Body building supplements in athletics

The Use of Supplements in athletics

Most student athletes are beginning to feel the pressure of expecting to be the best. In order for them to gain an edge on their teammates and other competitors, these athletes are taking many different supplements. Bodybuilding supplements are dietary supplements commonly used by those involved in bodybuilding and athletics. Bodybuilding supplements may be used to replace meals, enhance weight gain, promote weight loss or improve athletic performance. Some types of protein are to be taken directly before and after a workout, while others are to be taken before going to bed. However, creatine is mainly taken before a person works out. Among the most widely used are vitamin supplements, protein, branched-chain amino acids (BCAA), glutamine, essential fatty acids, meal replacement products, creatine, weight loss products and testosterone boosters.

Supplements are sold in different forms. Supplements are sold either as single ingredient preparations or in the form of "stacks" - proprietary blends of various supplements marketed as offering synergistic advantages. Most supplements can be found in local sports shops or in local nutrition shops. Some supplements can be found in grocery stores as well. The annual sales of sport nutrition products in the US are over $2.7 billion (US) according to “Consumer Reports”.

The most commonly used supplement on the market is protein powders and protein drinks. The know benefits of taking manufactured protein is the extra help to gain muscle. If used correct, protein drinks can help gain muscle 10 percent faster.  The theory behind this supplementation is that bodybuilders, by virtue of their unique training methods and end-goals, require higher-than-average quantities of protein to support maximal muscle growth. Currently, no consensus has been reached in determining whether or not an individual in exercise training can benefit from protein and amino acid supplements. Protein supplements come in various forms: ready to drink shakes, bars, bites, oats, gels and powders. Protein powders are available in a variety of flavors. Although it is generally undisputed that athletes and bodybuilders need an increased intake of protein, the exact amount is highly individualized and dependent on the type and duration of the exercise as well as the physiological make up of the individual. Age, gender, and body size may vary this protein intake. Some health experts, however, have criticized protein shakes as being unnecessary for most people that consume them, since most users already get enough protein in the normal varied diet with enough calories. However, there is some evidence to support the idea that protein shakes are superior to whole foods with regards to enhancing muscle hypertrophy in the one hour window following intensive exercise. Moreover, for athletes who do not have the time to prepare whole food meals on the run or immediately after exercise, a protein shake may be preferred for practical as well as performance reasons. Additionally, some studies suggest low-calorie dieters, vegetarians, haphazard eaters and those who train very heavily may benefit significantly from protein supplements. Traditional nutrition theory states that the body can only metabolize 5-9 grams of protein per hour and that excessive daily intake can cause weight gain, kidney problems, osteoporosis, or diarrhea. However, many bodybuilders report consuming hundreds of grams of protein per day to achieve maximal strength gains, so this nutrition dogma may only apply to the general public. Taking an overdose of protein can lead to a loss of appetite, which may be useful for some dieters. Nutritionists claim that osteoporosis occurs from excessive protein intake because protein can put pressure on the kidneys and lead to bone loss due to calcium leaching. There are three branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs): leucine, isoleucine, and valine. Each has numerous benefits on various biological processes in the body. Unlike other amino acids, BCAAs are metabolised in the muscle and have an anabolic/anti-catabolic effect on it. BCAAs account for 33% of muscle protein. Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid found in human muscle and is commonly found in supplements or as a micronized, instantly soluble powder because supplement manufacturers claim the body's natural glutamine stores are depleted during anaerobic exercise. Serum glutamine is used by the body to counteract the acidosis that results from exercise; in order to replenish the loss of glutamine from the bloodstream, the body catabolises glutamine from the muscle. Ingestion of supplemental glutamine may therefore help ensure a ready supply for the muscles. It is also argued that a deficiency may lead to a weakened immune system and wasting of muscle tissue. Creatine is an organic acid naturally occurring in the body that supplies energy to muscle cells for short bursts of energy (as required in lifting weights) via creatine phosphate replenishment of ATP. A number of scientific studies have shown that creatine can improve strength, energy, muscle mass, and recovery times. In addition, recent studies have also shown that creatine improves brain function and reduces mental fatigue. Some studies have suggested that supplementation with the ergogenic caffeine may eliminate the beneficial effects of creatine. This is significant because both creatine and caffeine are viewed as excellent supplements by body builders, and it was hypothesized that the combination would lead to rapid strength gains. The negative effect of caffeine on creatine metabolism is still questioned, however, and begs for further research.

