HowToDoThings.com Recent Solo Sports Articles

How To Understand Motorcycle Racing Lingo

mcdesign — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 12:59:01 -0500

How To Fix a Dented Ping Pong Ball

Mikey — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 13:03:59 -0500

There is little more frustrating than being down to your last ping pong ball and having it flatten or dent from a hard hit against the wall or floor. Never fear, there are some simple steps you can take to fix that dented ping pong ball and get back in the game.

How To Improve Your Golf Swing

Mikey — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 22:58:14 -0500

Most new golfers find that the sport is more difficult than it looks on television. Whether you are new to the sport or just want to improve your swing after years of practice, it can be done. Follow these steps and you can improve your golf swing. To transform your golf swing, however, you may find that more help is needed. I recommend the Simple Golf Swing program.

How To Walk Silently

Mikey — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:32:50 -0500

There are several reasons why you may want to soften the sound of your stride. Are you following someone? Or trying to walk around your apartment without disturbing the downstairs neighbors? Follow these steps and you will be able to walk silently.

Materials:
Soft-soled shoes

How To Make the High School Wrestling Team

VewdoRick — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 18:22:42 -0500

How To Chip

catsfan — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:11:14 -0500

How To Stay Hydrated While Cycling

bluebug32 — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 11:25:28 -0500

How To Respoke a Bicycle Wheel

gonzo — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 19:28:45 -0500

How To Score a Wrestling Match

VewdoRick — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 20:36:02 -0500

Sanctioned high school wrestling matches consist of three 2-minute periods with no rest between periods. The wrestler with the most points at the end of the third period is the winner. If a wrestler pins his opponent at any time before the end of the third period, the match is over and the winning wrestler earns a win by fall (pin). If the match ends in a tie, overtime periods are added until a winner is determined.

The match can also end before the end of the six minute regulation time by technical fall (15 point advantage) or if one of the wrestlers is disqualified or can’t continue the match due to injury. In the case of an injury, the injured wrestler loses by injury default.

How To Lose Weight for a Wrestling Match

VewdoRick — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 15:11:17 -0500

How To Kickflip

VewdoRick — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 12:50:56 -0500

How To Ollie

VewdoRick — Thu, 08 May 2008 15:05:07 -0500

How To Putt

catsfan — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 17:18:36 -0600

The putter is used much more often than any other club during a round of golf, but it is the least practiced part of most people's golf game. By implementing a few putting fundamentals, and with adequate practice, most golfers can learn to like putting, enjoy putting success and improve their overall golf scores. Here are some putting fundamentals that will help every level of golfer.

How To Choose a Golf Glove

catsfan — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 16:06:14 -0600

Golfers should take as much care in choosing the right golf glove as they do in choosing their golf clubs. The glove fits on your hand, which is the most tactile part of your golf swing. A glove that enhances your sense of touch can only improve your game. A glove that is ill-fitting or uncomfortable in any way will be a distraction.

Here are some things to consider when looking for a golf glove.

How To Forget a Bad Golf Hole

catsfan — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 23:06:52 -0600

Resisting the natural impulses will help ensure you get the most out of your round of golf and post the best score possible for that day. Here are some general rules that may swim against the current of human response to adversity, but they are a good battle plan for conquering the golf course after suffering a bad golf hole.

How To Play Against Better Golfers

catsfan — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 18:39:06 -0600

Whether you're preparing to play in a casual foursome with highly skilled golfers (or at least golfers who play better than you do), or getting set to tee-off in a tournament against single-digit handicappers, it is only natural to feel nervous. We often are held back from playing our best by those feelings. It need not be that way.

With some effort on your part, and by following the suggestions below, you'll go a long way toward conquering your fears and breaking down a major obstacle in the improvement of your golf game.

How To Get Golf Lessons

catsfan — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 17:10:36 -0600

Everyone that loves the game of golf, and intends to receive lifelong enjoyment from the game, will benefit from professional golf lessons. Even for a novice golfer, locating a golf coach in your area is not as difficult as it may seem; however, there are a few things to know and consider when beginning your search.

Here are some steps you can take to find the right coach for you.

