Body Slam: A Forgotten Movie of the Rock ‘n’ Wrestling Era

“Rock ‘n’ Wrestling” refers to a significant crossover between the worlds of professional wrestling and rock music that took place in the 1980s. It primarily revolves around the partnership between the World Wrestling Federation (now WWE) and the music industry, particularly with the involvement of musicians and collaborations with MTV.

During this era, the WWF recognized the potential of combining the popularity of professional wrestling with the mainstream appeal of rock music to create a larger fan base. This led to various initiatives and events that blended the two worlds, resulting in a phenomenon known as “Rock ‘n’ Wrestling.”

One of the key figures in this crossover was Cyndi Lauper, a prominent pop singer of the time. Lauper’s association with professional wrestling began when she appeared as a manager for wrestler Wendi Richter. This led to a storyline feud between Richter and Lauper’s rival manager, Captain Lou Albano, which culminated in a highly publicized match at the inaugural WrestleMania event in 1985.

The success of this collaboration prompted further integration of music and wrestling. The WWF featured rock musicians in their programming, such as Rick Derringer performing “Real American” for Hulk Hogan’s entrance theme. Additionally, the WWF created animated series called Hulk Hogan’s Rock ‘n’ Wrestling, which featured animated versions of wrestlers teaming up with various rock stars in comedic adventures.

The “Rock ‘n’ Wrestling” era represented a significant period of cross-promotion and entertainment convergence, bringing together the larger-than-life personalities of professional wrestling with the energy and appeal of rock music. It played a crucial role in expanding the fanbase of both industries and capturing the pop culture zeitgeist of the 1980s.

The natural progression of this awesome pairing was to bring the action of pro wrestling and sounds of rock music to the movie screen. However, this is where interest seemed to stop for most people. Perhaps purchasing a ticket and spending a day at the movies was always going to be a bit overkill for fans perfectly happy to watch Cyndi Lauper just have fun from their own living room for or parents who got a free cartoon for their kids every Saturday morning. Whatever the reasons, this effort to hit the big screen ultimately left us with movies like No Holds Barred (which Jim Ross once referred to as No Profits Allowed) and the should be cult-classic Body Slam.

Body Slam was a comedy released in 1986, revolving around a down-on-his-luck music promoter named M. Harry Smilac, played by Dirk Benedict of The A-Team fame. Smilac just happens to get involved in the world of professional wrestling and mischief ensues.

The film follows Smilac as he encounters a washed-up pro wrestler named “Quick” Rick Roberts, portrayed by Rowdy Roddy Piper. Smilac sees an opportunity to combine his love for music and wrestling by managing Quick Rick and a wrestling rock band called Kick at the same time.

With the help of his assistant Candace, played by Tanya Roberts, Smilac sets out to promote Quick Rick and his wrestling partner Tonga Tom, played by Sam Fatu. They embark on a tour with Kick, hoping to achieve success and fame by merging the worlds of music and wrestling. As the story progresses, Smilac faces challenges, including rival wrestling promoters, the constant chaos of managing a group of wrestlers and musicians, and the difficulty of putting on a show that features both live music and wrestling. Of-course the film culminates in a climactic showdown and a high-stakes wrestling match.

Body Slam combines elements of comedy, wrestling action, and music, creating an entertaining story about an unlikely group of characters trying to find success and redemption in their respective fields. Other wrestlers and personalities of note appearing in the film include Captain Lou Albano, Afa Anoai, Barbarian, Billy Barty, John Astin, Fans of The A-Team will especially enjoy this film as Dirk Benedict drives around in a Ferrari in some scenes and is essentially playing the Templeton Peck character (he juggled commitments to both projects during this time). That’s perfectly fine because Rock ‘n’ Wresting is a venture that the Face man would get into to make a buck.

Body Slam was not a financial success. The film was met with negative reviews and failed to attract a significant audience. The movie’s poor performance contributed to its status as a relatively obscure and forgotten film today. While it has gained a small following among fans of professional wrestling and ’80s movies, it hasn’t achieved the same level of cult status as some other films from the era. Its lack of critical acclaim and commercial success prevented it from attaining widespread recognition or a dedicated cult following. This isn’t surprising when thinking about the mainstream audience but perhaps a little more unexpected when considering the fandom of wrestling fans.  

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Athletes that Deserve a Movie, and the Actors that Should Portray Them

(PointSpreads.com) – Not all heroes wear capes. Many of them wear football pads, cleats, sneakers, and skates, and some even carry a bat or a stick. We’re talking about transcendent athletes who can make the jump from the field of battle to the silver screen.