Although there are some proven pros of body building supplements, the fact is that they are not a necessity. Manufactured protein and creatine and other supplements can lead to future problems affecting your play. The is no need for body building supplements.

the road to college

The high road to the college life

When kids are young the say they want to be a astronaut, firefighter, or pro sports super star. Most of the time, younger kids want the life that their role models have. But as they grow up, most children change the ideas towards their profession and find more suitable jobs towards their talents. Kids go through stages in their life's that affect what they want life to be as adults. When a student gets into high school, that is one of the times that they get the opportunity to get a hands on expirence with a subject that allows people to relate a profession they're interested in. Yet, that may not be the best choice for the student because it may not help them get into a good college that allowed them to pressure their dream.

In high school there are regular classes that most of the students take and then their are AP classes, the gateway to college. AP English classes, mainly taken in highschool for people intersted in majoring in college" get more in depth in books, writings, vocabulary, and much more. AP math classes, math majors, go more in depth in the lessons, equations, and usually teach at a quicker pace. another advanced placement coursethat my school has offered is AP history. These higher classes challenge most of the students to their limits, which will help them later on in the challenging classes.  They also help the students find out what they are interested and what they might excell in. although. Not all high schools offer the same number of  AP classes. Some have a wider range of AP classes that students can take and some have less.

Students that want to stand out from all the other students takes these AP classes. Most colleges want the students that take the AP classes because it shows all of the extra work that was put into his highschool expirence. They classify these students as go getters. Now a days alot kids are expected to enroll in the AP classes and college based on their intelligence level.  Some kids use AP classes just to get their GPA over a 4.0 in order to attract the ivy league schools. They don't care whether the class interest them or not. They just want the extra points. These students only care about getting their GPA as high as possible but some kids actually take these classes to learn materials that arent shown in normal classes. this will also help once you get into college. 

 

Taking a AP class prepares the student for college much more that a regular english or math class would. In a AP English class the student will learn how to write essays in a college prep manner. The student will be introduced to a broader vocabulary and they will learn how to analyze books, prompts and much more. They level of homework and expectations are extremely higher then in a regular class. No only that, but the stress level of the student goes way up as well. Students receive a huge increase to their homework and study time. Colleges encourage students to take AP classes even if it is not their best subject. Colleges see the student as wanting to improve themselves when taking these accelerated classes. You constantly hear on the news about how students are way over stressed because of the expectation of them. School is not the only thing that contributes to the stress of the students but also if the student does a sport. These high level classes put a lot of stress on the students which affects other aspects of their life. For instance, I am a swimmer and while I am swimming I am stressed out during practice because i am thinking about all the home work and project I have to do.

Back in the days when my parents and their friends were teenagers, did not have aventages available  like we do today. Back then, there was also not talk on the news about the stress that commonly affects teens today. They had very good teachers but they had a very difficult playing field. in order to get into college, they had to do many different extracuricular activities.  

 

Students that take AP classes and successfully passes the class are prepared for college to the best of their ability. They prepaid you with the knowledge and study habits that you will need in college. The AP classes prepare the student with the knowledge to pass their college classes and peruse their profession they choose.

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Compare and Contrast of Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman

Although they come from different parts of the United States, Morgan Freeman and Denzel Washington they have both picked up similar careers. Ever since the beginning of their careers, they have excelled in their movie productions.

Morgan Freeman was born in Memphis, Tennessee. His mother’s name was Mayme Edna, who was a teacher and his father’s name was Morgan Porterfield Freeman, who was a barber who died in 1961 from cirrhosis. He has three older siblings. Freeman was sent as an infant to his paternal grandmother in Charleston, Mississippi. His family moved frequently during his childhood, living in Greenwood, Mississippi; Gary, Indiana; and finally Chicago, Illinois Freeman made his acting debut at age 9, playing the lead role in a school play. He then attended Broad Street High School, currently Threadgill Elementary School, in Mississippi. At age 12, he won a statewide drama competition, and while still at Broad Street High School, he performed in a radio show based in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1955, he graduated from Broad Street, but turned down a partial drama scholarship from Jackson State University, opting instead to work as a mechanic in the United States Air Force.