How To Run or Jog on a Sunny and Hot Day

Schumacher — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 15:48:03 -0600

Running/Jogging is a great exercise for losing weight and conditioning your body. Although, if you practice on a hot or sunny day, you'd better take some care, otherwise it can be very harmful. It doesn't matter if you are competing or just strolling, following this advice will help you get the benefits of the sport whilst greatly reducing the damage to your body.

How To Use the Power of Touch in Your Yoga Practice

melbeau — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 16:15:02 -0600

When we suffer from anxiety, our minds can become scattered and our bodies riddled with tension. Yoga has the ability to pull us out of a state of anxiety and place us into an environment of physical and mental solitude. Practicing yoga enables us to use all of our physical senses to help pull us back to calmness. One powerful sense we can learn to apply and cultivate in our asana (pose) is touch. By shifting our attention into pressing our hands and feet to the earth and grounding our asana, we've established a stable environment that can be calming and healing.

How To Execute A Karate Punch

ShuriLeopard — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 12:41:32 -0500

Karate punches are famous throughout the world for their unusual power. This is not by accident. Through centuries of study, practice and application, karateka (karate practitioners) learned how to incorporate as much of their body mass as possible into their punch. They understood that force, or energy, is a product of mass and acceleration. Maximizing both of these factors increases the amount of force delivered by a punch.

The biggest element in generating force in a punch is the proper use of the hips. The hips are the connection with the largest and strongest muscles, which are contained in the lower part of your body. Without proper use of your hips, you are punching with less then half your available body mass. It is a fairly easy concept to understand but requires a great deal of practice to make effective. The karate punch is executed as follows:

How To Train for a 5K Run

ytriguy — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 15:38:03 -0500

How you prepare for your first 5K run will in a large part depend on your prior running experience. You may possibly have been running for fitness in your background--maybe even for years--but as of yet, you have never entered an organized event.

For the sake of this article, let's assume you have done a little running. Perhaps you've been doing easy runs of maybe 15-20 minutes 2 or 3 times a week. However, you have decided that you want to challenge yourself further and saw the notice for the 5K run and decided you would enter. Let's assume this is your first 5K run, and the first time you have ever entered an actual organized race. Here are some tips on helping you to do the best you possibly can:

How To Drink From Your Water Bottle on a Bike

DL — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 12:23:56 -0500

Hydration is very important in cycling and the lack of water in your system can cause harm to the body. Regular gulps of water or other hydration fluid are important to maintain a safe level of fluids in the body. Here are some tips to safely drink from your water bottle without having to stop your bike.

How To Clean a Bicycle Chain

DL — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 14:29:36 -0500

As they say, there is more than one way to skin a cat. The same adage applies to cleaning and maintaining your bicycle's chain. You could either buy those expensive cleaning kits or you could use some easy-to-find and cheap materials, which deliver almost the same result at a quarter of the price. First, get all the necessary tools for the job of cleaning and maintaining your bicycle chain:

An old baby bottle brush
A bucket
Liquid soap
Toothpick
Olive oil
Gloves (optional)
A clean rag

Now, be sure to get into some comfortable gear that you won't mind getting a little greasy. Follow these steps below to clean your bicycle chain:

How To Change Your Own Golf Grips

c_cubed14470 — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 13:46:53 -0500

Re-gripping yourself is easy, and relatively inexpensive. In order to get the most "bang for your buck," you will need to know the size of the grip that is best for you. To determine the proper size for your grip, read How To Determine Correct Grip Size.

How To Determine the Correct Grip Size for Golf Clubs

c_cubed14470 — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 13:00:36 -0500

The grip is the only physical contact the golfer has with the club. Therefore, the club feeling comfortable in the golfer’s hands is essential to consistently strike the ball. Changing your golf grips can improve your game by 3-5 shots per round. The wrong size grips can actually have the opposite effect.

Determining your proper grip size is very easy, and can be done in a short period of time. While using sample grips to determine your proper grip size is the best way, using the guide below can get you to the proper size. If you need to size your grip incorrectly, I suggest you err on the large side, as most players I’ve ever dealt with do better with larger grips.