With the release of Air – a movie inspired by Michael Jordan – PointSpreads.com, known for its reporting on the latest sports betting news (and the latest point spreads, of course), has compiled a shortlist of athletes whose larger-than-life personas, accomplishments or backstory would be worthy of the big screen – as well as the best actor to portray each one.   Which athlete will be the subject of the next Hollywood megahit?

“That sounded like a fun bet, so we decided to put some odds to it,” says Robert Jones, a former bookmaker at a major sportsbook and senior contributor at PointSpreads. 

Tom Brady

Now that he’s retired, Brady is the glamor boy who showed the world he was much more than a pretty face. Brady had a career spanning two decades, rarely got injured, and has more records than Motown.

A handsome face and an ‘aw-shucks’ demeanor is what is needed to play the seven-time Super Bowl champ. So, who is the perfect fit? We believe Arnold Schwarzenegger’s son, Patrick, would be the man to do justice to the role, according to PointSpreads.com.

“We think Brady has great odds of a Hollywood portrayal of his life and career.  The man is a legend.  The consensus around our office would be +300, or 3-to-1 odds, just behind Kobe Bryant,” Jones says.

Kobe Bryant

The Black Mamba needs to be memorialized in film, and not just any movie, but one that will stand the test of time. An all-time classic with superb directing and cinematography worthy of capturing one of the most electrifying ball players ever to grace the hardcourt.

His tragic death, made even more heart-wrenching when his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and seven other souls lost their lives in a plane crash on that fateful day in January of 2020, will have the audience misty-eyed and searching for Kleenex. PointSpreads.com’s pick to play Kobe is Michael B. Jordan. 

“There must be a Kobe film coming. I’d give it +150 odds,” Jones says.

Conor McGregor

Another celebrity that is no stranger to the pages of PointSpreads.com is Conor McGregor. Love him or hate him, it’s impossible to ignore him. The Irish MMA superstar exploded onto the scene with outrageous trash-talking and a unique fighting style that seamlessly blended a hammer-fisted boxing approach with the nuanced techniques of capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian martial art rarely seen within the confines of the Octagon.

McGregor is a natural southpaw but can switch to orthodox at the drop of a dime and his Billionaire Strut, fashioned after WWE founder Vince McMahon’s imperious swagger, is cinematic gold. Tom Hardy, an acclaimed martial arts practitioner himself, gets the gig with no audition required.

“McGregor’s personality, backstory and Irish heritage appeal to a big demographic and there must be a producer in Hollywood wanting to make this happen.  I’d give it a solid +450,” Jones says.

Simone Biles

Considered to be the greatest gymnast in the history of the sport, Simone Biles is a 4’8” pixie mounted on a pair of hydraulic lifts and a body of twisted steel that allows her to do what few others have been able to do.

Seven Olympic and 25 World Championship medals comprise her gymnastics resume but the Presidential Medal of Freedom awarded to her by Joe Biden in 2022 reflects how truly transcendent and entrenched in the fabric of American culture she has become. Marsai Martin has our full support to recreate the wonder that is Simone Biles on the big screen.

“Simone captured our hearts and attention and any movie about her would most certainly be well received.  I’d give it 6-to-1, or +600 odds that we’ll be seeing a trailer with her likeness in the near future,” Jones says.   

Image credit: Brian BAHR / AFP (PointSpreads.com)

Poker And Getting Rid of Your First Time Nerves

By: Tim Jeffries

I really have sympathy for you if you’ve decided to play poker for the first time and you’ve decided that you’re brave enough to try playing against live players. I wish you all the luck and offer our condolences in advance…

I am kidding!

Of course, we’re not here to grieve for your losses in poker in advance. If you’re a first time player and you want to play against live players, then good for you. And we’re here to help by providing you with useful tips that just may be the keys you need to survive round after round of poker.

Now, first time players are what most poker veterans refer to as “calling stations”. If you’re wondering about the logic behind the term, it’s basically because most first time poker players have the tendency to call almost all bets without even sparing a moment’s thought on their decisions.

Obviously, if you don’t want to be viewed as a “calling station” (egad!), gain the respect of your fellow poker players and maybe a share of their chips also, think before you act. Poker is not just any card game. It’s a mental game, a strategic competition between several players.

If you feel that your nerves are getting the better of you, here are some tips to get rid of cold feet.

