucon is another type of mold. It is in the group of white molds in color.

Rhizopus is a bread mold. It is part of the black molds group.

Instead of the most common mold-like structures of multiple web-type mold spore

groups, the rhizopus has tiny tube-structured spores and is single rather than

in many webs. The study of how the mold growth is affected by temperature was

conducted by a student of science who was conducting the experiment in order to

see how various temperatures affect the growth of molds on honey potato bread.

The results are typical of most mold growth on bread as well. The human body,

thankfully, has developed a strong defense immune system that protects

it against most of the mold toxins, but there are still a few allergic disorders

that can result from the molds once it begins to make its way to the breathing

passages. The most common is shortness of breath.

Therefore in living conditions such as the case of no ventilation in stucco home

with mold, it is important to kill clean black mold and to clean it from all

known sources where it could be, such as needing to clean mold from antique wood furniture or in the instances of the mold remidiation Miami following the disaster of hurricane katrina and mold that resulted in the combination of the decay in the aftermath and water damage.

Although the honey did fight and stop the growth of bacteria in the experiment, none of the testing proved that honey was an inhibiter of mold growth.

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Source by G. Crandall

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Lord of the Flies: Where Mother Nature and Human Nature Collide

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You know that guy at the grocery store whose shopping cart was hanging out in the exact center of the frozen food aisle, and he was so oblivious that he wouldn’t move it out of your way even though you were clearly in his peripheral vision? Have you ever wondered what it was that kept you from grabbing the nearest bag of frozen pizza rolls and bashing him over the head with it? Your conscience?An innate sense of right and wrong?Perhaps.But then again, maybe not.

In Lord of the Flies, William Golding explores the subject of our animalistic impulses. Our society is so structured – there are so many rules and regulations – that it’s difficult to perceive how we might act if our natural instincts weren’t so repressed and our revised behavior wasn’t so molded by instruction.

In his book, Golding places a group of young boys on an island without supervision and lets them run wild. Indeed, ‘wild’ is exactly what they become. Their actions become brutally sadistic and they seem to lose much of what we tend to label our ‘humanity.’ But would this really happen? Could a group of previously civilized individuals really fall so far so fast?

As you might learn in an AP Psychology class, humans have something called ‘brain plasticity’. Aside from this meaning that your brain can be recycled (be sure to leave it in the blue bin out front when you’re done with it), brain plasticity implies that our minds can adapt and change to our surroundings and given set of circumstances. So even though you may be dealing with a group of intelligent, polite, kind-hearted children, once they are thrown into a dire situation and are forced to take drastic measures in order to preserve their lives, they can become quite different creatures in a very short period of time.

In fact, a psychology professor named Philip Zimbardo conducted an experiment in 1971 that tested a similar sort of thing, and he came to the conclusion that indeed mankind can quickly degenerate into lawless, unfeeling beasts when placed in positions of authority in unfavorable conditions. Of course, Zimbardo performed his test on college students, and the way his subjects behaved during the experiment was admittedly not that far off from stripping a freshman naked and chaining him to the door of the dean’s office. So I suppose we should take it with a grain of salt.

Golding paints a terrifying portrait of a world without a sense of morality, and hopefully none of us will ever have to experience anything like it. However, if you think about it, being stranded on an island wouldn’t be all bad. At least you’d have a good excuse for avoiding doing your ACT Prep.

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Source by Paul Thomson

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Improve Survival Food Storage – Oxygen Absorbers and Nitrogen Packing

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After food has been freeze dried what else can be done to preserve it?

The freeze drying process removes 98% of the water from food, stopping bacterial growth as well as killing insects and their eggs.

Beyond freeze drying further to preserve food and increase shelf life, oxygen is the main enemy. If the food is stored in a way that it is not exposed to oxygen, the shelf life can reach 25 to 30 years. Shelf life here refers to the food maintaining it’s properties of nutritional value, taste, and appearance. It may still be safe to eat beyond this time but the aforementioned properties are degraded. Oxygen Absorbers

Some freeze dried food producers use oxygen absorbers to extend shelf life.