How To Pack for a Guy's Golf Trip

catsfan — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 12:24:16 -0500

Follow these tips, add to them if you like, and you'll be set when you're on the road to your next great golf destination.

Get your money together (it will be short trip if you don't). Take a variety of "purchasing power," i.e., cash, credit/ATM cards, and checks.
Get plenty of golf balls -- good ones, not the cheapest. After all, this trip is a big deal.
Put an abundance of tees in your golf bag. No one likes to get to the 1st tee box and realize they don't have tees.
Buy a cool divot tool. You'll look like a good player even if you aren't.
Get sunscreen. There are some good, spray-on brands that are perfect for golfers.

read more

How To Tee-Up Your Golf Ball

catsfan — Sat, 25 Aug 2007 22:06:07 -0500

On each golf hole, there is a teeing ground, or tee box, from which you hit your first shot on that hole. Depending upon the length of the hole, you may need to use either a driver, fairway wood, iron or hybrid. Hybrids are new, easier-to-hit clubs that are meant to replace the long-irons. Depending on the club you need, your ball will need to be teed at different heights. The tips below will first describe how to most easily get the tee into the ground. They will also provide suggestions for how to tee your ball for the different clubs.

How To Warm Up for a Round of Golf

catsfan — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 12:16:04 -0500

Based upon how early, or late, you arrive at the course, you may need to adjust your routine to fit your time schedule. Don’t cut out any step entirely, simply reduce the time you would have allotted to one or more. Depending on your individual needs, fully complete the steps you most need.

How To Play College Golf

catsfan — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 08:41:13 -0500

Every young golfer practices "the putt." The one that will win The Masters. The putt that will make them the British Open champion. Every young golfer dreams.

One of those dreams is also to play college golf. Most junior golfers think it is as unattainable as winning a major championship. In reality, it is not. There are a few simple steps junior golfers and their parents should take to maximize the chances of achieving the goal.

How To Select Golf Clubs

catsfan — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 16:02:37 -0500

Golf irons are one of the subsets that make up a "set" of golf clubs (Woods, Irons, Wedges, Putter). Generally, irons vary in degrees of loft, which makes the ball travel on a higher trajectory or a lower trajectory. They are used from the fairway, which is the space between the tee-box and the green. They are also the clubs you will use most during a round of golf, so it is important to choose the best set for you.

In choosing golf irons, golfers must consider:

Their body (height and build).
Skill level.
Swing speed.
Personal preference (aesthetically pleasing clubs).

There are other factors that may be considered, but a golf professional will fill you in on those during one of the steps described below.

How To Stay Injury-Free

McQ — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 13:14:17 -0500

If you’re the physically active type, just about the last thing you want is to miss out on pursuing your hiking-biking-skiing-boarding-rowing (or whatever) passion because of injury. A pulled hamstring. A tweaked knee. A back thingee that hurts every time you move like this. (Ow!)

Luckily a few ounces of prevention can go a long way toward keeping you off the disabled list. Here are some tips:

How To Do an Ironman Triathlon

McQ — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 14:05:09 -0500

The sport of triathlon is booming and as it does, so is the number of individuals participating in the granddaddy of triathlons, the Ironman. That’s 2.4 miles of swimming, followed by 112 miles of cycling, topped off with a little thing they call the marathon.

How To Choose a Mountain Bike

MVM — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 17:16:53 -0500

Choosing a mountain bike that's right for you is easier than learning how to ride it. Keep these tips in mind when shopping for a mountain bike and you won't fall off.

How To Recreational Tree Climb

Shellystefbyrne — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 19:22:21 -0500

Unlike the tree climbing of our youth, recreational tree climbing is a fun and easy-to-learn activity that utilizes arborist rope, a saddle harness and a unique knot system to assist with ascending and descending a tree. It's an amazing feeling being in the arms of very large trees. You can sometimes get as many as fifteen climbers in a tree at once.

How To Handle a Gun Safely

The2 — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 15:25:41 -0500

You should never handle a gun unless you know how it operates.

