Poonia is at number nine in the latest IAAF rankings, and all eight ahead of her have above 65m personal best, with Germany's Nadine Muller leading the chart with 68.89m.

The Indian said she had been undergoing yoga and other mental exercises during her training in the United States under 1976 Olympic champion Mac Wilkins so that she concentrates on her throw during the Olympics.

"Concentration is the most important thing to get the distance. I do yoga especially breathing exercises and meditation in the United Sates (at Portland where she had a three-month training). I also had regular discussion with Virender (her husband-cum-coach) and Mac Wilkins (at the training centre at Portland in US)," she said.

She, however, keeps away from following what the other season leaders were doing so that she does not feel the pressure.

"I don't want to follow what Nadine Muller or Sandra Perkovic or Stephanie Brown Trafton (Beijing Games gold medallist from United Sates) are doing. That will put pressure on me. I want to concentrate on my strength," she said.

"I don't want to put myself under pressure. I don't want to think that I can become the first Indian track and field athlete to win an Olympic medal. People may have expectations after my Commonwealth Games feat but for me I will be happy if I give my 100 per cent," she added.

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Meticulous planning key to success in Olympics: Poonia

Everyone needs sales and personal development training. Even you. The challenge is how much and what kind.

With thousands of training options, it's difficult to select the best programs.

I just got an email solicitation telling me to "create a unified approach to learning management." Huh? What does that mean? Wouldn't it be a better message to suggest "a real-world approach to learning success"? Or am I missing something?

Last time I checked, training and education were all about the learner.

The email meticulously listed every element of current day training, from classroom to mobile app. They left out one small item - RELEVANT CONTENT.

What's your approach to training? What's your approach to learning? What's your approach to education?

The haunting words of Jim Rohn have rung in my ears for more than three decades. "Formal education will earn you a living. Self education will earn you a fortune." And with the state of the economy and training cutbacks, this message is more urgent and relevant than ever.

What's your self-education plan for the next 24 months? Are you learning about sales and success as many hours as you're watching TV? Or are you waiting for the training department to give you new information?

The classroom environment is in total transition. With the maturation of e-learning, and the addition of mobile and tablet (ok, iPad), information is being transferred in new, faster, and better ways. "Just in time" has given way to "on demand."

For the classroom to remain a relevant and vital part of anyone's learning success, several elements must be present - and beyond the classroom (or in place of it) the same elements apply.

Read more:
Learning management or learning success?

By LUCIAN McCARTY lmccarty@saratogian.com Twitter.com/SaratogianCDesk

SARATOGA SPRINGS It seems self-evident that the rigorous exercise of pilates would help dancers with their form, but simply saying Pilates is good wasnt enough for Meghan Del Prete.

I wanted proof, said the pilates instructor and owner of Reform, a True Pilates Studio on Division Street. Now, after a 10-week study with three dancers of different ages, she says she has it.

Del Prete, who is also a member of Skidmore Colleges dance department, will be presenting the findings of her study and discussing the results at 10 a.m. Monday at the National Museum of Dance for Dancers Health Day, which will feature a number of lecturers and presentations.

The dancers in Del Pretes study submitted to measurements by two physical therapists of their balance, coordination, flexibility, core strength and other factors important to their craft throughout the 10-week study.

The participants attended about three classes weekly and Del Prete said the results were clear.

You can see how the increased core strength helps balance and the quality of their movements, Del Prete said. Theyre less wobbly.

One of the physical therapists practiced dance-specialized therapy and measured hip rotation, balance and movement-based tests.

Del Prete said she got the idea for the dance-focused study because she was a dancer through college and in the years following. It improved my dancing significantly, so Ive always wanted to work with dancers, she said. I felt strongly it made a big difference.

Before the dance study, she had conducted a similar study on men who golf and practiced pilates.

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Reform. a True Pilates Studio owner to present study findings on pilates for dancers

Singer actress Miley Cyrus arrives at the Muhammad Ali Celebrity Fight Night at the Marriott Desert Ridge Resort in Phoenix, Arizona, March 24, 2012. UPI/Art Foxall

License photo

STUDIO CITY, Calif., July 7 (UPI) -- U.S. singer Miley Cyrus' pilates instructor said critics shouldn't worry about the star's shrinking waistline because "she's healthy and she feels good."

Mari Winsor said she's been working with the 19-year-old for the past four months on an almost daily basis at her Studio City, Calif., gym, People magazine reported Friday.

"What we focus on with Miley is posture. That was my main concern when she first came to me," Winsor said. "I wanted to get her shoulders down and get her to relax her upper body. If you notice, her posture is a lot better.

"She works hard," she added. "When this girl comes in, she is on fire. She's focused."

Winsor said she thinks people who are worried the actress is losing too much weight "need to chill out."