Denzel Washington was born in Mount Vernon, near New York City, on December 28, 1954. His mother, Lennis "Lynne", was a beauty parlor-owner and operator born in Georgia and partly raised in Harlem. His father, Reverend Denzel H. Washington, Sr., a native of Buckingham County, Virginia, served as an ordained Pentecostal minister, and also worked for the Water Department and a local department store, S. Klein.Washington attended grammar school at Pennington-Grimes Elementary School in Mount Vernon until 1968. When he was 14, his parents' marriage fell apart and his mother sent him to a private preparatory school, Oakland Military Academy, in New Windsor, New York State. "That decision changed my life," Washington later said, "because I wouldn’t have survived in the direction I was going. The guys I was hanging out with at the time, my running buddies, have now done maybe 40 years combined in the penitentiary. They were nice guys, but the streets got them." After Oakland, Washington next attended Mainland High School, a public high school in Daytona Beach, Florida, from 1970–71. Washington was interested in attending Texas Tech University: Washington grew up in the Boys Club in Mount Vernon, and we were the Red Raiders. So when he was in high school, Denzel Washington wanted to go to Texas Tech in Lubbock just because they were called the Red Raiders and their uniforms looked like theirs. Washington earned a B.A. in Drama and Journalism from Fordham University in 1977. At Fordham he played collegiate basketball as a freshman guard under Coach P. J. Carlesimo. After a period of indecision on which major to study and dropping out of school for a semester, Washington worked as a counselor at an overnight summer camp, Camp Sloane YMCA in Lakeville, Connecticut. He participated in a staff talent show for the campers and a colleague suggested he try acting.

Freeman and Washington’s appearances are very similar. They are both tall African American males with a deep but soft spoken voice.  Their hair however, differs. Morgan freeman has black hair but with a bit of gray while Denzel Washington has curled black hair. From the TV however you can never tell how their skin is besides the fact that it is a lighter shade of African American. Morgan Freeman and Denzel Washington have a very similar physical appearance.

These actors are very similar in their acting styles. They both like to take part in movies that have a moral towards the end, and they also like to take apart of movies that are based on true stories. The movies that Washington has taken apart of that have a historical significance are “Remember the Titians”, Malcolm X, the recent hit,” Unstoppable” and many others, while Freeman has been a part of the newest block buster, “Invictous”. These movies have changed the voices of our generation.

The two American actors have also made drama movies a favorable choice. Most of the true story movies have been dramas but these two actors have done many fictional dramas that have been top of the charts. Many of these films consist of the well known, batman begins, wanted, the million dollar baby, the shawshank redemption, and the newest of its saga, the dark night are the major fictional drama movies acted in by Mr. Freeman. Some fictional stories that Washington has acted in are Déjà Vu, American Gangster, and the newest award winning movie, The Book of Eli. Also unlike Washington, Morgan Freeman has taken an interest in narrating many documentaries. The most famous documentary that he has been a part of is the March of the Penguins. Another acting job that has separated Freeman from Washington is the ability for Freeman to do comedy movies.

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Blog 3: Connotation of a word

Connotation of the word Jew

Words can hurt. They can especially hurt when used with the wrong tone. Any compliment or any ordinary word's meaning can change whenever a person adds a little emotion into it. When a word is spoken, it becomes more powerful than if the word was written. A word that has been changed from statement to insult is the word Jew.

The word Jew has changed throughout the history of time. When it was first used, Jew was used to describe a man or woman who practiced the religion of Judaism. Being a Jew was a great part of one’s life. Many were proud to be called a Jew. It wasn't until the beginning of world war two, that the word Jew was turned into an insult. When Hitler took office in the uprising of the Nazi party, the word Jew was changed forever. Hitler made being a Jew one of the scariest things of that time. Hitler’s view on the Jewish population changed today’s peoples thought on the word Jew.

When a person hears the word Jew, you can see his or her body language change. Because of Hitler’s take on Jews, people prefer to not use Jew to describe a Jewish person anymore. Although many prefer not to use Jew in there major vocabulary, many, now, use the word Jew as an insult. When one friend say to another, "man your such a Jew", mainly referring to a stereotype or possibly as just an insult, the word Jew is being misused. Jew is now often mistaken for words like idiot or just calling someone cheep (Jewish stereotype). The word Jew has been made into an insult in today’s modern day slang.

The word Jew has many meanings in today slang. The original meaning of Jew, a person who practices the religion of Judaism, is still used correct in modern day conversation although its newer definitions are mainly used in conversations. The word Jew is not a terrible word when used right. The word Jew has changed from a nice and accurate word to a racist word.

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Blog 2: everything is an argument

 

In today’s world, everything is an argument. Arguments can be found everywhere. Arguments are a part of everyday life. An argument is an oral disagreement between two or more people or by an object. Most people believe only people can argue, but they are mistaken. Many no humanistic things argue. When you are driving down the highway and you see a bill board for a company, you will notice that all they are trying to do is tell you that they have the best product or food and that you should only buy from them. This is also a very human tactic. Although many things argue, humans are believed to argue the most. People argue about virtually anything. We mainly argue in order to force our options on other people. People argue in essays in order to persuade a reader to take their side, people argue about where to eat, and people argue to get their way. The people that argue the most however are authors. When an author writes a book they argue that it is the best book on the market for some in his or her targeted age group to read. Also, in the book, an author will leave bit and pieces of his main argument. Although the reader doesn’t always know it, he or she is being persuaded into the author’s point of view. Authors argue most out of the common man.