How To Raise Your Bowling Average

fester1 — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 12:12:28 -0500

After getting a beautiful, crashing strike on the previous frame, you walk up to the ball rack and grab your ball, stare intently at the pins, and throw a ball that cruises to the left and knocks three pins down. It seems like you did everything the same as you did on the previous shot...stood in the middle of the lane...concentrated on where you wanted to throw the ball...aimed the ball as you released it...yet the results were vastly different. There are a few things you can do to put yourself in the best position to duplicate those nice shots. These improvements fall into two facets of your bowling game: physical and mental. The following tips will help you minimize some of the variables that influence how you throw your ball, increasing your consistency and raising your bowling average.

Physical - Delivery of the ball

How To Ride a Unicycle

Brian263 — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 13:37:24 -0500

You may have seen a lone unicyclist peddling down a city street recently, braving the stares and the laughter. Are these unicyclists just exhibitionists, or is there something special about perching atop a single wheel? You may see more unicyclists as the sport continues to grow in popularity, so why remain a startled spectator? It’s time to discover why one wheel is just as fun as two!

How To Enjoy the Benefits of Bicycle Commuting

Vanessa264 — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 17:59:00 -0600

There's nothing quite like the feeling of putting your bicycle helmet in your inbox. There's also nothing quite like the feeling of throwing your sweaty bicycle clothing across a co-worker's desk but that's another story. Here are a few of the many benefits of bicycle commuting:

Benefits for employers. Employers are beginning to recognize the benefits of having employees that bicycle to work. Studies show that people who bicycle to work regularly are both more productive at work and take off less sick time (plus employers know you'll be awake once you arrive!). If employers encourage bicycle commuting by providing incentive programs, they are perceived as environmentally conscious, which is a big public relations boost these days. Also, many (enlightened) cities now have incentives for businesses to reduce traffic trips per employee and get rewarded for doing so.

read more

How To Play Table Tennis

Brian263 — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 17:22:00 -0600

The rules of table tennis will be different for a college table tennis tournament than they are in your basement during a raucous house party. For one thing, official games of table tennis don't involve beer bottles. Additionally, hitting the ball off the wall is against the rules (I know, I'm taking the fun out of it)... and the ball has to be completely spherical, too (the dented, warped ball you trampled won't work, I'm afraid). How you play table tennis in your basement is your business. The following are official rules for playing table tennis.

How To Choose a Bike Seat

Linda588 — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 12:51:00 -0600

The bike seat you choose for your bike could change the way you ride, your comfort level and your health. Yes, I said your health. The wrong bike seat can cause numbness, boils, infections and chafing and has been blamed for prostate problems and even impotency. There are three things you need to take into consideration when choosing a bike seat to reduce these problems.

Does The Bike Seat Fit Your Body?
- Are you a man or woman? There are different bike seats made for different genders because women and men are shaped differently. Men's bike seats tend to be longer and thinner while women's bike seats are shorter and wider.
  
  read more

How To Buy a Bike Helmet

Linda588 — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 05:19:00 -0600

If you ride a bike, you should consider wearing a bike helmet. Many places have helmet laws, at least for children. The bike helmet will keep your head safe if you crash or have a car accident. Face it, even pros fall off their bikes sometimes. Have you seen the Tour de France? Some of those guys crashed and I don't think even one had a head injury. When you buy a bike helmet, you want to be sure to look for a few things.

Approved and Safe. You can buy a bike helmet from a bike shop, sporting goods store, department store or discount store--it really doesn't matter. What does matter is that you buy a helmet that is approved by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The CPSC makes sure that the helmets that get their sticker are safe. Higher-priced helmets usually use in-mold construction and are lighter in weight but are just as strong.

How To Know When to Replace Your Bike Helmet

Linda588 — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 21:43:00 -0600

A bike helmet is a very important item if you are going to ride a bike. Falling off a bike without a helmet can be dangerous, especially if you are going fast or are hit by a car. There are some things you need to know about your bike helmet though. Sometimes it needs to be replaced. Luckily you can get decent bike helmets pretty cheap these days. This is how you know if you need to replace your bike helmet.