Oxygen absorbers are materials that chemically react with oxygen in the environment they are in, combining with the oxygen and thus removing it from that environment. The most commonly used material for absorbers is iron in the forms of iron powder or iron carbonate. Both combine with oxygen very effectively.

Once oxygen absorbers are exposed to oxygen they will continue to react with it until the material is fully “oxidized” meaning it can not absorb any more oxygen. For this reason they need to be very carefully sealed and stored so that they are not consumed before their intended use.

The application in which oxygen absorbers are used for freeze dried food storage is to place them in the can of food before it is vacuum sealed.

The idea is that any oxygen that leaks into the sealed container over years of storage will be absorbed by it, rather than the oxygen reacting with the freeze dried food and degrading it.

There are two types of oxygen absorbers commonly used. One type, Multisorb Technologies’ FreshPax Type-B requires some moisture from the environment it is in to be present to work and is used for moist foods like bread and processed meats. Type-D absorbers contain there own moisture source and are thus suited to dry foods like freeze dried food.

You may remember the old adage Aristotle proclaimed in 350 BC, “nature abhors a vacuum”. So any vacuum packed container will over time be invaded, if ever so slightly, by the surrounding air and with it the 21% of air that is oxygen.

So while the oxygen absorber will extend the shelf life by absorbing the oxygen in the air that is present initially during packing as well as the air that leaks in over time, eventually the absorber will be “maxed out”, that is it will be fully oxidized and can not absorb any more oxygen.

I have seen the guarantees for shelf life for this type packed freeze dried food at 10-15 years. This period may be a reflection of the limit of the process and process controls that the producer of the food uses, as well as that of the oxygen absorber. http://bulk-survival-food.com

Nitrogen Packing

Nitrogen packing or “nitro-pak” on the other hand takes a different approach to dealing with oxygen “enemy”.

Rather than relying on the properties of the container to fight the invading air trying to get in, the container is flushed with nitrogen or packed in a nitrogen environment. As a result the sealed container has the same or slightly higher pressure but with nitrogen and not air. This means that air is not fighting to get in. There is no abhorrence so to speak.

Thus the period that the food remains unexposed to significant concentrations of oxygen is much longer and thus the possible shelf life is longer.

What is the longest shelf life for nitrogen packed freeze dried food?

Mountain House, the commercial brand of Oregon Freeze Dry which has been around for over 40 years, states on their web site regarding their #10 cans of freeze dried food;

“Our foods will have the longest shelf life available…up to 30 years!”

It may be the result of superior process controls, not only the nitrogen packing process, that makes them feel comfortable making this statement.

There is information online on how you can nitro-pak foods yourself with some equipment but I would be leery of assuming your process control would be on the same par and have the same shelf life.

In any case “nitro-pak” freeze dried food has the longest shelf life for any type of commercially available stored food I have seen.

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Source by Kevin Taylor

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Cooling Towers For Use In Business And Industry

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Cooling towers are now becoming essential equipment in many industries around the world. Many crucial manufacturing processes now require cooling as an integral component. Thus, it is now impossible to think of an important industrial or manufacturing process without this equipment. These towers work on the principle of evaporative cooling, which causes the water to be exposed to the ambient air. This causes partial evaporation of the water and results in cooling. These towers are best for industrial processes that require cooling for long hours. Some of the industrial applications that require cooling are electricity generation, sugar manufacturing, air conditioning, refrigeration, steel manufacturing, petroleum refining and many more.

The industrial revolution hastened the pace of industrial manufacturing around the world, and increased the complications caused by heat, which was a byproduct of many of the manufacturing processes. The main challenge that engineers and technicians faced was the removal of heat. This led to the development of the first prototypes of such towers. These towers were originally made of wood. However, recent advances in technology have led to the development of cooling towers made from Fiber Reinforced Plastic (FRP) and Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC) as well.

