Get to Know Your Metal Detector - After Taking It Out of the Box

Congratulations! You took the plunge and bought your first metal detector. Now what do you do? Before you head out on your treasure hunting adventure, take some time initially to become familiar with your new contraption.

First, after you purchase your metal detector take it out of the packaging and get to know about your equipment. Find out what all the controls do and how to maintain it. Find out what your metal detector can do. Get to know your metal detector. Get comfortable with the controls. Experience how it feels, the angle, the weight; does it need adjustments? Maybe the handle is too short or too long. How do you adjust it? Can it be done easily or does it take more effort. Most detectors can be adjusted to fit the user. If you plan on making this a family project you want to be sure your metal detector can be adjusted for everyone that will be using it. Remember you will probably be walking a great deal - maybe climbing up and down hill terrain. You want the most comfortable fit possible.

When you feel comfortable with the controls and you've adjusted for the most comfortable fit, it's time to take it on a trial run. So, where should you go? How about your back yard? It's handy and nearby. You can get familiar with your metal detector without traveling too far. This could be a practice run, but who knows, you may find long lost treasures you didn't even know were there. Maybe the previous owner lost her wedding ring while gardening and never found it. Who knows? Don't have a yard? That's okay. Parks are a great place to go too. Every town usually has a park or two. If you live near an ocean, the beach is a great place to go. Many treasure hunters have good results on the beaches.

Get to know what your metal detector sounds like. Bury or toss on the ground some coins and/or metal objects to see the different sounds your detector makes. Does it beep fast or slow for different metal types? Try something with value, like a gold ring or piece of gold or silver jewelry, and then compare that with something like maybe costume jewelry, tin foil, nails, and test to see what the different sounds are. Using headphones will make the sounds more clear.

Now as you get familiar with your metal detector, you may want to plan a day of treasure hunting. Think about where you want to go and plan out your day. You should contact the landowner if you plan on hunting on property that belongs to someone else. Contact local officials, i.e. city hall, local sheriff if you plan on visiting a park or public building area.

Not all of us live by a beach, or on the shore line, but there are many great places to find treasures inland. With a little thought you can probably come up with a number of places in your area to take your metal detector. Check out areas where people go or have been preferably a lot or groups of people. Fair grounds and sports parks are good places to look. Take if slow at first to get familiar with your metal detector's sounds, beeps and various tones. You will soon learn the sound of a good item or a worthless item.

Plan your day, take everything you will need, something to dig with and something to put your treasures in and you're on your way.

Happy Treasure Hunting!

Candy and her husband, Rick offer a variety of products and accessories for metal detecting.

We promise we will work hard to form and maintain a long, happy connection with you, our customer for detecting gold and metal.. Our objective is to make your shopping experience as simple, informative and cool as possible.

We resolve to combine honesty and value in all our communications with outstanding service before, during, and after the sale.

Your comfort, security and confidence are our utmost concern.

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Siena through on penalties after thriller

Siena defeated Palermo 3-0 on penalties after a dramatic 4-4 draw in their Coppa Italia last-16 match tonight.

The visitors won on spot-kicks after Palermo's Josip Ilicic had scored a hat-trick, including two penalties, to help his side come from behind three times to force the game into extra-time.

Reginaldo had put Siena in front in the 21st minute and Pablo Andres Gonzalez restored their lead five minutes before the break after Ilicic's first equaliser from the spot.

The Slovenian made it 2-2 in the first minute of the second half only for Reginaldo to put Siena back in front in the 59th minute.

Ilicic scored his second penalty to complete his hat-trick and knot the score at 3-3 in the 90th minute before Nicolas Bertolo put Palermo ahead for the first time in the match in the 98th minute. However, Angelo made it 4-4 two minutes later and Siena triumphed easily on penalties.

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Return to Sports After an Injury

If you have had a recent injury one of your main concerns may be how soon you can return to sports . The answer to this question is not always easy because each athlete and each injury is unique. Returning too soon can increase your risk of re-injury or developing a chronic problem that will lead to a longer recovery. Waiting too long, however, can lead to unnecessary deconditioning. One thing that can improve your recovery from an injury is a high level of conditioning prior to injury. Not only will being in great shape reduce your risk of injury and lessen the severity of an injury, but it also has been shown to reduce recovery time. During the acute recovery phase you should be following the R.I.C.E. principles (rest, ice, compression and elevation), limiting your activity, allowing yourself time to heal. Depending on the type and severity of your injury, treatment may also include medical care, surgery, various taping, bracing, or physical therapy treatments.