Don’t pressure yourself by comparing your skills to other players’. That’s a futile exercise. Naturally, you can’t compare. You’re playing for the first time and they’re, what, celebrating their one millionth game? If you accept that, there’s nothing to lose yet there’s no harm in trying, you’ll feel much better later on and be able to concentrate more on the game.

Don’t turn your fellow players into gods. Okay, so you’ve heard about your opponents’ reputations. Say, one is called The Crocodile because of his ability to snatch you out of the game in seconds and the other one’s called The Rampaging Elephant because he’s always aggressive when it comes to bets. Remind yourself that before they got their monickers, they were also, once in their lives, christened as “calling stations”… just like you. If it helps, mentally replace their faces with funny looking ones to lessen your feelings of inferiority.

And lastly… relax. I know, it’s easier said than done, but you truly have to relax. Block out everything except for the cards you’re holding and mentally hum a happy song to yourself. If you let external factors get the better of you, you’re dead meat. But if you succeed in relaxing and focusing completely on your game, you may just have gotten rid of your nerves for the final time.

What the Hatha!? Learning About Hatha Yoga

Yoga was originally meant to be a spiritual treatment of the mind and the soul. It has, in today’s world, become more of a physical treatment than anything else. Hatha yoga is the type of yoga that prepares your body for its spiritual journey. This is mainly done with physical and breathing exercises as well as asceticism. This type of yoga requires the most physical exercise than any of the other types of yoga.

A few of the main factors for Hatha yoga are concentration on your breathing and your posture. This type of concentration can be more difficult than you think. Once you try this for yourself and see what this type of concentration can do, you will want to continue with this type of yoga. The purpose of practicing a great posture is to practice great meditation. You need to find a position that you can sit in for a long period of time. If you cannot be comfortable in your meditation and yoga positions, then you will be unsuccessful. The more postures and positions that you can acquire, a better meditative state will result.

Hatha is the form of yoga that anyone should begin with. Hatha begins with the basics of yoga and teaches you the inner workings of meditation and how you should begin. Once you master your own postures and positions of meditation comfort, it is time to master your breathing patterns. If you can master your own breathing patterns, than mastering your mind is not far out of reach for you. It takes many steps to reach these different levels of meditation and yoga. With practice and concentration anyone can do it.

If you are beginning your new adventure with yoga, Hatha is the form of yoga that you should begin with. If you want your yoga career to be successful you must begin with the proper steps and then learn in the right order. If you only learn the superficial methods of yoga, then you will not experience the desired results from this amazing technique of holistic meditation.

In today’s world, Hatha yoga mostly used for its physical exercise. We do not take advantage of the other benefits that Hatha yoga can give to us. It is a form of yoga that if done properly, can heal you in the most holistic way possible. Hatha yoga does evolve from its physical exercises. It is these exercises that begin and promote the mind and soul healing. No matter why you are participating in yoga, you can receive all of these benefits. The only way you can recognize them or use them to your benefit is to practice the other side of yoga, meditation. If you are unaware that these features, they will be of no use to you. When practicing yoga, you need to be aware of everything going on within you. Pay attention to yourself and you will instantly be able to see the changes that are going on within you.

Hatha yoga can be easy to learn if you are open minded and want to learn. It is a technique that can be mastered if you put all your energy and concentration into it. By learning the techniques of Hatha yoga, you are well on your way to an alternative way of healing in the most holistic way possible.

By Krishan Bakhru

Leo Ferris: The Man Who Saved The NBA

The early days of basketball often seen slow fan-unfriendly low scoring matches that often left spectators bored. Games often only got into the 40’s and many of the best players averaged less than 15 points a game. Many early basketball games looked more like a glorified version of the children’s game of keep-away than an action packed professional sport. This style of play culminated in a game between Minneapolis and Fort Wayne, where the Pistons of Fort Wayne held the ball most of the second half nursing a 1 point lead over the Lakers. The Pistons would win 19-18 in the lowest scoring game in NBA history. Prior to that the fewest points ever score 33 points, just 4 fewer than both teams scored, and that game was one the opening night of the NBA, or BAA as it was called back then.

This pace bored fans, many of whom were promised an action packed fun experience and attendance and interest in the new league had begun to dip. The NBA needed a solution and needed it fast. The solution was an ingenious one and one that would revolutionize the game as we know it. A simple clock, with just 24 seconds on it would forever change the game.