Today, many industrial installations in India utilize this equipment. Commercial cooling towers are also in vogue because location cooling is also becoming a necessity in addition to process cooling unlike the past years. The quality of water being used in this equipment is also of great importance. If this water is not utilized properly, then this could lead to the formation of harmful bacteria and algae, which could further complicate the health of the workforce. Moreover, if water is not treated properly, it could lead to scaling and could cause corrosion of the equipment and the installation itself. Cooling towers consume significant amount of energy. Therefore, wherever it is possible, industries can utilize fan less and fill less towers that rely on natural processes for cooling.

Many companies in India now manufacture world-class towers. Most manufacturers are now quality conscious and have obtained ISO certification to build some of the best equipment in the industry. These towers are also exported to other countries. Most manufacturers in India now utilize industry standard equipment and material in the manufacture of this equipment. Various quality inspections ensure defect free production. To summarize, such towers in India are now capable of meeting the requirements of the industry to a considerable extent given the increase in industrial needs of the country.

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Source by John Tweak

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Aussie BBQ Recipes – Steak With Herb Butter

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The main sauce in this delicious recipe is a lovely thing called herb butter, which is also very easy to make. Some herb butter is a very handy thing to have in the fridge or freezer as it keeps well and has many versatile uses. It jazzes up a plain piece of steak, or fish or bland chicken, whether you barbecue, grill or pan fry them.

Serves: 4 – 6

Prep Time: 20 min

Cooking Time: 10 min

Primary Ingredient: Beef

Ingredients

4 Piece(s) Rump Steak Thick

250 Gm Butter Softened

2 Tbsp Fresh Parsley Finely chopped

2 Tbsp Fresh Basil Finely chopped

2 Tbsp Fresh Chives Finely chopped

2 Tbsp Fresh Coriander Finely chopped

1/2 Tbsp Tomato Paste

4 Drop(s) Fish Sauce

MasterFoods Sea Salt To taste

Freshly Ground Pepper To taste

Cooking Directions:

Place all the ingredients other than the steak in a food processor and mix well, or simply use a bowl and mix with the back of a fork.

Place on a sheet of plastic wrap and roll into a sausage shape about the diameter of a twenty cent piece, twisting the ends to seal.

Chill in the fridge until firm.

Heat the barbecue to medium hot and oil lightly.

Cook the steak to your liking.

Cover loosely with foil and rest somewhere warm for a couple of minutes.(Leftover butter can be stored in the fridge or freezer)

Place the steak on a warm plate and top with a slice of the herb butter. The butter will melt to cover the meat and your delicious meal will be ready.

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Source by John Samuels

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Gymnastics Training Article – Split Leap on Floor and Balance Beam

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As basic as the split leap is, there are still a great number of gymnasts who cannot perform this skill correctly. Many gymnasts are reaching a 180 degree split of the legs, but they are not keeping their hips square, in line with their shoulders. Once a gymnast has become accustomed to turning her hips in order to reach a larger split of the legs, it can be very difficult to correct.

Training a gymnast to keep her hips square during a split leap must be a goal from the day she walks into her first gymnastics class. If trained to remain square from the start there will be a greater chance her split leaps will be performed correctly for her entire gymnastics career. It is helpful to encourage gymnasts to keep their hips square hips while stretching for splits, performing splits, leaps, walkovers, and handsprings.

Another common problem with the split leap is that many gymnasts have enough flexibility in their hamstrings, but not enough flexibility in their hip flexor and quadriceps muscles to correctly split their legs for their split leap among other skills. Hip flexors are the group of muscles that lift the leg forward and upward. When these muscle groups lack flexibility, the opposite motion of lifting the leg backward and upward (for the split) becomes difficult.

Here is a simple way to evaluate your gymnast’s hip placement and flexibility regarding a split and ultimately her split leap. Have your gymnast perform a split the way she normally performs this skill. Even if she cannot reach the floor in a split, this evaluation can still be performed. Once your gymnast is in a split ask her to bend her back leg so that her back foot is lifted from the floor and she reaches a 90 degree angle with that leg. Your gymnast’s back foot should be off the floor and her back knee will remain on the floor. If your gymnast’s back foot naturally points towards a wall rather than the ceiling she may benefit from additional work regarding hip placement. Your gymnast may also benefit from an increase in flexibility training for the hip flexor and quadriceps areas. If her back foot immediately points toward the ceiling rather than a wall she may already have the correct hip placement.