"She's healthy and she feels good, that's the main thing. She's smart about her body. She wanted to sculpt her body, that's all."

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Pilates instructor defends Cyrus' weight

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Soon after Emily Jones discovered yoga 12 years ago, she knew one day she'd teach it.

"I was drawn to the fact that it was not just a physical practice, although it was a physical practice. It involved much more than just my physical body ... it made me feel good. It helped me gain control in different areas of my life."

Jones, 37, joined her love of yoga with a lifelong goal of owning a small business in January, when she opened Lifespring Yoga and Nutrition on Quarrier Street in downtown Charleston.

She had been teaching yoga in various venues and said opening the business was a way to focus her energy.

"I found myself running everywhere," she said. "I didn't feel like I was able to fully commit my energy into the development of one spot. I felt like my offering of this of this practice could be much more powerful if I could just focus my attention to one area, one location instead of having three or four going at one time."

While yoga classes are offered at local agencies in the area, Lifespring may be one of only two stand-alone yoga studios in Charleston.

April Woody opened the Folded Leaf on Bridge Road in January 2008.

"I had absolutely no idea if it would work or not," Woody said.

Yoga studios' fortunes in the Kanawha Valley have been a mixed bag.

Woody had a Teays Valley branch of the Folded Leaf for a year and a half, but she ultimately closed it because she didn't have enough customers.

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Second woman turns yoga into a business

Many communities have private or community center yoga classes specifically for children, and some offer classes for children growing up with developmental delays, physical challenges or disabilities. As with other physical activities for children, there are personality, safety and health issues that should be considered when comparing instructors and programs. The space should be clean, airy and uncrowded and the yoga instructor should be knowledgeable and encouraging. Children with disabilities should be enrolled in inclusive yoga classes so accommodations made for their mainstream peers are provided as naturally as those for a specific disability.

Some community organizations and local parks departments offer Mommy and Me or family centered yoga classes that are especially comfortable and beneficial for children with disabilities. They may help adults remember the diversity of the children they knew growing up and remind us that every child is unique and interesting. And unlike therapy, parent or caregiver participation ensures that we understand that nothing is as easy or manageable as it looks when an instructor is describing or modeling the movements.

Yoga is a personal experience that should not be viewed as a competitive sport. Some families will want the most stylish gear and to achieve perfection in every movement; others will be supportive of one another and help the instructor build self confidence and relaxation into the experience. Many of those who practice yoga in the latest fashions are as apt to create camaraderie and trust in a class as those who are wearing worn out gardening clothes.

My son decided to enroll in a parks department yoga class and I signed up at the same time to make sure it was appropriate for him and to monitor his blood sugar. Because I had injured an ankle the instructor showed me helpful accommodations to avoid pain or further injury. I was not the only person who enjoyed the support and encouragement. My son assisted the instructor several times after the initial classes and enjoyed being a support for others.

One woman undergoing treatment for cancer was supported by a small circle of friends who added to the positive and peaceful atmosphere. We were not aware of the special circumstances until well into the season when my son noticed she had missed a class or two and said he was glad she was back. In regular life, a great deal of diversity is subtle and does not need to be explained or commented on.

If you have not been to a yoga class or experienced yoga techniques, you may be unaware of the less glamorous side effects of stretching and bending bodies or holding positions. Bodies make noises and let go of some constraints of civilization when they are freed to do so. Sometimes children, teens and adults have what would ordinarily be inappropriate reactions during a yoga class that observers might not understand. For this reason, as well as other benefits that are described in the literature, I urge parents to participate in yoga classes with their children or in adult classes.

Browse at your public library, local bookstore, or online retailer for DVDs featuring Yoga for childrenand books like: Yoga for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Step-by-Step Guide for Parents and Caregiversor Yoga for the Special Child: A Therapeutic Approach for Infants and Children with Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, or Learning Disabilities.

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Yoga and Childhood Disabilities

The past offseason saw 28 teams acquire new head coaches. There were some high profile schools involved in the coaching search for numerous reasons. The Ohio State Buckeyes, Penn State Nittany Lions, Arizona Wildcats, Arkansas Razorbacks, UCLA Bruins and Texas A&M Aggies are a few of the big name schools with a new coach. After looking over the coaching hires, I picked the hires that I think will benefit the schools that hired them the most. Narrowly missing my list was hires like Rich Rodriguez to the Wildcats. If Rodriguez wouldn't have failed so miserably at Michigan, this would have been a splash hire. One hire that is intriguing, but not sure how su

ccessful it will be is Charlie Weis heading to Lawrence to coach the Kansas Jayhawks. He immediately brought in some big name quarterbacks, but it will be interesting to see if he can sustain long term success. His offensive coaching abilities are unquestioned. How he can relate to college aged players is still up in the air.