While your injury heals try to maintain overall conditioning if possible. Try alternate forms of training such as water running, swimming, cycling, rowing or weight training of the non-injured parts. (See: Training Through Injuries).

Regaining range of motion and strength should be started as soon as possible as directed by your physician or therapist. Use discomfort as a guide and avoid movements that cause pain. Once muscle strength and flexibility return you can slowly get back into your sport, working at about 50 to 70 percent max capacity for a few weeks. During this re-entry phase, functional drills for balance, agility, and speed can be added as tolerated. You are pain free You have no swelling You have full range of motion (compare the injured part with the uninjured opposite side) You have full or close to full (90 percent) strength (compare with the uninjured side) For lower body injuries - you can perform full weight bearing on injured hips, knees, and ankles without limping For upper body injuries - you can perform throwing movements with proper form and no pain

Keep in mind that even when you feel 100 percent you may have deficits in strength, joint stability, flexibility or skill. Take extra care with the injured part for several months.

* These are guidelines only; you should follow your physician's advice regarding return to sports.

Source

Return To Play Criteria; The American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine.

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Muscle Soreness After Exercise

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) describes a phenomenon of muscle pain, muscle soreness or muscle stiffness that occurs in the day or two after exercise. This muscle soreness is most frequently felt when you begin a new exercise program, change your exercise routine, or dramatically increase the duration or intensity of your exercise routine.

Although it can be alarming for new exercisers, delayed onset muscle soreness is a normal response to unusual exertion and is part of an adaptation process that leads to greater stamina and strength as the muscles recover and build hypertrophy).

This sort of muscle pain is not the same as the muscle pain or fatigue you experience during exercise. Delayed soreness is also unlike the acute, sudden and sharp pain of an injury such as a muscle strains or sprain that occurs during activity and often causes swelling or bruising. The delayed muscle soreness of DOMS is generally at its worst within the first 2 days following a new, intense activity and slowly subsides over the next few days.

Delayed onset muscle soreness is thought to be a result of microscopic tearing of the muscle fibers. The amount of tearing (and soreness) depends on how hard and how long you exercise and what type of exercise you do. Any movement you aren't used to can lead to DOMS, but eccentric muscle contractions (movements that cause muscle to forcefully contract while it lengthens) seem to cause the most soreness.

Examples of eccentric muscle contractions include going down stairs, running downhill, lowering weights and the downward motion of squats and push-ups. In addition to small muscle tears there can be associated swelling in a muscle which may contribute to soreness.

There is no one simple way to treat delayed onset muscle soreness. In fact, there has been an ongoing debate about both the cause and treatment of DOMS. In the past, gentle stretching was one of the recommended ways to reduce exercise related muscle soreness, but a study by Australian researchers published in 2007 found that stretching is not effective in avoiding muscle soreness.

So does anything work to reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness? Nothing is proven 100 percent effective, and although some people have found the following advice helpful, it's best to try a few things to see what works for you. Ultimately, best advice for treating DOMS is to prevent it in the first place.

One technique I've used with some success to reduce my own muscle soreness is to use a foam roller regularly as a part of my cool down. This has been particularly helpful for me after a long, high intensity bike ride or after I start a new type of exercise or a new weight training routine. If you do find yourself sore after a tough workout or competition, try these methods to deal with your discomfort. Although not all are backed up with research, many athletes report success with some of the following methods. Use Active Recovery. This strategy does have support in the research. Performing easy low-impact aerobic exercise increasing blood flow and is linked with diminished muscle soreness. After an intense workout or competition, use this technique as a part of your cool down. Rest and Recover. If you simply wait it out, soreness will go away in 3 to 7 days with no special treatment. Try a Sports Massage. Some research has found that sports massage may help reduce reported muscle soreness and reduce swelling, although it had no effects on muscle function. Try an Ice Bath or Contrast Water Bath. Although no clear evidence proves they are effective, many pro athletes use them and claim they work to reduce soreness. Use R.I.C.E., the standard method of treating acute injuries, if your soreness is particularly painful. Perform Gentle Stretching. Although research doesn't find stretching alone reduces muscle pain of soreness, many people find it simply feels good. Try a Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory. Aspirin, ibuprofen or naproxen sodium may help to temporarily reduce the muscle soreness, although they won't actually speed healing. Be careful, however, if you plan to take them before exercise. Studies reported that taking ibuprofen before endurance exercise is not recommended. Try Yoga. There is growing support that performing Yoga may reduce DOMS. Listen to Your Body. Avoid any vigorous activity or exercise that increases pain. Allow the soreness to subside thoroughly before performing any vigorous exercise. Warm Up completely before your next exercise session. There is some research that supports that a warm-up performed immediately prior to unaccustomed eccentric exercise produces small reductions in delayed-onset muscle soreness (but cool-down performed after exercise does not). ** If your pain persists longer than about 7 days or increases despite these measures, consult your physician. Learn something from the experience! Use prevention first. While you may not be able to prevent muscle soreness entirely, you may reduce the intensity and duration of muscles soreness if you follow a few exercise recommendations. Progress Slowly. The most important prevention method is to gradually increase your exercise time and intensity. See the 10 percent rule if you need some exercise progression guidelines. Warm Up thoroughly before activity and cool down completely afterward. Cool Down with gentle stretching after exercise. Follow the Ten Percent Rule. When beginning a new activity start gradually and build up your time and intensity no more than ten percent per week. Know the 10 Tips for Safe Workouts. Follow the Spring Training Fitness Tips. Hire a Personal Trainer if you aren't sure how to start a workout program that is safe and effective. Start a new weight lifting routine with light weights and high reps (10-12) and gradually increase the amount you lift over several weeks. Avoid making sudden major changes in the type of exercise you do. Avoid making sudden major changes in the amount of time that you exercise.