Your gymnast may need to lift her body up a bit from the split in order to perform this gymnastics evaluation or make adjustments with hip placement. If you have discovered that your gymnast’s hips have not remained square while she performed this simple gymnastics evaluation, you may be able to easily help her correct her hip placement by instructing her to pull the hip on the same side of the back leg forward. Once she is asked to pull that hip forward your gymnast’s back foot may point towards the ceiling. At that point many gymnasts can feel the difference between the correct and incorrect hip placement during splits. Sometimes awareness is all that is necessary to correct the hip placement problem, but many gymnasts will require a change in their flexibility training as well.

You may have determined that your gymnast will benefit from stretching the hip flexor and quadriceps areas more thoroughly. The following stretch is simple, but very effective for gymnasts of all levels.

Hip Flexor Stretch on Block.

Have your gymnast lie on their back on a mat stack or spotting block.

Make sure her buttocks area is at the edge of the mat stack or block.

Instruct your gymnast to bring one thigh to her chest with a bent knee.

Next instruct your gymnast to place her hands on her upper shin in order to hold that leg close to her chest, throughout this stretch.

Next instruct your gymnast to lift her other leg above her body so that her toes are pointed toward the ceiling. This leg can be slightly bentrelaxed. The knee and heel on this leg must be in line with the hip bone and shoulder on the same side throughout this entire stretch.

Once in the starting position, instruct your gymnast slowly lower the lifted leg so that her thigh becomes level with the block and then lower than the level of the block.

Once lowered as much as the gymnast’s hip flexor muscles will allow that leg will hang below the top level of the block or mat stack.

Again, make sure the leg that is hanging below the level of the block is lined up with your gymnast’s hip and not off to the side.

Allow your gymnast to remain in this position so that her hip flexor muscles will be stretched. Gravity will do the job of slowly and steadily stretching your gymnast. If your gymnast has performed this stretch before and you feel that this stretch is no longer effective, allow her to wear a light ankle weight.

For safety, your gymnast must hold the opposite leg in place in order to keep her lower back on the block.

This second stretch is fairly common, but many coaches do not ask their gymnasts to bend their back leg, which deprives their gymnast’s of a complete stretch in this position.

Hip Flexor/Hamstring Stretch

Instruct your gymnast to kneel on the floor with one leg in front of her body.

Next instruct your gymnast to shift her weight to their front leg, pressing her hips down and forward.

Once your gymnast’s hips are pressed down and forward, instruct her to lift their back foot off the floor, bending at the knee. Make sure she keeps her knee on the floor.

Make sure your gymnast’s front foot is not past her knee for the safest and most efficient stretch.

Watch your gymnast’s back foot to see whether it points towards the wall or the ceiling. If her back toe is not pointed towards the ceiling then her hips are likely not square. Instruct your gymnast to pull the hip on the same side as her back leg forward and to press the hip on the same side as her front leg forward.

For the hamstrings: Keeping her feet in place, have your gymnast shift her hips back and then flex her front foot in order to stretch the front leg’s hamstring muscles.

Make sure your gymnast is not sitting on her back foot. If she is sitting on her back foot, instruct your gymnast to move her front foot forward.

To help you gymnast understand how to remain square in this stretch you can ask her make sure the top of her inner thighs are touching each other. Stretching square will help keep your gymnast’s splits and leaps square.

Focus on your gymnast’s hip position in relation to her shoulders in all stretches of this nature because once you allow a gymnast to turn at the hips rather than remaining square you will be allowing the muscles to move and gain flexibility in a different direction than intended.

It takes time, focus, and a commitment to excellence to insist that a gymnast perform her warm up exercises, leaps, walkovers, and handsprings with square hips, but the safety benefits and time saved when training advanced skills or routines is invaluable.

The book, Gymnastics Drills and Conditioning Exercises has a dance drills section that includes drills for the split leap and straddle jump.

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Source by Karen Goeller