The clock was the brain child of Syracuse Nationals general manager Leo Ferris, a man that the NBA has long forgotten in one of the biggest travesties in the games history. Ferris, is as important to the early days of the NBA as anyone and one could argue that without Ferris there would be no NBA today; and there definitely would be no Atlanta Hawks, or Philadelphia 76ers. The NBA would look much different today without Ferris’s input all those years ago.

Ferris got his start with basketball not in the NBA but in the NBL when in 1946 he helped found the Buffalo Bisons. The Bisons were pretty much a failure in upstate New York and after only 13 games the Bisons picked up and left the shores of Lake Erie and heated to the American Heartland in Molina, Illinois. Technically, the team played in Molina and Rock Island, Illinois and Davenport, Iowa but most of their games were played in Molina. The team was called the Tri-Cities Blackhawks and while they struggled the foundation of one of the longest tenured NBA teams was laid. The Blackhawks would eventually move to Milwaukee, where they took on the moniker Hawks, and than move to St Louis and finally to Atlanta.

Shortly after the team moved to Tri-Cities Ferris would go on to make one of his first major shake ups of the basketball world when he signed Pop Gates for the all-black New York Ren’s to a contract. African-American players had played in the NBL before, but only during the early 1940s when World War II had taken a lot of the white players from the NBL. Gates was the first black player signed to a contract when there was not a necessity for them, and the first one signed because of his skill and talent and not because the league needed players. Gates would re-join the Rens when they joined the NBL as the Dayton Rens two years later.

After only a season with the Blackhawks, Ferris returned to his native upstate New York and began as the general manager of the NBL’s Syracuse Nationals. As manager of the Nationals he scored a huge coup for the Nationals and the NBL when he lured highly coveted big man Dolph Schayes away from the New York Knicks of the upstart BAA.

The BAA and NBL rivalry only got worse, with the BAA stealing away most of the best players from the NBL and starting in 1948 the BAA started taking the best teams as well. In 1947 the Minneapolis Lakers, Rochester Royals and Indianapolis Kautskies left the NBL for the BAA. The Nationals were now in an uncertain league and they and the NBL desperately needed to find a solution, and Leo Ferris would find that solution.

Starting in the spring of 1949 Ferris started meeting with executives of the BAA, at first it was an attempt to possible get the Nationals into the growing league, but would soon expand to merging the two leagues. The talks ended in August of 1949 when an agreement was reached to merge the NBL and BAA and form the NBA. The BAA only wanted to absorb two teams; the Nationals, and the upstart Indianapolis Olympians; who would replace the Jets. Ferris managed to talk the BAA into accepting both of those teams, as well as the Denver Nuggets, Sheboygan Redskins, Anderson Packers and the Blackhawks. He originally wanted the merger to include Oshkosh, Hammond and Dayton, but financial backing ruined Oshkosh’s attempt to relocate to Milwaukee and Hammond was thought too close to Chicago where the BAA already had a team. The Rens of Dayton were not allowed to join because their players consisted of black players. In addition to the Rens not being allowed to join, black players on Syracuse also had to be let go.

The merge proved successful as the 17 team NBA seen initial success, but the old NBL teams had given up too much power in the merger and despite Ferris’s best efforts the league kicked out 5 of the former NBL teams the next season.

The 1950 season saw the Lakers continue their dominance and the Pistons thought the only way to stop them was to hold on to a one point lead and the ball. This was the event that usurer in Leo Ferris’s clock or more commonly known as the shot clock. Ferris had always liked math and had been good at it, and he used math to come up with the 24 second clock. He took the number of seconds in a 48-minute game (2,880) and divided that by the average number of shots in a game (120) to get to 24 seconds.

It took 4 more years for the league to implement the shot clocks and when they did the league seen a jump in scoring by nearly 20 points a game and gone were the days of games ending up in the 40s. In fact, since the introduction of the shot clock there has been only 20 regular season games were a team has scored less than 60 points, and only one were a team scored less than 50 and only one playoff game were a team scored less then 60 points.

The introduction of the shot clock caused the game to enter into an era of frenzied paces, with teams scoring what were once thought of as impossible number of points. In 1954-55 Neil Johnston lead the NBA in scoring with 22 points a game, seven years later Wilt Chamberlain would set the NBA record by averaging 50 points a game.

Ferris would only stick around the NBA for one season after his clock was introduced before permanently leaving the league and the game to develop real-estate. It was a shockingly short career for someone who would have such a profound impact on the game.