Certain muscle pain or soreness can be a sign of a serious injury. If your muscle soreness does not get better within a week consult your physician.

Sources

Stretching to prevent or reduce muscle soreness after exercise, RD Herbert, M de Noronha, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2007, Issue 4, 2007, The Cochrane Collaboration.

Herbert, R., Gabriel, M. BMJ 2002;325:468-470. Effects of stretching before and after exercising on muscle soreness and risk of injury: systematic review

Szymanski, D. (2003). Recommendations for the avoidance of delayed-onset muscle soreness. Strength and Conditioning Journal 23(4): 7–13.

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Raonic's status for Davis Cup in question after falling ill

Canada's Davis Cup team has proven they can win without star player Milos Raonic, but they would rather not have to do it again.

Raonic's much-anticipated return to tennis could be on hold, as the hard-serving 20-year-old from Thornhill, Ont., fell ill earlier this week after arriving in Israel for Canada's tie against the host country.

Raonic was hit with a bug, says Davis Cup captain Martin Laurendeau, and his status for Friday's second singles match against Amir Weintraub is uncertain.

"He's in the process of recovering and getting his strength back," Laurendeau said during a conference call Thursday.

"He wants to play. He trained this afternoon, he's really worked hard to be here and play for Canada. He deserves to play and he will if he can."

Raonic hasn't played since injuring his hip at Wimbledon in June. He underwent surgery July 5 in Vail, Colo., and later took himself out of consideration for the U.S. Open, announcing his tournament return would be this weekend's Canada versus Israel matchup.

Laurendeau believes having this specific Davis Cup target date inspired Raonic to a faster recovery.

"It really looked bad for the first few months after his injury," said Montreal's Laurendeau. "But Milos is so determined, he's got Davis Cup as a top priority on his calendar and I think that was the key to success in his rehab.

"I think this Davis Cup forced him to really, really push hard on rehab and get better quicker than the doctors anticipated."

If Raonic can't play Friday, the team will go with Peter Polansky of Thornhill. Raonic is also scheduled to play the first singles match on Sunday against Dudi Sela.

Other members of this year's Canadian Davis Cup squad include Vasek Pospisil of Vernon, B.C., and Toronto doubles veteran Daniel Nestor.

A win over Israel would put Canada into the elite World Group for the first time since 2004. The Israeli team is ranked No. 10 in the world, 11 spots ahead of Canada. The two sides have never met in a Davis Cup tie.

If Canada was forced to play without Raonic this weekend, the team can at least take comfort in the fact it was able to get to the World Group playoffs for the first time since 2005 without him.

In the Americas Zone Group I second-round tie in July, Canada mounted a 3-2 comeback victory against Ecuador on the road.

"We managed to win the last tie without him, which was very difficult," said Laurendeau. "It's good for us to have him and it's great for the team confidence and chemistry. I'm sure the Israelis would rather play Canada without Raonic."

The deciding match in the victory against Ecuador was won by Vancouver's Philip Bester. Laurendeau says Bester's omission from this Davis Cup team was not a matter of making room for Raonic.

Bester suffered an injury during the match and hasn't played since.

"He got us that fifth win and he played that match with a lot of pain," said Laurendeau. "Since then he hasn't been able to play because he was diagnosed with a stress fracture.