Here are my top 3 hires of the offseason and it is no doubt that their fan bases are hoping and expecting for immediate success in every instance.

3. Kevin Sumlin - Texas A&M Aggies

Head coach Kevin Sumlin returns to the Aggies sideline, but this time as head coach. Sumlin was on the staff in both 2001 and 2002. Sumlin worked wonders for the Houston Cougars, compiling a 35-17 record over 4 seasons and leading the team to 3 bowl berths in 4 seasons. Sumlin has his work cut out for him though as the Aggies are moving from a Big 12 Conference that is tough, but the SEC will pose a much more challenging schedule. It is widely known the success the SEC has had in recent years. Aggie fans will have to have some patience in the transition stages as wins won't come easily early on.

2. Mike Leach - Washington State Cougars

Every since Mike Leach was let go from the Texas Tech Red Raiders sideline, it was just a matter of time before he got back into coaching. The Cougars are giving Leach the chance to build his reputation, as well as, bring their school some recognition and hopefully more wins in the process. In 10 seasons with the Red Raiders, Leach led his team to 10 bowl games and finished the season in the top 25 in 5 of his final 6 seasons. Leach is a mastermind on the offensive side of the ball and will no doubt bring excitement back to an offensive that has only managed to score more than 28 points twice against Division 1 opponents in the past 3 seasons.

1. Urban Meyer - Ohio State Buckeyes

Urban Meyer has been at or near the top of every coaching search since he left the Florida Gators for family and health reasons. Buckeye fans are hoping Meyer is re-energized and ready to go. Meyer has shown he will have no problems recruiting, despite the probation and appears likely to restore the success the Buckeye faithful have become accustomed to. Smith won 2 National Championships with the Florida Gators before a surprising 8-5 campaign in 2010. Don't expect Meyer to take long to get the Buckeyes back on top. Despite a bowl ban in 2012, I would fully expect Ohio State to be battling for a Rose Bowl berth in 2013.

Born in Lincoln, NE and being a Nebraska Cornhusker an his entire life, Kevin has been an avid football fan his entire life.

More:
Top 3 Coaching Hires of the Offseason - a Fan's Take

Voices Raleigh man coaching youth to succeed in life

Published: 2012-07-06 18:25:00 Updated: 2012-07-06 20:07:54

Jul 6, 2012

Raleigh, N.C. It is an everyday moment at the Raleigh Boy's and Girl's club Ron Williams commanding the undivided attention of young people.

"You work with kids; give them guidance, explained Williams. (Be) there for them when they need you."

For decades, Williams has been there. He has been in the Raleigh community helping countless kids succeed in life and sports - there is no exact number and it would be pointless to try and guess one.

North Carolina Central University head basketball coach LeVelle Moton was one of those kids.

"I definitely wouldn't be here, Moton said. I'd be dead. Or incarcerated, just like a number of kids I grew up with."

Moton worked his way from the projects to become the conference player of the year at NC Central. Now he runs the program.

"It's young men like me who have grown through his guidance, Moton said. I have a platform now and can share his story."

Continue reading here:
Raleigh man coaching youth to succeed in life

Graduates of a program aimed at helping teens with their transition from foster care will get a new laptop computer today, thanks to the Orange Duffel Bag Foundation.

The 25 youths ages 15 to 19 will have completed a life coaching program through the nonprofit organization, which helps improve the outlook for young people who are in foster care.

The graduation is at noon at Macon State College. At the ceremony, each graduate will receive an orange duffel bag with a computer.

Sam Bracken, founder of the program, will be guest speaker at the graduation.

Bracken was homeless at age 15, but he earned a football scholarship to Georgia Tech and later became a successful executive.

He co-authored the book My Orange Duffel Bag: A Journey to Radical Change. His success story is a basis for the program.

Mike Daly, chairman of the foundations board of directors, said Macon was identified as an area with a high number of at-risk youths, so the foundation decided to hold classes there.

Daly said Macon residents supported the program overwhelmingly, so he hopes to hold more classes this fall.

We have been welcomed with open arms, he said.

The program encourages youths to discover and develop their passions and create a comprehensive life plan.

Visit link:
Youths graduating from ‘life coaching’ program

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUaR8-fERQw

06-07-2012 15:13 It takes someone quite ordinary at first to master extraordinary by Jm Liddy Hello ! how are you? I am on here to try to help everyone eat better and exercise If you need any help with that email me or call (607) 483-8445 please do notforget to eat raw organic fruit (focusing on the fruit) vegetables (especially dark leafy greens) nuts and seeds and exercise two hours or two miles (walking) a day everyday huge hugs remember you are loved huge hugs dedicating all my videos to my mom who passed on to Heaven April 24, 2012 She will be enormously missed.

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June-Marie Raw Food and Fitness Health fast cleanup job and Jump popping balloons videos 004.MP4 - Video