Despite all that he accomplished, Ferris has yet to be introduced into the Naismith Hall-of-Fame. He has been a finalist multiple times but never made it to the enshrinement portion. This is likely due to the utter and complete disregard and disdain that the NBA has often shown towards the NBL and its former players and staff.

Excluding Ferris has been one of the worst tragedies that the NBA has done in its 70 plus years of existence. Many people are in the Hall-of-Fame who have lesser resumes than Ferris and yet Ferris gets overlooked time and again. Maybe, hopefully, 2018 will be the year for the man who may have saved the NBA.

Resources and references come from http://nbahoopsonline.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9883795

Photo Credit: John Lent/AP

An Adventure into the Wild: The National Parks of Sri Lanka

Are you a fellow wildlife enthusiast? Then visiting the National Parks is a must when you’re in Sri Lanka. The country is blessed with a number of these jungle-clad areas housing diverse species of flora and fauna. Read on to discover some of the most popular National Parks of Sri Lanka. Our friends from the Travellanka Connection break down the top 5!

Wilpattu National Park

Located 30 kilometers west of Anuradhapura, Wilpattu National Park has declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1905. It was later elevated to “National Park” status. Spanning an area of no less than 131,693 hectares, this is the largest National Park in Sri Lanka. Wilpattu National Park has a unique topography; a complex of around 50 wetlands known as “Villus”. Surrounded by open, grassy plains, “Villus” are shallow lakes filled with rainwater. The best time to visit this National Park is the dry season between May to September. One would be able to spot an array of wildlife species including sambar deer, crocodiles, wild boars, wild elephants, and especially the elusive Sri Lankan leopard.

Yala National Park

Book a Sri Lanka Holiday Package to explore the famous Yala National Park; the second-largest wildlife reserve and one of the first protected sanctuaries to have been established in the tear-drop island nation. This National Park is home to over 31 mammals and more than 124 species of birds. The terrain boasts lush, green environs, and is home to its fair share of reptiles and other lagoon fauna. Embark on a jeep safari to spot the elusive leopard. These safaris are available during early morning and evening hours. Travel Lanka Connection and similar other reputed travel companies will put together carefully curated itineraries to suit all your travel needs – and this can include a safari to Yala National Park as well!

Kumana National Park

Kumana National Park is nestled on the eastern fringes of Yala National Park; however, it is considered a wildlife hub in its own right. Famous among avid birders and ornithologists, this National Park is blessed with a number of magnificent bird species. A few of the most prized bird species that one can spot here include the rare, black-necked storks, egrets, hawk eagles, godwits, and ibises. The park is also a prime location to spot many wildlife species such as sambar deer and elephants.

Minneriya National Park

Minneriya National Park is located in the middle of the famous cultural triangle of Sri Lanka. It is mostly famous for “The Gathering”, which is believed to be the world’s largest congregation of Asian elephants. The best time to witness this spectacular phenomenon is during the dry season, which spans from July to October; hundreds of elephants gather around the lake in search of water, creating a majestic scenery for the onlookers. Apart from the elephants, many inhabitants call this relatively small National Park their home, and these include the purple-faced langur monkeys, spotted deer, sambar, and macaques.

Wasgamuwa National Park

Located approximately 225 kilometres away from Colombo, Wasgamuwa National Park is bordered by two rivers – Mahaweli Ganga and Amban Ganga (‘ganga’ translates to ‘river’ in English). The park is dominated by a dry-mixed evergreen forest and is characterized by tall trees such as Weera, Palu, and Burutha. From November to May, tourists can spot large herds of elephants. These gentle giants migrate to the nearby Minneriya and Kaudulla National Parks during the dry season. Apart from mammals such as purple-faced langur monkeys and wild boars, Wasgamuwa National Park is famous for birds such as the endemic red-faced mal koha, Ceylon jungle fowl, and lesser adjutant stork.

6 Tips for Tracking Your Fitness

You have decided to bring the body into shape and regular workouts have become your usual routine. Still, after one or two weeks of such physical activity, you don’t see wishful results in the mirror and stepping on the scale just confirms it. For that reason, you give up, abandon set goals and return to a sports lifestyle only when a certain time passes. It is high time to break this vicious circle!

The most crucial thing here is to understand that changes are not a matter of one week. It takes time to achieve progress, so you should gain patience and keep motivated along the way. The best solution for following fitness goals is results-tracking.

