Tag: Sports

5 Interesting Facts About Beethoven You May Not Have Known

Ludwig Van Beethoven is one of the most famous and influential musicians/composers of the Classical and Romantic era. He was born in Bonn, which is the capital of Cologne (Germany) on December 17th 1770.

He had a very diligent melodious career with the help of his father, Johann Van Beethoven, who started teaching him music at a very early age. Beethoven wrote 9 symphonies, 5 concertos for the piano and 1 for the violin, 32 piano sonatas, and 16 string quartets to represent his entire career. There is probably no one in the developing world that doesn’t recognize a piece or two that was written by Ludwig. His music was dramatic and fierce and lives on to this day.

A lot of historical information can be found about Beethoven, but there are some exceptional facts about him that you may never have known:

Does Age Really Matter?

On paper Ludwig Van Beethoven was born on 1770. However, for many years the composer thought he was born in 1772. The exact year of birth was never officially definite. Historians believe that Beethoven’s father intentionally created this deception by altering his age so that he could present a much younger musical virtuoso. Remember, around the same time period Mozart was already quite established, and most likely, Beethoven’s biggest musical rival! His father didn’t want his son to be out-done by a fellow young originator.

Student Turned Piano Teacher

Beethoven was forced into the practice of music by an early age and music became his existence. It became his identity and he was very successful. One would assume that his passion for music would be something that he would love to share with those who wanted to learn. Beethoven was known to show utter disdain for piano teaching unless he was able to teach exceptionally gifted students, and, it has been noted, that if the student was a beautiful woman, it didn’t matter if she couldn’t tap her fingers to chop-sticks let alone play the piano.

Sounds of Silence for Ludwig

The worst fate that could ever befall a musician is loss of hearing. That is exactly what happened to Beethoven. His hearing loss was gradual, but by 1819, in his 30’s, he was clinically and completely deaf. According to correspondences written by Ludwig, he considered his hearing loss a “demon”, which haunted him everywhere he went. There were moments in this phase of his life where he contemplated suicide, but the love of music and his career held that action at bay. After the deafness set in, he was still able to complete thirty-two piano sonatas, seventeen string quartets, nine symphonies, one of which would be the Fifth Symphony – one of the most commonly recognized pieces he ever wrote.

Twelve Times Thirty

Music and math have always been complimentary disciplines. According to the American Mathematical Society, counting, rhythm, scales, intervals, patterns, symbols, harmonies, time signatures, overtone, and pitch are ALL notations made my composers that are directly connected to mathematics. With that being said, Beethoven was not very gifted, to say the least, when it came to basic math. Due to family obligations, he had to leave school at the early age of 11 to help support his family.

Beethoven’s Struggle For Health

Throughout Beethoven’s childhood, middle years and up to his death, he was never blessed with a healthy life. In addition to his hearing loss, which was attributed to typhus, he also suffered from colitis, rheumatism, rheumatic fever, skin disorder, to list a few. His death was eventually caused by cirrhosis, which lead to liver failure.

Whatever strange behavior or physical infirmities Beethoven struggled with, there is no denying that he will forever remain one of the greatest composers of all time.

The Right Tennis Movements

What is the right footwork for a tennis player? How to move well on the tennis court? I will try to answer these questions in order to help you to improve your tennis game.

Image result for tennisTennis movements are very various and there are many different ways to move on a tennis court. Tennis is a complex activity that involves movements in every direction in order to get to the balls but also to recover. The best tennis players are the ones using a right technique in their movements but also the ones that are able to do this very quickly.

First of all a tennis player needs to execute a split step before every shot. This split step is done while the opponent hits the ball. It is a very small and short hop that allows you to be on the ball of your feet in a wide stance. The player will then be ready to move in any direction. This is the basis to have a good footwork. A split step has to be done before every single shot and allows the player to be light on his feet and to be ready to move to the ball.

A tennis player rarely does more than 4 steps to go to the ball. It is then very important to be explosive and quick on the first steps. Depending or where the ball is going to bounce the player will have to move in a different way. Being able to read the shot of your opponent is a key in order to move well.

If the ball is going to bounce next to you usually one side step is enough to be in the right positions. If the ball is deep you will have to move back very quick in order to hit the ball while you are moving forward. If you are late you will still be off balance while you are hitting and then the shot will not be efficient.

For most of the shots the player will have to move around 3 steps to the backhand or forehand side. The most efficient way is to move forward and in diagonal to the ball. After the split test, step forward with the leading leg in the direction of the ball and at the same time push off the ground with the opposite foot. This will allow you to have an explosive and quick first step. Once the leading leg is back on the ground push off hard on the ground and bring your other leg in front of you, then set you up and you should be able to hit an efficient shot.

If you have to run for a short ball, right after the split step explode forward an avoid doing a step back. This is a common mistake that costs time. Your first step has to be forward in the direction of the ball.

Moving to the ball is one thing but now you need to recover well in order to be ready for the next shot. The most efficient way after a shot is to do a cross over step and then to side step back This is a lot quicker and more efficient than doing only side steps to recover.

All those different steps need a good coordination and of course they need to be practiced. A lot of tennis players could be a lot better if they were using a correct technique while they move to the ball and recover. The best way to train movements is agility training on the court. Moving to a cone, doing a shadow and recovering at the starting point are good drills to improve the movements. Because there is no tennis balls involved the player can really focus on his movements and learn the right technique. After a little while he will not think about, it will be automatic and then he will be able to use this with live balls.

