Cycling: Things are still not good in Pahang

2011/06/14
Arnaz M. Khairul
arnaz@nstp.com.my

THE Pahang cycling team's development programme is still in need of attention despite being the state's most successful challengers in the Malaysia Games.

In contrast, Arfy Qhairant Amran's keirin gold medal for Malacca, the state's first in a cycling event since 2004, has brought about positive signs for development in that state.

Coach Aminudin Sulaiman said the team's plight prior to the Games had received immediate attention from the council, but having delivered the state's sole gold medal, "there is still much to be done and there has to be a change in mentality."

"There needs to be a guarantee that the riders at least get to enter all local races at junior and senior level. For this to happen, budgets cannot be allocated on an ad hoc basis," said Aminuddin.

"We need to keep riders in the sport, especially promising juniors. If it takes so long for attention to be given, they will find something else to do."

The Pahang team failed to meet their target of two gold medals, delivering one gold through Ahmad Fakhrullah Alias in the individual pursuit, two silver and three bronze medals.

"We managed to win the state's only gold medal in what was one of Pahang's worst hauls in history and this Malaysia Games performance must open some eyes," said Aminudin.

"Thus far, nominal sums have been allocated for training and monthly allowances. Each time we need to go for a competition, we need to apply for a budget. Sometimes it is approved, sometimes it comes at the last minute, sometimes it doesn't come at all. This needs to change."

Aminudin mentioned the likes of promising Ahmad Azhar Arshad, a 19-year-old, who has been identified as one of the better talents to have come through the state's development programmes.

"We have a very good talent in Ahmad Azhar and he was drafted into the Malaysia Games squad two months ago. But until today he is not one of those who is under the allowance scheme.

"If the state is serious about development, action needs to be swift, otherwise the athletes will lose interest as they feel their sacrifice and commitment are in vain."

The Pahang cycling team caused a pre-Malaysia Games shock when they were found to be camping out at the Kuala Lumpur Velodrome to prepare for the meet as there wasn't a budget allocated for them to cover costs.

Having already missed two national-level competitions due to the same reason, the team took matters into their own hands and pitched tents at the velodrome's carpark.

A day later, the Pahang Sports Council swiftly approved a budget for them to have more suitable accommodation.

In Malacca, coach Fairoz Izni Abdul Ghani reported more positive news on the plight of the state's development programme which has received immediate attention.

"I've had discussions with state sports council officials and it looks positive. There is going to be a commitment towards our development programme and we're already looking into equipment, facilities and even riders' education," said Fairoz.

"Bit by bit, we can streamline the whole development structure into one that can see us producing more and more capable riders in the coming years, while the current ones will see improved support."

Cycling: Things are still not good in Pahang

Read more: Cycling: Things are still not good in Pahang http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/pssfijozdinzgn/Article#ixzz1PEQ2H7dK

Le Tour de Langkawi 2012 Race Route Revealed

Yesterday was a launching ceremony for Le Tour de Langkawi 2012 (LTdL 2012), the 17th edition of most prestigious cycling tour in Asia. The launching completed by Youth & Sports Minister.

The tour will be start at Putrajaya on 24 Feb 2012 with 20.3km Individual Time Trial and will be end at Kuala Terengganu loop on 4 March 2012. The queen stage of LTdL 2012, will be on the 6th stage from Shah Alam to Genting Highlands, providing a Hors category climb. Total tour distance is 1414.8km, the shortest stage is the 8th stage Pekan to Chukai, 100.8km (except ITT Stage in Putrajaya) and the longest stage is the 7th stage from Bentong to Kuantan (215.8km). The 17th edition of LTdL, bringing the augural tour's end city which is Kuala Terengganu will be hosting the final stage.

Perhaps, we can see more Malaysian riders ride in LTdL 2012, and can pleased Malaysian through their outstanding performance. Malaysian will be pray for that.

Kayuhan Mesra Komuniti Bersama PDRM

Sukacita dimaklumkan Kayuhan Mesra Komuniti PDRM & Pertandingan Tarik Tali akan diadakan bersempena Sambutan Hari Polis Ke-204 peringkat IPD Johor Bahru Selatan. Butiran adalah seperti di bawah:

Tarikh: 3 Julai 2011
Masa: 8:30 pagi
Tempat: Balai Polis Plentong, Johor Bahru
Trek: Ladang Sungai Plentong
Yuran: RM 10

TARIKH TUTUP 17 JUN 2011
*peserta yang mendaftar sebelum 17 Jun 2011 akan mendapat sehelai T-shirt

layari http://kayuhanmesrakomunitipdrm.blogspot.com/
untuk pertanyaan lanjut hubungi:

S.Insp Abdul Rahim Abdullah (019-7114417)
Neo (012-7111091)

atau terus ke:

Balai Polis Plentong,
Jalan Bunga Matahari,
81750 Masai,
Johor
Tel: 07-3873122
Fax: 07-3873122

Skip Our Breakfast: The Routine vs The Science

"Breakfast is the most important meal of the day."

"Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper."

Conventional Wisdom (CV) will tell you the importance of breakfast. It’s the most important meal of the day. If you skip breakfast, your metabolism will be slowed, you will have low energy, you won’t think clearly, you will be starving and wind up bingeing later. All these beliefs have been proven to not be true except for bingeing. You can always binge if you want to even if you’re not hungry.

There were so many mornings when I woke up and was not at all hungry but felt like I had to eat a big breakfast because CV told me to. Skipping breakfast or any meal, for that matter, is a smart way to reduce your calories for the day without any negative health repercussions.