Body alterations and how you feel constantly performing physical activities are the greatest motivators for moving ahead. By tracking your fitness, the possibility of reaching goals significantly rises and promotes you working and spending your time yet more efficiently. That way, our key task is to identify what ways of fitness progress measuring are the most fruitful and worth incorporating into the sports agenda. Let’s figure it out.

1. Keeping a Workout Journal 

Tracking your fitness results may be easy as a pie with steady journal keeping. Noting your exercising and meals is not time-consuming, but it will certainly give a clear vision of the advance. Do it the most convenient for you. It can be a usual notebook, notes on your device, or even Excel spreadsheets – it is up to you.

The essential is to be precise with writing down workouts. Try to include what exercises you did with the sets and reps number. If your workouts were of strength type, fix the used weight. In case you did running, record miles and performance time. No less important is the well-being after physical activity. So, point out how you feel after the workout: exhausted or energized, whether it was harsh or easy.

The journal is also perfect for diet tracking. Exercising is requisite, but it loses its sense without proper nutrition. Thus, you will succeed only by blending these two components. Still, you have to be careful since tracking your daily ratio may turn into obsessive calorie counting. To avoid this, we recommend just analyzing your eating habits and based on them, excluding or including specific products in your meals.

2. Fitness Trackers or Apps Appliance

Living in the modern world, we may benefit from various tech novelties, and it also relates to the fitness area. Track your results just in a few moments with smart fitness trackers or apps on your phone. There is a variety to choose from, and X-wrist is the name of one the leading. 

If you still count your steps and manually monitor your heart rate – stop doing this. Currently, such measurements are effortless with the fitness tracker. Select your best fitting application and your workout progress control will become a sheer pleasure. X-wrist is the app empowering you to make healthy choices. Its AI-based building system will allow you to log your meals, set diet goals and plan further nutrition. What’s more, this tracker may monitor your sports activity both at home and in the gym. You can also record workouts and create upcoming exercises routine here. 

So, fitness tracker usage is vital as besides providing info about physical achievements, it helps take care of your health and become the best version of yourself. 

3. Clothes Fitting

As practice shows, an appealing mirror look can be the highest motivation. The best way to get a dose of inspiration is by trying clothes on. For example, find a pair of jeans you have strived for so long to fit into and dress them. Wearing jeans will give an insight into how successful are your sports accomplishments and how far you are from your goals. 

Pay attention to your feelings: whether clothing sits looser or tighter. To attain the most accurate outcome, we offer to pick one specific piece of clothing and measure your progress in keeping with it monthly.

4. Taking Measurements 

Sometimes scale figures may be deceiving, so you should keep in mind that muscles weigh more fat. So it is significant not to limit scaling but to do the measuring to explore gradual changes.

It is worth steering clear of daily measurements. Record your neck, shoulders, waist, biceps, chest, thighs and hips sizes with a tape measure weekly, no sooner. Moreover, the time and conditions of measurements play an extremely important role, so be sure they are the same every time.

5. Blood Pressure Check

Fitness progress means more than an attractive body shape. No matter what goals you pursue: losing weight or gaining muscles, your blood pressure can present you with the overall picture of your health condition. Heart health directly depends on blood pressure that is consequently influenced by physical activity, nutrition and stress levels. 

With regular workouts, both your body and cardiovascular system stand stronger. That way, the blood pressure can be a pointer for diminishing heart and chronic disease risks. A blood pressure watch is the best decision for keeping abreast of your blood pressure indexes.

6. Progression Photos

Some may consider post-workout photos a waste of time. However, it is doubtless a valuable experience. Every day mirror-looking may totally change our body perception. Still, it can be challenging to trace the ultimate progress throughout the path, so pictures will come in handy here. Taking photos weekly will show you incredible differences already in half a year.

All you need to enjoy such contrast over time is to picture within the same conditions, light and angles. Remember that daily weight is floating and the photo taken in the morning will differ from one after the meal. Lighting is also the key point. Poor light can generate shadows and emphasize your drawbacks, hiding the apparent results. In addition, dressing in similar outfits in each month’s photos may confuse and prevent you from noticing differences.

After taking pictures, don’t compare them to two days ago. It makes no sense. The most appropriate checking frames are from four to six weeks.

Final Words

Being fit is not always a synonym for muscular body shape. It is about health, well-being and fulfillment. Regular exercising and proper nutrition will gift you the body of your dream, together with decreasing health hazards and improving mental health. You can’t do without tracking your fitness progress to get this with flying colors. So stick to our tips and the first considerable results won’t be long in coming.

