Howcast

How to Achieve Natural Buoyancy

Howcast — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 12:49:33 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Understand body type Understand that your body type strongly affects buoyancy. The size of your lungs in relation to the rest of your body controls how high in the water you will float. Fat floats more easily than bones and muscles, which are denser.
TIP: Realize you’ll float higher in saltwater, which is denser than freshwater.
Step 2: Test your buoyancy Test your natural buoyancy. Put on your goggles or a mask and get into the deep end of the pool. Tilt your head back and take in a full breath. Most people are able to float at their eye level with their lungs full of air.
Step 3: Practice breathing Practice taking in a full breath to float and a letting out a full breath to sink. Then breathe out, little by little, slowly sinking, until you can maintain a constant depth, or are neutral, in mid-water.
Step 4: Breathe regularly Breathe normally and regularly. Avoid breathing in too deeply, which makes buoyancy control more difficult.
Step 5: Don’t move Don’t move your arms and legs in the water if you want to achieve natural buoyancy. Fold your arms over your chest and cross your legs at the ankles if you can’t resist the urge to move them.
Step 6: Relax Relax your muscles. Breathing becomes more shallow and rapid when muscles are tensed, keeping you lower in the water. A relaxed state of mind is also very helpful in achieving buoyancy control. With practice, you’ll master the art of natural buoyancy.
FACT: Because of its extremely high salt content, it’s virtually impossible to sink in the Dead Sea.

You Will Need

Swimming pool
Swimming goggles or a mask
Breathing techniques
Stillness
Muscle control

How to Start a Beach Volleyball League

Howcast — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 11:54:04 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Define scope Define the scope of the club, either high performance or participation and development based or both. Decide whether you’re an independent league or will have affiliations, such as an inter-community league.
Step 2: Get participants Establish an age range and the number of people you need. Recruit friends and acquaintances, and then advertise in newspapers, newsletters, or online for players and coaches.
Step 3: Secure beach and equipment Contact community beaches and recreation centers to secure a beach facility. Gather balls, ball bags, a first aid kit, and t-shirts or uniforms.
TIP: Get sponsors. A bar, church, or community league will likely have built-in sponsorship. Sponsors will usually cover the cost of outfitting your club.
Step 4: Form a committee Nominate a president, secretary, and treasurer and form subcommittees of volunteers to handle issues like fundraising, recruiting, and transportation.
Step 5: Hold a meeting Elect officials to represent each team and hold a league-wide meeting. Go over league goals and plans and come up with team names.
TIP: Prepare an annual budget, detailing revenue and expenses.
Step 6: Train Train your teams in basic skills and make sure everyone knows the rules and regulations of the game. Organize matches between the teams.
Step 7: Play ball Have a tournament. Organize a bracket system and play some volleyball.
FACT: First played in the U.S. in the 1920s, beach volleyball was, for the first time, part of the Olympic Games in 1996.

You Will Need

Participants
A beach
Equipment
A committee
A meeting
Training
A tournament
Sponsors (optional)
A budget (optional)

How to Get Up on a Wakeboard

Howcast — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 07:46:11 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Tuck in a ball Tuck yourself in a small ball with your arms around your knees, grasping the towline handle and your board perpendicular to the back of the boat.
Step 2: Get on top Rock forward on top of the board once the boat idles and begins to pull you. Keep your arms extended and let the boat pull you up.
TIP: As you’re coming up on the top of the water with your weight forward, keep your toes up and heels down.
Step 3: Plane on the surface Allow the board, still perpendicular, to plane on top of the water. You’ll notice this when your board begins to move smoother on the water.
TIP: Do not stand up too early before the board is planing, because your face will be in the water.
Step 4: Stand up Stand up and shift your lead foot, usually your left foot, forward. Turn your front hip to the handle to get into a straight riding position. You’re off.
FACT: In 1985, surfer Tony Finn developed the Skurfer, a hybrid combo of waterski and surfboard, which would later turn into the wakeboard.