If I had to choose between starting the day with two pieces of roti canai and a glass of teh tarik or not eating until lunch, I would choose not eating. You would be way ahead by not eating all that unhealthy sugar found in your "Malaysian's Favourite Breakfast Meal at All Time".

The good idea to skip breakfast if your goal is weight loss. Not eating until lunch is a great way to reduce the amount of calories you eat in a day without compromising your health. Not eating for 14 or 15 hours by skipping your first meal of the day is a method of intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting has been shown to have numerous health benefits such as: increased energy, clearer thinking, greater fat burning, better tissue repair and possibly longer life.

It’s perfectly ok to eat breakfast if you like to but don’t think that skipping breakfast is unhealthy. In fact eliminating any meal in your day is a healthy option for weight loss.

Don’t let Conventional Wisdom tell you the importance of breakfast. It’s not the most important meal of the day.

Could we have been wrong all along?

That’s what recent studies are saying.

Eat breakfast to lose weight: it’s what we’ve always heard. The theory went that breakfast would jump start the metabolism for a steady burn of calories throughout the day. Skip it, and your body adapts to the longer between-meals gap by burning nutrients more slowly to make them last longer. We were also taught that we would be hungrier during the day if we skipped the morning meal, that the big blood sugar swings from empty to full would have us gorging when we did finally eat.

Now we are hearing a different message. There is a new weight-loss theory that involves ‘intermittent fasting,’ which basically means skipping meals. Intermittent fasting puts the old ‘breakfast like a king’ adage on its head telling us to eat like a king at night after a pauperish day. It claims that the episodic deprivation of missed meals takes your body off its usual track, allowing it to reinvigorate and recalibrate, and in doing so, you end up burning more fat. [Intermittent Fasting 101 – How to Start Burning Fat]

There is plenty of evidence that exercise and other activity performed on an empty stomach coaxes the body to burn a greater percentage of fat for fuel instead of relying on carbohydrates from food. Athletes and bodybuilders have known this for years.
[The Journal of Physiology - Training in the Fasted State]

And the notion that skipping breakfast leads to less controlled eating throughout the day—you can scratch that one off your list of diet do’s as well. A new study published in the Nutrition Journal suggests that all a big breakfast leads to is a bigger calorie count for the day. In itself, breakfast doesn’t curb appetite later in the day.

What researchers now believe is that regular breakfasts occur along with a constellation of other healthy habits. Individuals with a breakfast routine are more likely to exercise, abstain from smoking, and generally maintain a healthy diet. The reverse holds true as well: individuals who don’t have regular breakfasts are more likely to have a cluster of unhealthy behaviors; in fact fewer than 5 percent of smokers eat a daily breakfast.

"If breakfast is already in your routine good for you; if not, you’re probably better off not adding it."

Being a Good Coach

This article I wrote to read by the coach either otai coach or newbies in coaching to remind or to show them the foundation in coaching the youth. There are only a few main components to succeed in youth sports, and more importantly to ensure the children enjoy the experience and learn. Here are a few of the basic principles you need to be a successful coach.

1. Be Positive!
When you provide criticism, put something positive with it. Sandwich constructive criticism with positive re-enforcement.

2. Make it Fun!
As a coach, you must make the game fun! That does not mean that there is no discipline and no goal of winning. It means you have fun while teaching them a game with discipline included and a goal of winning. Handle wins and losses in a respectful manner. We're talking about children, not professionals, so keep it light but organized.

3. Goals and Expectations!
Talk to your players at the beginning of the season; ask them what THEIR goals and expectations are. Emphasize their goals are not necessarily their parents, and not yours either. Ask each player to write down their goals and bring them to practice. Review their goals with them on an individual basis throughout the course of the season.

4. You are the Coach!
Make sure they understand that they are there to learn a game and you're going to help them become better players. They MUST pay attention when you are demonstrating drills and limit the goofing off. A simple warning, then a lap around the field if they didn't respond to your warning usually works. There is no need to raise your voice or embarrass the player.

5. The Three R's!
Teach your players The Three R's. RESPECT the game (including coaches and officials) ; RESPECT their team mates, and RESPECT their parents. Share this with parents and expect the same from them. They need to remember they are an example for their children. Yelling negatively at the official, the other team or their child does not show RESPECT.

6. Short Term Memory!
Help your players develop a short term memory. This means not to dwell on mistakes. Teach them that mistakes are alright. They happen at every level of play. Teach them that they will become a better player if they learn from their mistakes. Getting upset at themselves takes them out of the "mental" game. Not putting it behind them and moving on is more detrimental than the mistake itself.

7. Don't Coach DURING the Game!
Try (and I emphasize try because it is not easy) to NOT coach during the game. This is very difficult to do, especially with youth. The time to coach is at practice. Game time is when the work you do at practice is applied. Specifically, I mean let them play and learn on their own. Provide subtle reminders though. Keep the coaching during game time to a minimum. The team that learns from their mistakes on their own will ALWAYS be a better team than the one looking at the coach for direction during a game. If you must coach during a game, do it during a stoppage of play, preferably in private. Interact with the player; ask them if they know what they did wrong or something similar with positive reinforcement.

8. Develop Leaders!
Give leaders of the team more responsibility on the field. Allow them to tell the other players what to do, as long as they do it in a respectful and positive manner. Tell them they can correct and criticize the other players only if they communicate with respect for the other player or how they would like to be talked to. This will develop their leadership abilities and drive other children to become leaders.

IN SUMMARY: Never forget that it is a GAME and should be FUN! Joke with the youth; get to know them; find out what they like. Do little things like this that youth enjoy. If you forgot what youth like, just watch them one day at the field. It is pretty easy to figure out.