FSM Retro: A Lil’ Love for SNES’ Super Punch-Out!!

FSM takes a look back at the rarely talked about Super Punch-Out!! boxing game courtesy of Shaun Rogers from NextLevelGamerz. We find out it’s not that hard following the classic sans Mike Tyson and that gamers can have a little old-school fun…

Super Punch-Out!! is a boxing video game developed and published by Nintendo for the SNES. It was released on September 14, 1994 in North America and again in the same region in 1996.

Super Punch-Out!! is an impressive boxing game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. It features great graphics, cool music, tight control, and excellent replay value. This game should be considered one of the greatest boxing games in video game history. The characters are full of personality and are unique and fun to fight. The game takes advantage of the SNES graphics chip capabilities and really pushes the envelope as far as graphics are concerned.

Playing this game is very enjoyable, as it is fun to play as a newbie or as an experienced veteran. Beating the opposition takes time and learning their patterns and moves really is a must. Super Punch-Out still rates up there as one of my favorite video games of all time. Beating the special hidden circuit definitely takes skills, and that is what I love about the game.

Gameplay

The action is fast, and the response times are lightning quick. Each opponent forces you to re-think your maneuvering, as they all have their own unique styles and patterns. The controls are simple enough, with a left and right punch, as well as a super punch. Dodging and blocking become key components in this game if you are to be successful.

The game play is very tight and responsive and pulling off super punches is easy. The game is easy enough for anybody to pick up and learn, and it is fun enough for everyone who wants to. Your boxer controls flawlessly and avoiding your opponent’s attacks will timing and skill.

The Storyline

You must take over the role of an underdog boxer attempting to win the Minor, Major, World, and Special Circuit Championships. Old arcade favorites like Bear Hugger, Piston Hurricane, and Bald Bull are here, as well as NES favorites like Mr. Sandman, and Super Macho Man. You are attempting to battle your way to the top of these circuits, which contain four boxers in each circuit, and the fourth opponent is the reigning champion. Overall the story is very simple but it works.

Graphics & Sound

Super Punch-Out is well animated and features beautiful cartoon like graphics that gives each fighter their own personality. The graphics are colorful and the characters are well animated. I love the opponents, Narcis Prince and Bear Hugger both are very different from one another but are so beautifully drawn that they just make my jaw drop wide open. The ring mat changes from circuit to circuit, but you only have the choice of using the one boxer.

He does not appear to be Little Mac from Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out but rather is a different character all together. The graphics are so bright and colorful that it is hard not to appreciate them. The opponents all have special facial and body expressions when they are about to pull off a new move or when they get decked themselves. It is comical to watch your opponent go sprawling into the corner after a knockdown punch.

It seems that each character is bigger than the last, and they all are so well done that each one is either very likable or easy to despise. The boxers feature their own theme songs and the sound effects from the punches are excellent. The sounds of the boxers are great as they each have their own voice samples, and the sound of your boxer after winning a match is great too. He will either exclaim that the match was, “A piece of cake,” or, “Too close”… your opponents laugh and pose when they win the match, which is incentive enough to get back in there and take them on once again.

The Games Re-playability

This game is very fun and the replay value is so high until you finish every circuit. The game has great graphics and sound, and the control is very precise and tight. Playing this game over and over can be easy to do because of all the entertainment value it possesses.

Attempting to beat your old best scores can be another incentive to play this game again. Tweaking your skills and becoming a master takes lots of time and practice, but putting a lot of effort into a game like this is easy just because it is so well done.

Final Thoughts

This game is a must have for Super NES owners. The cartoon like quality of the graphics makes this game humorous and addicting, and the music and sound effects are all right on with the game atmosphere. Missing out on Super Punch-Out!! would be a tragedy as this is the best boxing game Nintendo has ever made.

It is fun, addictive, humorous, challenging, and entertaining. Spending lots of time with your SNES will not be to difficult once you pick up a copy of Super Punch-Out!!, it is that kind of a game that still amazes even years later.

For more game reviews and things alike, visit nextlevelgamerz.

Rail-Trails Are Hidden Gems, And Good for You Too!

Explore Your Local Trails, Enjoy Long-Term Health Benefits

(NewsUSA) – Stress — it’s everywhere. But there is an easy form of stress reduction that is as simple as opening your front door.

Spending time outside can help improve your physical and mental health, and you don’t have to be an extreme athlete to reap the benefits.