You Will Need

Wakeboard
Towline
Ski boat
Water

How to Snorkel

Howcast — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 13:45:54 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Collect your gear Find a mask that fits your face and a snorkel. Attach the snorkel by sliding its hook through the strap on the side of the mask. Carry the mask, snorkel, and fins into a shallow part of the water.
Step 2: Put on your mask To keep your mask from fogging, rub saliva around its interior and dunk it in the water. Then, bring it to your face, place the straps around your head, and pull them until the mask is snug, but not tight. Hold your face underwater briefly to ensure the mask doesn’t leak.
TIP: Before using a brand new mask, rub the inside with toothpaste — not gel — and then rinse it with warm water to help prevent it from fogging.
Step 3: Get used to the snorkel Place the snorkel’s mouthpiece in your mouth and breathe through it. Practice putting your face in the water and breathing in and out through your mouth as you rest your teeth lightly on the rubber tabs.
Step 4: Use your fins Lift your feet out of the water, put on your fins, and push off the ground lightly to begin swimming. Kick your legs calmly and evenly to propel you through the water, keeping your fins below the surface and your body parallel to the sea floor.
TIP: Do not position yourself perpendicularly, as you are more likely to step on live coral or stir up sand and debris.
Step 5: Purge your snorkel If water enters your snorkel, clear it by exhaling a short burst of air, similar to saying the word “two.” If that fails, lift your head out of the water, take out the mouthpiece, turn the snorkel upside down to drain it, and return it to your mouth.
Step 6: Go with the flow Stay aware of your location, your energy level, and other divers as you relax and enjoy peeking in at the mysteries of the deep.
FACT: The coral reef tract off the coast of the Florida Keys is home to over 5,500 species of marine life.

You Will Need

Mask
Snorkel
Fins
Water
Toothpaste (optional)

How to Go Skinny-Dipping

Howcast — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 12:46:27 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Choose a warm day Choose a time when the water is warm to go skinny-dipping. It makes the moment more enjoyable.
Step 2: Pick a location Pick a secluded location where you will be free of unwanted peeking eyes.
Step 3: Ask friends to join you Ask friends to join you for this exciting excursion.
TIP: Stow away your clothes Go skinny-dipping when it is dark. You may get more friends to come with you if they are more comfortable being naked in the dark.
Step 4: Get naked Get naked.
Step 5: Stow away your clothes Place all your clothes and valuables in a bag to avoid losing anything.
Step 6: Run towards water Run and skip towards the water. Internally scream and holler in anticipation.
Step 7: Enjoy the moment Enjoy the moment. Savor the sensation of the water against your skin, the adrenaline pumping through your body, and feeling of exhilaration.
FACT: In 2009, at the request of the American Association for Nude Recreation, the Guinness World Records Organization created a category for the “largest number of simultaneous skinny-dippers.”

You Will Need

Warmweather
A secluded location
Friends
Darkness

How to Wakeboard

Howcast — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 08:02:12 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Know your board Learn the parts of your board, including the toe-side edge and the heel-side edge, as well as the center fin and the boots.
Step 2: Hold the rope and sit in the water Hold the towrope in front of you with both hands. Facing the boat, sit and lean back in the water with your elbows around your knees and your feet in the board’s boots with the board perpendicular to your body.
Step 3: Get up on the board Allow the boat to slowly accelerate, pulling you up out of the water. As the boat picks up speed, turn the board so the board’s nose points toward the boat.
Step 4: Stabilize your body Slowly stand up, stabilizing your body by keeping the towline at your front hip, your body turned slightly to the side, and your knees bent.
Step 5: Turn on your toe-side edge Turn to the right on your toe side by leaning your weight on your toe-side edge and letting the board carve out to the right beyond the wake.
Step 6: Turn on your heel-side edge Lean back onto your heels to dig the heel-side edge into the water and turn outside the wake on your left. Move your hands out in front of you.
TIP: When turning, your weight will pull against the boat more than when you’re riding straight.
Step 7: Get comfortable Get comfortable on the board when turning and riding over the wake. The more comfortable you are in the early stages, the better you’ll be able to maneuver when you get better.
FACT: The United States Coast Guard reported that, out of 476 drowning deaths related to boating, 90 percent of the individuals were not wearing a life jacket.