How to Pick the Right Airsoft Guns?

Do you need a little help or a bit of advice for choosing an effective Airsoft gun? Do not turn the page! Here you’ll find some tips to find the perfect gun among the many Airsoft guns listed below.

1. Look at the costs – Make sure you have an accurate idea of how much you want to spend before you start looking for the perfect gun. Your price range should be based not only on how much you want to spend but also on how much you’re involved in the game. It makes no sense to spend hundreds of dollars for a professional spray gun if you are a beginner. Start with a gun economic, so if it break you’ll not have lost much money, then over time you can increase the level of the weapon based on what you’re involved and the available budget.

2. Check the type of game you want to play – assault, sniper or artillery support for simply as covering fire. Make sure you are suited to the role (for example, if you’re not patient enough then never go for a sniper gun). After choosing the role, pick a right weapon. The assault Airsoft guns for the battles are short and make it easier to shoot outside and inside corners. The snipers normally use distinct heavy, expensive guns but extremely effective while the artillery support are armed with light machine guns but very heavy blow by the very powerful (like the M60). To cover fire, it is recommended to use any assault rifle with a large magazine.

3. Model – As mentioned above, select the gun according to your preferences and needs, not those of others. Here is a short list of the best airsoft guns.

MP5 – A very popular weapon in airsoft weapons. It does not have many pieces of exterior renovation, but got numerous extensions. This gun is excellent for assaults, where small steps make a difference.

The M4 and M16 Series – These are one of the most famous series in Airsoft. You can find a wide range of external updates (as viewfinders and grips) and interiors for this type of rifle. If you want to attach a viewfinder to this weapon, make sure your track is 20 mm wide, for the rest it all depends on your taste. If you like to use this gun for the assaults, avoid models with a long barrel, which is quite common in this class.

AK -47 and AK -74 – this series has many styles to choose from external bodies, from ‘ AK -47 to the base of ‘ AK- 47U compact. Again, does not have many external changes such as the M4 / M16, but got numerous extensions.

G36 – It is not as popular as other airsoft guns mentioned above, but still it’s a great choice. A big advantage is the accessibility of adapters for large shippers. It can be a good thing because the reserves of this weapon are not as large as those of other weapons.

10 Tips to Read More Books

Image result for reading booksA survey carried out 15 years ago showed that almost half of Americans didn’t read a single book in 12 months. Since then, reading rates have been falling. Sometimes this happens just because we don’t have enough time, but more often it’s just lack of motivation. So, before you turn to our foolproof tips for developing a reading habit, ask yourself a simple question.

Do you really want to read more?

Most of us know we SHOULD read more. Yet, we don’t really WANT to – we don’t truly understand all the benefits. That’s why so many attempts to read more fail. So, what are the benefits of “consuming” more texts?
Keeping your mind sharp. Reading involves mental effort, it forces you to think – this is what television, for instance, can’t do.
Becoming an expert. Having read around 15 books on a subject, you build a better understanding of it than most people. Having read 200-300 books on a topic, you reach the level of an expert.
Changing your life. Self-help genre is the best in this respect, yet even fiction often gives ideas for self-improvement and making your life better. Reading a lot often gives you a chance to think in ways you hadn’t considered earlier.
Being aware of what’s going on in the world. Books may give an insight about trends that will affect our future.
Think of other, more personal reasons. If you are still sure you really want to develop a reading habit, try the following strategies.

Start your morning with reading

Why not start your day with investing in yourself? If reading is the first or one of the first things you do when you wake up, you will be less likely to skip it or just “forget” about it. This routine will help you make reading an automatic activity. You will also read later in the day, when you have time.
However, if you know your mind tends to be slower in the first half of the day, then you might consider reading in the evening, when your concentration is better.

Set a daily goal

For instance, 30 pages or 10% of a book daily. In this way you will be able to read about 3 books a month, or 36 books a year.
For bigger books, 10% is a lot, so you may want to read 5% in the morning and 5% later in the day.

Drop a book you don’t love

Having read 20% of a book you discovered it’s just a waste of time? Don’t be afraid to quit. Otherwise, reading will become a chore rather than a passion.

Keep a list of books you’d like to read

Amazon Wish List can be rather convenient for building such a list. Avoid multiple lists, as you will very likely lose track.

Keep track of the books you’ve read

If you are able to see your achievements, it will help you build up motivation.

Make notes

Use note taking software that gives you a chance to synchronize information on several devices. If you prefer paper books, you may consider making notes on a piece of paper and keeping this piece inside the book.

Try speed reading

This technique is great for many types of books, including self-help books and books connected with one’s job. You will easily find books and software to help you increase your reading speed. But just to begin with, try the following simple steps:
– run a card, a pointer or your index finger beneath the text – in this way you force your eyes and brain to keep pace
– stop “pronouncing” words you read in your head
– read in sprints: set a timer (10 minutes, for instance) and read faster than you actually comprehend.

Have a book with you everywhere

If you find paper books too heavy, opt for an ebook. You may be surprised by how much you are able read during the time in lines etc.

Listen to audio books

It takes more time to listen through a book than to read it, yet audiobooks are great when you can’t actually read (doing chores, walking around).

Make reading more of a social activity

Join a book club. There are a lot of online groups, but you may also find in-person clubs in many towns. Get a library card or find friends who share your interest in reading.