Studies show that simply going out for a walk in nature can help build strength and endurance, and contribute to feelings of relaxation and resilience. Being active outside has proven benefits for people’s minds and bodies.

Rail-trails in particular are ideal for individuals of all abilities and fitness levels to safely enjoy the outdoors. Rail-trails are multipurpose public paths created from former railroad corridor. That means they are flat or gently sloping, have a hard surface that makes them accessible to all types of activities and are available in rural and urban areas.

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is a nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting communities across America with trails. One way they do this is through promoting the value of time spent outside — by encouraging people to make “trail moments” a regular part of their lives and sharing these experiences to inspire others to discover the convenience and joy of being active outside on trails.

“I feel really lucky to have grown up in Virginia, and now I live in Washington state, with lots of access to these trails, but there are literally thousands of miles of rail-trails all over the country,” says Miranda Webster, (@mirandagoesoutside) a longtime outdoor-enthusiast.

“So, whether you are mountain biking, hiking, walking your dog, or riding your bike, I hope that you’re able to find a trail near you where you can enjoy it as much as I have through my entire life,” she says.

Travel blogger Jeff Jenkins (@chubbydiaries_), based in Texas, has taken his wanderlust to local trails in a series of blogs and videos for the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.

“Now, I’m showing people how to discover their own backyards, from their local cities to national parks, trails and the great outdoors,” says Mr. Jenkins, who has also created an online community for plus-sized travelers at chubbydiaries.com.

“So often people see trails as a way to get a little outdoor recreation, and yes, that’s true,” says Ian Mackay (@ians_ride), who regularly enjoys the trails in rural Washington state from his power wheelchair. “But it is so much more for me… having a safe trail space where I can go explore my own interests, interact with the community, and run my own errands is monumental to my happiness,” adds Mr. Mackay, who is also the founder of Ian’s Ride, a nonprofit organization.

This fall, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is taking inspiration from the thousands of stories that people have shared about the personal impact of time spent outside on trails and encouraging people of all ages and abilities to make a habit of it. Their #TrailMoments 21-Day Challenge offers fun activities to encourage people to get out on the trail every day.

Visit the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy website for more information and tips on making outdoor time part of your daily routine. www.railstotrails.org/trailmoments and @railstotrails #TrailMoments on social media.

Diveheart Adaptive Scuba Diving Trip Transforms Filmmaker’s Life

(NewsUSA) – Scuba diving can be an exotic and enriching activity for anyone, but for individuals with a range of physical or cognitive disabilities, the unique weightlessness of the underwater environment allows them to exercise, relax, have fun and gain confidence like no other experience. Children and adults with challenges, including traumatic brain injuries, amputation, spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy and blindness can enjoy the physical and psychological benefits of scuba diving.

Diveheart, a Downers Grove, Ill.,-based nonprofit tax-exempt organization, has been helping youth, veterans and others with disabilities through adaptive scuba and scuba therapy since 2001.Last year, Los Angeles filmmaker David Marsh accompanied a Diveheart team on a scuba trip to Cozumel, Mexico, to make a documentary about the organization and its mission. For Marsh, the experience was life-changing, as he completed the trip and his filming despite the tragic personal loss of his son to a drug overdose just one week earlier.On the last day of the trip, Marsh shared his loss with the Diveheart team.

“David Marsh is amazing and awesome. Despite his loss and grief, he soldiered on and captured the spirit, love and hope that emerges from every Diveheart trip,” says Diveheart’s founder and president, Jim Elliott.”He captured the essence of our mission and shared the real-life experience of what Diveheart does to help those with disabilities experience freedom underwater.”

In the documentary, every day embraces a theme; day one is trust, day two is freedom and day three is adapting. Audiences will see how Marsh translated the feelings of the adaptive divers, who shared their losses, struggles, fears and hopes.

“We are so grateful to David for capturing Diveheart in action,” Elliott emphasizes. “My hope for this documentary is to raise awareness to Diveheart’s mission: to revolutionize rehabilitation by using zero gravity underwater to help those with everything from mobility issues to chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder. We help our participants find that self-confidence, personal strength and independence, and we will continue to do so in the years to come.

The documentary, “Adapting To Dive,” premieres at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 18, 2022, at Classic Cinemas Tivoli Theatre, 5021 Highland Ave. in Downers Grove, Ill. To see a trailer of the documentary, click here. Tickets are $12 for general admission and accessible seating.For more information about the documentary and tickets, click here.

Visit diveheart.org for more information about Diveheart.