You Will Need

A ski boat
A wakeboard
A tow line
Balance

How to Use a Metal Detector to Uncover Hidden Bounty

Howcast — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 04:02:04 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Practice using the detector Get acquainted with the device by burying metal objects and running the detector over them. If you have a more sophisticated metal detector, take note of the different sounds it makes depending on the object it’s detecting.
Step 2: Search the best locations Search online or at the library for locations like popular recreation sites and areas where historical events occurred to up your chances of uncovering something great.
TIP: If you’re searching private property, get the owner’s permission. Contact local authorities before searching national parks or monuments.
Step 3: Start detecting Start in one corner of the area you’re searching. Hold the detector in front of you and walk slowly and deliberately in a straight line to the other end of the area, keeping the detector’s coils at a consistent distance from the ground and parallel to it. Make a methodical back and forth sweep of the area, like mowing a lawn.
Step 4: Pinpoint your treasure When you pick up a signal, run the detector over a 2 square foot area around where the signal occurred. Listen for where the signal is loudest and gently drive a probe into the ground until you feel the object.
TIP: Use an electronic probe to save time and effort.
Step 5: Excavate your find Dig up your find with a spade, being careful not to damage it during excavation. Then, refill the hole and tamp down the dirt. If you think you’ve found something worth keeping, store it in your backpack. If it’s trash, put it in your trash bag for proper disposal later.
TIP: Never clean a find until a specialist has looked at it and given the okay.
Step 6: Get an expert to examine it Take potentially valuable finds to an antique or coin dealer to assess their worth.
Step 7: Practice Practice. Stay alert, enjoy your time in the great outdoors, and keep your fingers crossed for the next big find!
FACT: In 2009 British metal detectorist Terry Herbert found a 1,300 year old hoard of Anglo-Saxon treasure worth millions of dollars in a farmer’s field.

You Will Need

A metal detector
Metal objects
A computer with internet access
A coin probe
A spade
A backpack
Trash bags
Patience
An electronic coin probe (optional)

How to Body Surf

Howcast — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:04:24 +0000

Instructions

: Never swim alone in the ocean. Beware of coral, jellyfish, and unexpected sandbars.
Step 1: Find the right beach Look for a beach with a gentle slope, which will allow you to wade out into the water for some distance. Beginners should pick a beach with waves that don’t get any higher than about 4 feet.
Step 2: Swim toward the shore Wade into the water past the breaking waves. Push off the ocean floor, and swim toward the shore as the wave approaches you from behind. As it nears, kick to gain speed and raise your body to the surface.
Step 3: Let the wave lift you As the wave begins lifting you up, dive so your head and shoulders are lower than your hips and legs. As it continues to lift you, your head and shoulders will come up.
Step 4: Keep rigid As the wave is breaking, stop kicking and keep your body stiff as a surfboard, with your arms in front of you as you ride the wave.
: Always keep your hands straight out in front of you to protect yourself from spinal injury should the wave send you crashing headfirst into the sand.
Step 5: Begin kicking After the wave breaks, bring your feet back together and start kicking hard, keeping your head down, your back arched, and your arms in front. Continue swimming toward shore until you can stand up.
Step 6: Repeat Wade back out into the sea. If you look at the next wave and decide you don’t want to surf it, turn to the side and drop the shoulder that faces the sea; this will push your body out to the other side of the wave.
FACT: Body surfing burns about 200 calories an hour.

You Will Need

Good waves to surf

How to Protect Yourself from Stingrays

Howcast — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:32:32 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Know where stingrays like to hang out – in shallow water along the ocean shoreline and near the mouth of a bayou.
Step 2: Do The Stingray Shuffle. Slide your feet along the ocean floor rather than lifting them; it will prevent you from stepping down hard on a stingray – the most common way of getting stuck by the serrated stinger on its tail. Plus, the movement warns stingrays that you’re in the area.
Step 3: Consider wearing water shoes. If you do step on a stingray, your footwear may prevent the barb from penetrating.
Step 4: If you’re stepping into murky water from a boat, poke around with a stick before you set down your foot.
TIP: Invest in stingray guards or leggings if you do a lot of wade fishing.
Step 5: If you do get stung and are bleeding, apply pressure to stem the bleeding and seek immediate medical care.
Step 6: If the injury is minor, remove the stinger with tweezers, being careful not to squeeze it further into the skin. Clean the area with soap and water, and plunge it the hottest water you can tolerate for 30 minutes. Or, apply a chemical heat pack. The heat kills the venom that causes the intense pain.
TIP: Test the water with a thermometer before immersing the wounded area so you don’t burn yourself. The water shouldn’t be above 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 7: Have a doctor clean out the wound to make sure none of the barb remains in your body. Left-behind pieces will cause infection.
FACT: About 1,500 Americans are injured by stingrays every year.