                In the book, All’s quite on the western front, the author, Erich Maria Remarque, uses his character, Paul Baumer, to help show his point of view on war. In this book, Paul talks about the many things that make war differ from regular life. The author, Erich Maria Remarque, uses these topics to help express his argument on how different war life is from normal life. Some examples that were used was that after Paul returned from war, he could no longer fit in. Paul was used to the grueling conditions that a war zone could create. The author is using a very truthful argument because after being on a battlefield for so long, many soldiers have gone crazy or have disapproved of their older society. Another example that the author used to prove his argument was how he described both Paul’s homecoming and his experiences on the front. While Paul was fighting on the battlefield, the author would use very descriptive words to describe both the situation, and Paul’s surroundings, while when Paul was at home; the author would use a very dry and emotionless way of description. These examples would tell the reader that life on the western front was more exciting and action filled than the boring home visit on his leave. This example also helps prove the authors point. In the book all quiet on the western front, the author, Erich Maria Remarque , uses his characters to help support one of his views on war.
         

The author of All's quite on the western front, Erich Maria Remarque, shows his other argument through his characters. The authors other argument is that no matter what army it is, they both have similar goals. Those goals are to stay alive. In the book, Paul Baumer talks about how a man changes in order to stay alive. He says that everyone acts like a wild animal with its back to the wall. HE is saying that he has to fight his way out or he will be killed. The author believes that their is no peace in the war zone. An other example that the author, Erich Maria Remarque gives is when he tells of how the soldiers must find their own food because they were fed little amounts. The group of Paul and his friends always had to find more food in order to satisfy their hunger. They have to fight for their food to survive. The author, Erich Maria Remarque, uses his characters to give examples of how soldiers tried to survive the war.

The Author, Erich Maria Remarque, shows his final argument by using all of his minor characters. Remarque’s final argument is that people do not understand what goes on in the battlefield. The first example that the author gives is when the mayor of Paul’s home town comes up to Paul and yells at him for not saluting. The mayor accused him of losing his morals during his fighting on the front. The major has no idea what Paul must go through so Paul feels angered when he is disrespected. Another example of the author argument is when Paul returns home on his leave, and all Paul’s dad wants to do with his son is show him off to his friends. Paul was hoping that he and his dad could reconnect because he has missed his family, but Paul’s father thought otherwise. Paul’s father has no idea what Paul has to go through. The author, Erich Maria Remarque, shows his final argument by using many of his minor characters, along with his one scene characters.

Anyone can argue that everything is an argument. Many authors use this method of writing in order to prove his/ her point. In the book alls quiet on the western front, the author, Erich Maria Remarque, Proves three of his points by using this technique. His three main points were that people don’t understand what goes on in the battlefield, that it is hard for people to adapt after war and that all soldiers want to stay alive on the battlefield. Authors use the argument technique in order to prove their point of view.

What it is to be a reader

                A reader does more than just read a book. A reader uses all that he or she has learned inside and out of the classroom, to understand any novel that has been assigned or decides to read. As the story nears the end, a reader must use the beginning and middle of the book in order to predict what will happen at the end. In order for a reader to fully understand the message or ending of a book, he or she must possess different identities.

Readers are investigators trying to figure out the story using the method of foreshadowing. As a good story progresses, a reader must take hidden clues found inside the book in order to help the reader fully understand what he or she is reading. The reader will investigate how the characters interact, in order to decide what could happen to each individual character. A good reader, like a good investigator, will jot down notes in order to help him or her with the task of finishing the job. Readers are investigators.

Readers are alchemists, taking newly discovered materials and turning them into a hypothesis. Readers will use every possible combinations of events in the book until they figure out the ultimate outcome. Also, a reader will not throw out a blend of events in case their are later findings in his or her research that prove his or her older point to be true. A good reader, like a good alchemist, will not only believe in his or her hypothesis of combinations, but will also take into consideration, the hypothesis of a fellow reader. A reader is an alchemist.

Readers are men, women, and children, yearning for a story that will make them want to read more. Reading, for most is a chore that we must overcome during elementary school until college. While a good reader is reading a novel, he or she will look up words that they do not know in order to know their meaning. Although many only think reading is strictly schoolwork, loads of people also find comfort in reading a classic novel. Many read to pass the time, many read to help themselves sleep, many read for current information, and many read for the enjoyment of their favorite book saga, or their favorite author. It doesn’t matter what your age or sex is because everyone can read. Readers are made up of people of all ages.

                Reading will help everyone in every subject. Readers and learners are always exposing their minds to new ideas and new information by reading. Everyone should be a reader because reading is informational while at the same time it is fun and easy.