"He's tried to come back to be here, but it keeps flaring up and he hasn't played since. Too bad, he was playing well. Hopefully we can win for him this time around."

Raonic, 31st in this week's ATP rankings, is Canada's highest ranked singles player ever.

The tie will be played at Canada Stadium in Ramat Hasharon, which was erected 35 years ago and made possible by the contributions of several Jewish Canadians.

The other Davis Cup playoff matchups include Australia versus Switzerland; Romania versus Czech Republic; Russia versus Brazil; South Africa versus Croatia; Chile versus Italy; Japan versus India; and Belgium versus Austria.

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Colts defence looks to regroup after embarrassing loss

INDIANAPOLIS -- Much of the chatter following the Colts season-opening debacle at Houston has focused on the offence's struggles without injured quarterback Peyton Manning.

The defence sure didn't help.

The Colts needed to get stops while quarterback Kerry Collins got familiar with the offence. Instead, they got hammered for 384 yards, including 167 on the ground, in a 34-7 loss.

The defence isn't ready to panic heading into Sunday's home opener against Cleveland.

"It's a 16-round fight and we're getting ready for round two," cornerback Jerraud Powers said. "We take it one game at a time."

The Colts faced a similar situation last year -- with Manning -- after last year's opener. Houston ran wild in a 34-24 win that signalled running back Arian Foster's arrival as a star. The Colts came back to beat the New York Giants 38-14 the following week, starting a stretch in which Indy won five of six games.

"We are a veteran team," defensive end Robert Mathis said. "We know what to expect, and we know how to bounce back from this."

If the Colts are to recover, they'll have to deal with Peyton Hillis, the Browns' 250-pound bruiser who ran for 1,177 yards and 11 touchdowns last season. Powers remembers playing against Hillis while Powers played college ball for Auburn and Hillis played for Arkansas.

"I've seen Peyton hurt a couple guys, personally," Powers said. "We're going to have our hands full. It's going to really take everybody getting to the ball to take him down."

The Colts will face the Browns without veteran linebacker Gary Brackett, who injured his shoulder after an interception against the Texans. Brackett expects the defence to recover in his absence.

"You're only as good as your last game," he said. "Last week, people are up in arms about what happened, and this week is a new challenge. We can go out there and redeem ourselves, and be sitting pretty again."

The first half against Houston was one of the worst in Colts history. Houston gained 259 yards and led 34-0 at the break. Foster didn't even play, and the Texans still had 100 yards rushing at halftime.

The Colts shut the Texans out in the second half and limited them to 125 yards. Brackett said the team talked about turning up its intensity at halftime, and the results were good.

This week, the focus has been on taking care of the basics.

"We just have to continue to get better," Brackett said. "As far as this week in practice, obviously, going over the game plan and making sure the things that are in there everyone's comfortable with. Then, just go out there and execute."

Colts coach Jim Caldwell said the Colts have faced adversity before and come out fine.

"Last year, ultimately for us, it was an unusual situation where we had to win all four games at the end of the year (to make the playoffs)," he said. "Think about that. We couldn't lose one. That's a very, very difficult situation, but these guys were able to come through it. So we do have the wherewithal to do it. Do I consider it a test? I believe it's part of our everyday job. We get challenged on every front, of every minute, of everyday, and that's what makes it fun."

Powers expects a spirited effort against the Browns.

"If we come out flat, I'll be very surprised," he said. "I'm expecting us to go out, have fun, fly around, do what we do best."

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Matusz out of Orioles' rotation after another shaky start

NEW YORK -- Brian Matusz is out of Baltimore's rotation for the foreseeable future.

Matusz's disappointing season took another downward turn Tuesday when Orioles manager Buck Showalter said there were no immediate plans to give the left-hander another start.

Matusz, once among baseball's brightest prospects, was knocked around by the New York Yankees on Monday, getting a no-decision in a game the Orioles eventually lost 11-10.

"I don't think Brian is at a point where he can defend himself," Showalter said.

Matusz's latest beatdown left him at 1-7 with a 9.84 earned-run average in 10 starts this year. The 24-year-old has allowed 68 hits, including 15 home runs, and walked 19 in 43 innings. He had lost his previous seven starts.

"We might get him back out there for some spots for an inning or two," Showalter said.

Showalter didn't sound particularly ready to ensure Matusz a spot in the 2012 rotation, either.

"He's got a lot of work to do between now and next April," Showalter said.

Matusz gave up five runs and five hits with two walks in only 1 1-3 innings against the Yankees.

"There's no putting excuses on it," Matusz said after the poor showing.

Matusz was the fourth player picked in the 2008 draft and showed great promise as a rookie in 2009, when he went 5-2 in eight starts over the last two months of the season.

Matusz was 10-12 with a 4.30 ERA in 32 starts last year, but seemed to be going in the right direction when he went 6-0 with a 1.57 ERA over his final eight starts.

But he had a rough go from the beginning this year. He had a wart removed from the middle finger of his pitching hand in early March, got hit hard later in spring training and later was struck by a line drive during a simulated game.

Set to start the second game of the regular season, Matusz was instead scratched and put on the disabled list because of strained rib cage muscle on his left side.

Matusz came off the disabled list and made an impressive season debut on June 1, holding Seattle to one run and four hits in 5 2-3 innings in a no-decision. He won his next start, then struggled and lost against Tampa Bay, beginning his slide.

After that defeat, Rays manager Joe Maddon said: "I think there might be something not quite right with Matusz. He's not throwing as hard as he used to."

The Orioles sent Matusz to triple-A Norfolk in late June. In early August, with the Orioles having projected far in advance that he'd be a major contributor this year, the team held a previously planned Brian Matusz bobblehead day at Camden Yards.

Matusz came back from the minors in mid-August, but has yet to win since his recall.

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Canada's faint Olympic hopes still alive after win over Uruguay

MAR DEL PLATA, Argentina -- The Canadian men's basketball team kept its slim chances of qualifying for the London Games alive Wednesday with a 70-68 victory over Uruguay at the FIBA Olympic Americas qualifying tournament.

Andy Rautins hit a three-pointer in the final minute to put Canada ahead to stay. Levon Kendall, who led Canada with 19 points, came through with a clutch block with about seven seconds left to help preserve the win.

Uruguay heaved a desperation three-point attempt in the dying seconds but Canada's Jevohn Shepherd came down with the rebound. Canada, which had a 21-point lead at one point, improved its second-round record to 1-2.

Canada needs to beat Panama on Thursday and get some help from other teams to have a shot of reaching a second-chance Olympic qualifier next summer.

Leandro Garcia Morales led Uruguay with 19 points. Canada's Aaron Doornekamp didn't play due to a concussion and fellow centre Joel Anthony sat out with an ankle injury.

Tournament play ends Sunday with the top two teams qualifying for the 2012 London Olympics. The third- through fifth-place teams will play in the second-chance qualifier to determine the final three Olympic entries.

Canada hasn't qualified for the Olympics since the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney.

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Arsenal signs Benayoun, Arteta after defensive additions

LONDON -- Arsenal strengthened its struggling squad on transfer deadline by signing midfielders Mikel Arteta and Yossi Benayoun along with defenders Andre Santos and Per Mertesacker.

The urgency to spend some of the cash brought in from Barcelona for Cesc Fabregas and from Manchester City for Samir Nasri came after a dismal start to the season.

Just one point has been collected from Arsenal's first three league matches, including an 8-2 rout by Manchester United on Sunday.

And manager Arsene Wenger abandoned his usual policy of signing emerging talent by capturing experienced players.

Arteta, the 29-year-old Spaniard who is leaving Everton after six years, signed a four-year Arsenal deal.

New teammate Jack Wilshere tweeted: "Brilliant signing! Welcome to Arteta! Great day all round."

The 31-year-old Benayoun has joined on a season-long loan Chelsea after missing six months of his debut season after rupturing his Achilles' on international duty with Israel.

Santos, Brazil's 28-year-old left back, joined for C7 million ($10 million) from Turkish champion Fenerbahce.

"Santos is a quality player, with the ability to both defend well and get forward and help with attacks," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said. "He has experience in the Champions League and for Brazil and has proven he can deliver at the highest level."

"It was one of my dreams to play for a major European football club and I have accomplished this," Santos said after signing an undisclosed long-term contract. "I am very happy to be part of this team. All the Brazilians who came to this club spoke wonders about it and I am delighted to be part of the Arsenal family."

The 26-year-old Mertesacker joined from Werder Bremen on a contract through to 2015, the Germany centre back said.

"He is a German international with vast experience and strength and is good on the floor and in the air," Wenger said. "I believe he will be well-suited to the Premier League and a tremendous asset to the team."

Meanwhile, Arsenal has sent Costa Rica striker Joel Campbell on loan to French club Lorient until the end of the season.

The 19-year-old striker has only just joined Arsenal from Deportivo Saprissa but the north London club wants him to get first-team experience in France.

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