You Will Need

An ability to shuffle your feet
Very hot water or a chemical heat pack
Water shoes (optional)
Stingray guards or leggings (optional)
A thermometer (optional)

How to Survive Riptides

Howcast — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 04:03:31 +0000

Instructions

: Only swim when a lifeguard is on duty and, when you do, stay between the flags. If you’re not a strong swimmer, don’t go in the water alone.
Step 1: If you’re a strong swimmer, swim parallel to the shoreline. The important thing is to not try to fight the riptide by attempting to swim to shore; you’ll just wear yourself out.
Step 2: Don’t swim when rip current advisories are in effect. On some beaches, colored flags represent the conditions: red for strong currents, which often also means no swimming, yellow for moderate conditions, and green for smooth sailing. If you’re unsure, ask a lifeguard.
TIP: Many riptides flow in a circular direction, eventually returning you to the shore.
Step 3: Know what it is. Technically called a rip current, a riptide is a powerful, channeled current of water flowing away from the shore.
TIP: Stay away from piers, since riptides are commonly found near them.
Step 4: Know how to recognize one: Bubbles on the surface of the water move toward the sea, and the area appears darker than the rest of the water. Because waves don’t break as often near a rip, the water often appears deceptively calm.
TIP: Beware of riptides that are sandy-colored; that means the riptide is so powerful it’s churning up sand from the bottom.
Step 5: If you get stuck in a riptide, stay calm. If you’re not a strong swimmer, roll on your back and let the riptide carry you just beyond the waves, where the current will lose power. Then stand up or tread water and wave to the shore for help.
FACT: A strong rip current can flow faster than an Olympic swimmer can swim.

You Will Need

Precautions
Riptide telltale signs
The ability to remain calm

How to Play Beach Volleyball

Howcast — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 04:08:04 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Have a court Find a sand court divided by a net. If you’re setting up your own court by putting down a net, decide the side line and end line boundaries. Official beach volleyball courts are 52 feet long by 26 feet wide.
TIP: Net height depends on the gender of the players: Women’s nets are about seven and a half feet and men’s nets are about eight feet high.
Step 2: Get players Have between four and twelve players, and divide into two teams
Step 3: Know the object of the game Know the object of the game, which is to send the volleyball over the net. Each team is allowed to hit the ball a maximum of three times before it must sail over the net. The ball can never touch the ground.
TIP: Smashing the ball down into your opponent’s court with the heel of your hand is called a “spike.”
Step 4: Toss a coin Flip a coin to decide who will serve first.
Step 5: Know the score Know how to score: A point is awarded to the opposing team each time a player lets the ball drop on the ground, sends it out of bounds, or fails to return it within three hits. If the team that wins the point served, it also continues to serve. If the winning side didn’t serve, they now gain the right to do so.
TIP: Professional beach volleyball players use hand signals to indicate the type of block they intend to make to thwart their opponents.
Step 6: Play to win A team wins a set when it scores 21 points with a minimum lead of two points. In the case of a 20-20 tie, play continues until a two-point lead is reached.
TIP: A player who is good at setting up shots for teammates is called a “setter.”
Step 7: End the game The team that wins two sets wins the match. In the case of a 1-to-1 set tie, the third and deciding set is played to 15 points with a minimum lead of two points.
FACT: Six-foot-three beach volleyball champion Gabrielle Reece was already five feet tall by the age of seven.

You Will Need

A beach or beach volleyball court
A volleyball
A volleyball net
At least four players
A coin

How to Prevent Swimmer’s Ear

Howcast — Wed, 20 May 2009 04:05:08 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Don’t over-clean the inside of your ears. Earwax is nature’s way of protecting your ears; removing it can make you more vulnerable to infections.
TIP: Never put cotton swabs, your fingers, or anything else into your ear canal. You can scratch or tear the skin, allowing bacteria to enter.
Step 2: Before and after swimming, use over-the-counter swimmer’s eardrops. They help prevent the bacterial and fungal growth. Hold your head still for 30 seconds, and then tilt your head sideways to let the liquid flow out. Or make your own drops by combining equal parts white vinegar and rubbing alcohol.
: Don’t use eardrops if you already have swimmer’s ear or it will make it worse.
Step 3: Dry your ears as soon as you get out of the water by wiping the outer ear with a towel and then shaking the water out of your ear canals by tilting your head from side to side. You also can use a blow dryer as long as it’s set on low and you hold it at least a foot from your ear to prevent burns.
Step 4: See a doctor if you have the symptoms of swimmer’s ear, which include itching, fluid discharge, redness, pain, and diminished hearing. The infection will get worse if you don’t treat it.
FACT: In 2004, university researchers began developing a new kind of hearing aid inspired by studies of a fly’s ear.

You Will Need

Ear drops
A towel or a blow dryer

How to Skip Rocks

Howcast — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 15:19:00 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Visit a body of water Take a trip to the beach, the lake, or your local pond. All are great places for skipping stones, provided it’s a calm day with few or small waves.
Step 2: Find your perfect skipping stone Comb the shoreline for a rock that’s flat, even, has some weight to it, and fits in your hand. It’s an extra bonus if the rock is triangular.
TIP: A rock that’s too heavy will sink right through the surface, while one that’s too light will be hard to throw very far.
Step 3: Get a good grip Rest the flat sides of the rock between your thumb and the tip of your middle finger. Hug the edge of the stone with your index finger.
Step 4: Aim Tilt the front edge of the stone slightly upward, and adjust your aim so the rock is at about a 20-degree angle to the surface of the water.
Step 5: Throw Use a sidearm throw, and flick your wrist to add some spin as you launch the stone. With some practice, you’ll be able to get multiple hops out of one throw.
FACT: In 2007, Russell Byars set a world record for stone-skipping: 51 hops over roughly 250 feet of water.

You Will Need

A body of water with a rocky shoreline
The perfect skipping stone

How to Apply Sunscreen

Howcast — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 07:02:48 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Choose a sunscreen Choose a sunscreen. It should have an SPF of at least 15 and block UVA rays, which cause wrinkles and brown spots, and UVB rays, which cause sunburn.
TIP: Choose a sunscreen that’s formulated for your skin type—like fragrance-free or PABA-free for sensitive skin—and suited to the activity you’re planning, like waterproof or sweatproof formulas for swimming or exercising.
Step 2: Check expiration date Check the product’s expiration date to make sure it will still be effective. If the date has passed, or if you know you bought the sunscreen over three years ago, you’re due for new bottle.
Step 3: Check the clock Check the clock: You should apply sunscreen about 30 minutes before you enter the sun to give it time to fully absorb.
Step 4: Shake & squeeze into hand Shake the sunscreen to mix it and squeeze some into your hand. You should use about an ounce—or two tablespoons—to cover your whole body.
Step 5: Rub on sunscreen Generously rub sunscreen on all the areas of your body that may be exposed to the sun, like your feet, legs, torso, back, shoulders, arms, hands, neck, and face.
TIP: If you’re going to wear a bathing suit, apply sunscreen while you’re naked to make sure you don’t miss a spot.
Step 6: Pay attention to all areas Pay special attention to areas you might forget or miss, like near the edge of a bathing suit, your lips, your ears, near your eyes, and your scalp or the part in your hair.
Step 7: Ask a friend to help For harder-to-reach areas, especially your back, ask a friend to apply the sunscreen for you.
Step 8: Reapply Reapply sunscreen all over after you’ve been in the sun for two hours—or sooner if you’ve been swimming, sweating, or rubbing against a towel.
FACT: In the three decades from 1973 to 2003, the incidence of melanoma, the deadliest skin cancer, rose by 81 percent.

You Will Need

Sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher
A friend

How to Build a Cool Sand Castle

Howcast — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 09:12:47 +0000

Instructions

Step 1: Pick a good spot Pick a good spot. You want to be near enough to the ocean that you’ll have easy access to water, but not so close that high tide will destroy your masterpiece. The best spot is just above where the dark sand turns lighter.
Step 2: Build a foundation Wet an area of sand large enough for the castle you want to build. Pile buckets of sand on it, wet the sand, and tamp it down. Repeat until you have a firm foundation.
TIP: Keep a spray bottle of water handy so you can keep your sand moist; wet sand is the key to castle building!
Step 3: Start making towers Start making towers with the help of your bottomless molds. Place the largest in the center of your foundation, fill it with very wet sand packed down as hard as you can. Place progressively smaller containers on top until you have a satisfactory wedding cake-like structure.
Step 4: Carefully remove the molds When all the molds are in place, carefully remove them.
Step 5: Build a wall around the castle Build a wall around the castle by stacking little piles of wet sand. Smooth the sides and tops with the bottom of your shovel.
Step 6: Dig out archways Take a plastic knife and gently cut into the wall to create a few archways.
TIP: Use a plastic fork with the middle prongs removed to put the finishing touches on columns.
Step 7: Add architectural details Use your sculpting tools to carve out architectural details like staircases, windows, turrets, and doors.
FACT: The town of Myrtle Beach built a 43-foot-tall sand castle in 2007 to attract visitors to the seaside resort.

You Will Need

Sand
A shovel
A bucket
Bottomless circular containers of varying sizes
Sculpting tools
like plastic utensils
paintbrushes
melon ballers
etc.
A spray bottle