If you have had a crash, you must replace your bike helmet. If you are not sure if you hit your head when you crashed, you will need to examine your bike helmet for marks or dents in the helmet. If you find anything at all, you should replace your helmet because if any of the foam has been crushed, your helmet may not work as well for you next time you crash and therefore won't protect you as well.

How To Choose a Tennis Racquet

Brian263 — Wed, 09 Aug 2006 10:35:00 -0500

Are you aware that you need a new tennis racquet, but afraid to make the choice? Maybe it's the price tag that's scaring you away. Maybe it's that frightening pro shop smell of stale palm sweat and tennis balls (you love it, though - admit it). Most likely, however, you're intimidated by the sheer number of racquet options. Choosing a tennis racquet can be tricky, whether you've been playing for three days, three weeks or three years. After three decades, you should have the idea. In the meantime, this article can get you started on the right path.

How To Be a Real Ninja

Ashley351 — Mon, 17 Jul 2006 17:49:00 -0500

Ninjas are in video games. Ninjas are popular Halloween costumes. You may have even seen Ninja Turtles. Aside from the commercial portrayal of them, can one actually become a real ninja?

How To Get a Black Belt

Ashley351 — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 08:54:00 -0500

So you have probably seen amazing martial art stars such as Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee, and wondered, "Why can't I do that?" The truth is that anyone can become a black belt in taekwondo. Though, I must forewarn you, it takes a lot of time, discipline, hard work, and money.

Understand What Taekwondo Is: Taekwondo is a form of martial arts that originated in Korea. It consists of the art of kicking and formal patterns of movements known as forms. Taekwondo is not all about learning to fight. Fighting is discouraged and the moves learned are only to be used in self-defense and tournaments. Through taekwondo, you will learn to discipline yourself, respect yourself and others, and to believe in yourself. You will also gain loyalty, courage, perseverance, self-control, honor, and integrity. In addition to improving your attitude, taekwondo also brings many physical benefits such as strength, flexibility, and speed.

read more

How To Buy a Figure Skating Dress

Jacque358 — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 08:59:00 -0500

Figure skating, whether on the ice or in a roller rink, is often accompanied by its own crowd of experts in addition to the skaters, judges, and coaches. These experts may include seasoned parents of a family of figure skaters or local dressmakers who, more often than not, are skaters themselves or are related to skaters. Consequently, for those new to the figure skating realm, locating a good figure skating dress can be accomplished easily.

How To Use Golf Etiquette

Elizabeth69 — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 13:44:00 -0500

Golf has grown in popularity over the past several decades. No longer a game reserved for the elite, people of all ages and all income brackets are taking to the links to get a little exercise and enjoy a beautiful, sunny day. Learning to master the game is fun and relaxing for many people (for others, it can be a bit exasperating!). One thing is certain--when everyone plays with consideration of their fellow golfers, the game is more enjoyable for all. Here are a few tips on using golf etiquette:

Honesty is the best policy. Accurate scoring in golf is largely done on the honor system. Shaving a point or two off of your score is dishonest and will surely make you an unpopular golfing partner.

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How To Consistently Break 100 Playing Golf

Kyle240 — Thu, 18 May 2006 17:50:00 -0500

Golf can be infuriating. The good news is that the worse you are, the easier it is to improve. If your typical 18 is up around 120, you can shave 20 or more strokes off your round by learning basic concepts. Follow these tips to make your round of golf more than just a good walk spoiled.

How To Choose a Bike

Roger20 — Mon, 20 Mar 2006 13:46:00 -0600

First, choose your aspiration below:

Be Lance and conquer the French Alps
Explore the back trails of my local park
Ride leisurely with my spouse or children
Lose weight and get/stay in shape
No car, therefore I bike
I saw a dude ride off a cliff and I want to do it too

The Right Bike for You

How To Buy a Bike

Roger20 — Mon, 20 Mar 2006 13:39:00 -0600

Where Do I Begin?

The first thing that you need to decide is the purpose of your purchase, as in most cases when forking out cash for something that may never see daylight. No different with bikes, there is an intended purpose and application that designers and enthusiasts alike have created. Take a moment to consider how much money you want to invest and what you want to get out of your bicycling experience. Here are a few that I've encountered: