What are Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)?

Today, most new vehicles are equipped with an anti-lock braking system or offer it as an option, and many car shoppers consider anti-lock brakes a must when they make a vehicle purchase. Designed to give the driver control over the vehicle while coming to a rapid stop, anti-lock brakes employ precisely calculated, rapid pumping action to prevent wheels from locking up during a sudden stop. Anti-lock brake technology marks such a significant breakthrough in the automobile industry that in a 2006 report published by www.cars.com, anti-lock braking technology was rated the #1 automobile innovation in recent years and was credited it for paving the way for roll mitigation and stability control technology.

Let us examine for a moment what happens to a vehicle without ABS as sudden pressure is applied to the brake. The wheel is capable of coming to a stop quicker than the vehicle itself, resulting in a skid as the wheel locks but the vehicle continues to move. When a vehicle skids, there is little traction and the driver has minimal or no control over the direction the vehicle will go.

Anti-lock brakes employ computer controlled speed sensors which detect sudden deceleration and activate right before the point when the wheels would otherwise lock up. By rapidly releasing and reapplying pressure to the brake system in quick intervals, the ABS system allows the tires to decelerate at the same rate as the vehicle, preventing skidding and allowing the driver to steer away from obstacles while braking if necessary. Without ABS, a vehicle in the same situation could lose traction, leaving the driver at the mercy of the out of control vehicle and anything in its path.

Several studies have raised doubt regarding whether the presence of ABS actually prevents accidents, and some experts suggest that drivers being unaware of how to correctly utilize the system contributes to the findings. When you rapidly compress the brake pedal in a vehicle with anti-lock brakes, it is normal to feel a pulsing or vibrating from the pedal, and possibly some noise. In vehicles with ABS, brakes should never be pumped with the foot. In an emergency stopping situation, hold constant pressure on the brake pedal while maintaining a firm grip on the steering wheel to control the direction of the vehicle, allowing the ABS to do the job for which they are designed.

In purchasing a vehicle with ABS, note that all ABS systems are not the same. While some systems include a speed sensor and valve for each of the four wheels, others may have just one valve and sensor for both rear wheels. Consult the owner's manual for information about the type of ABS system with which a particular vehicle is equipped.

About the Author: Greg Chapman, of Greg Chapman Motors, is a leading provider of used cars in Austin. For more information please visit Greg Chapman Motors.

How To Get Tight Abs Looking Great

The way to get tight abs is often a source of confusion for people. Most people simply decide they want tight abs and start working them in the hope of getting what they want. Lets look at exactly what we want so we can better understand how to get it.

Everybody wants nice tight abs. The reason why is because everybody recognizes, that the abs are the most visually appealing part of the body. There is a technical reason for this. It has to do with the science of Aesthetics. It is actually an optical illusion.

A flat area, or featureless area always looks larger to the eye, because the eye travels to the outer edges of the area because there is nothing to look on the inside of that area. When our mid section is featureless, when the skin is thick because it is full of engorged fat cells. The eye travels instantly to the outer edges of the mid section and takes a reading and makes a decision about whether that area is large or small. The eye takes a few things into account. Especially, it considers the proportion of the shoulders and the waist. This differential is used by the brain to decide whether this torso is thin or thick. Whether this person is fat or slim.

So the familiar 6 pack bumps and ridges we long for actually have a real reason for existing in terms of looking good. The six pack attracts the eye to the center, forcing the eye to ignore the outer edges of the torso. This typically makes the torso look smaller.

When you have a layer of fat covering your abs, what happens is you have a featureless area on your torso so the eye focuses on the outline. When you work your abs, which is what we have established is what most people want to do when they decide they want a nice six pack, we enlarge the muscle group. Now what is happening here is we are actually working towards the opposite of what we want. The eye travels to the torso, to look at the six pack on any muscular body, not because it is large, but because it is SMALL in comparison to the upper body. The shoulders chest and arms.

The key to a great looking set of abs is to make the skin covering them as thin and as supple as possible. That is the essential task of a great looking six pack. Cardio and limited calorie intake will do wonders for you.

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Abs Myths

Myth#1 Abdominal exercises will remove fat in my midsection.
Fact: You need to remove excess fat around your stomach in order to see your abs. The only way your going to do this is with a low-calorie diet and a weight-resistance program while adding cardio exercise. Ab exercises will develop muscles, but they’ll still be under your fat.

Myth#2 It takes hundreds of crunches to get ab muscles in shape.
Fact: Abdominal muscles are like any other muscle, they don’t respond to hundreds of repetitions. When you can easily do 15 reps of any ab exercise, you need to switch exercises or add resistance.

Myth#3 You have to train your abs everyday if you want a six pack.
Fact: Ab muscles can be over-trained just like any other muscle. You need to give your six pack abs enough rest to recuperate. Over-training will result diminished gains and soreness.

Myth#4 Men and women should train their abs differently.
Fact: Men and women all have muscle, which is trained the same way. If a woman wants a sexy midsection, then she’s going to eat correctly, follow a cardio program and train her abs the same way a man would.

Myth#5 If I stop training my abs they’ll turn to fat.
Fact: Muscles don’t turn to fat. If you stay active and watch what you eat you’ll keep your abs even if you stop training. But if you stop exercising and start eating junk, your abs will disappear.

The author is from http://www.get-six-pack-abs.com

Resource about six-pack abdominals. Includes stomach exercises, abs diet, low fat recipes, weight loss tips, fitness models and free e-mail support.