Orienteering Special Terms:

Orienteering is a sport that requires navigational skills using a map and compass to navigate from one point to another in unfamiliar terrain.

Participants are given a map, usually a specially prepared orienteering map, which they use to find control points. It was originally a training exercise for military officers, but it has now become a federated sport.

The International Orienteering federation recognises four types of orienteering: 

→ Foot orienteering 

→ Mountain bike orienteering 

→ Ski orienteering 

→ Trail orienteering ( in wheelchair)

But many times, orienteering is included in adventure raids or mixed with other sports, as horse riding or canoeing. 

The Map:

Orienteering maps are very detailed topographical maps (they show hills and valleys). Their scales are  1:15,000 or 1:10,000, wich means every cm in the map equals 15.000 or 10.000 cms (150 or 100m) on the terrain. Map symbols are standardized by the IOF, and designed to be readable by any competitor.

The orienteering course is marked in purple or red on a map. A triangle is used to indicate the start and a double circle indicates the finish. Circles are used to show the control points.

Every other part on the map (rivers, roads, etc) has a specific colour.

 Image: www.cuerpoymovimiento.com

 

Map colours:

(extracted from www.williams.edu)

Black symbols are used for rock features (for example, boulders, cliffs, stony ground) and for linear features such as roads, trails and fences as well as for other man-made features (for example, ruins and buildings)

Brown symbols are used for landforms such as contour lines, small knolls, ditches, earthbanks.

Blue is used for water features: lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, marshes.

Yellow is to show vegetation - specifically for open or unforested land. The density of the yellow color shows how clear the area is: brightest yellow for lawns, pale yellow for meadows with high grass.

Green is used to show vegetation that slows down the passage of an orienteer. The darkest green areas, called &quotfight", are almost impassably overgrown.

White on an orienteering map signfies forest with little or no undergrowth - forest that an orienteer can run through.

Purple (or red) is used to mark the orienteering course on a map. Conditions that are specific to an event (such as out-of-bounds fields in which crops are growing) are also designated in red or purple.

 

Image: www.williams.edu

 

Controls:

Control points are marked in the terrain by white and orange "flags".

 

Image: Kharker @ Wikimedia Commons 

 

Control card and punching:

Each competitor must carry a control card, and has to present it at the Start and hand it in at the Finish. The control card is marked  at each control point to show that the competitor has completed the course correctly.

 

Image: Una Smith @ Wikimedia Commons

 (Usually with needle punches, but most events now use electronic punching).

A needle punch:

 

 Image: Oriel @ Wikimedia Commons 

 Here you have an orienteering compass.:

Orienteering compasses are different from most other types of compasses, such as boating or military compasses.

Do you remember how to use it? It had many steps, uh? Don´t worry.

You will find a video below telling you how to use it.

Anyway, it is very important that you remember the name of its parts.

1. Baseplate

2. Direction of travel arrow

3. Magnetic needle

4. Orienting lines

5. Orienting arrow

6. Compass housing with degree dial

 Image: Wikimedia Commons modified

 

HOW  TO USE THE COMPASS: (extracted from www.us.orienteering.org)

1. Place the edge of the compass on the map so that it goes from where you are to where you want to go. (So, the edge of the compass forms a line connecting where you are on the map and where you want to go.)

In the diagram below, a compass bearing is being taken from a point in a road to another point in a diffferent road.

 Make sure that the direction of travel arrow at the top of the compass is pointing in the direction you want to go, and not in the reverse direction.

 

2. Holding the compass in place on the map, and ignoring the needle for the moment, turn the dial so that the lines in the housing line up with the north lines (meridians) on the map.

Make sure that the N on the dial is towards the north (and not south) end of the map. (This is subtle in the below photograph; look to be sure you see it.)

 

 

3. Leaving that setting alone, turn yourself and the compass and map until the red end of the needle points to the N on the dial. (Remember, the needle doesn't turn (it always points north).

You and the compass and map turn around it. This takes a bit to get used to.) The direction of travel arrow on the compass now points in the direction you want to go.

 

Here you have some videos from www.ehow.com:

How to use a compass to navigate:

 

SUBTITLES: 1. Clic the play button. 2. Clic on the grey arrow on the right of the screen, and then on "CC"

 

 

How to use a map and a compass to navigate:

 

SUBTITLES: 1. Clic the play button. 2. Clic on the grey arrow on the right of the screen, and then on "CC"

 

 

You can find the complete "How to navigate wilderness areas" series    Here

A) THE TRIPLE-THREAT POSITION:

-This is the first thing to learn.

-After receiving a pass, you want to get into the "triple-threat" position so you can quickly dribble , shoot or pass.

-The ball must be far from the defender, so he can not steal it easily.

 -Look at the basket  and put the ball in one side of your chest. Turn your body so your body is between the ball and the defender.

-Keep your head up, centered over your body and your eyes on the hoop, but also seeing the entire floor.

-Be sure your shoulders are facing the basket with your knees bent and weight spread evenly.

-Your feet should be shoulder-width apart.

-Now you're ready to shoot, pass or dribble!

 
Image: http://jamesonbasketball.org

 

Look at this video from www.ehow.com explaining you how to do it:

SUBTITLES: 1. Clic the play button. 2. Clic on the grey rectangular button with two lines

 

 

B) THE DRIBBLING:

The dribble is a push-pull movement of the arm.
-Your fingers must form a cup to adapt to the ball. Fingers and wrist must be relaxed.
- As the ball bounces back up, meet it with your fingers. Control the ball with your fingers, not the palms.
-Raise your non-dribbling hand up for protection.
-Control is the key. Practice dribbling with your hand the following areas of the ball: directly on top, in front, behind, right side and left side.

 Control, or Low Dribble:
Use this when you're closely guarded.
-Keep your body between the ball and the defender.
-Dribble the ball at knee level or lower so it's harder for the defender
to touch it.
-Keep your free hand up to protect the ball. Keep your dribbling arm close to your body.
-If you keep you head up and eyes off the ball, you'll be able to see open teammates.

Speed, or High Dribble:
-Use it when you need to run with the ball quick: fast breaks after a steal, for example.
-Keep your body nearly erect, leaning forward slightly. Extend your dribbling arm completely, pushing the ball out in front of your body.
-Keep the ball near waist level or higher to help maintain maximum speed.
-Develop your confidence in doing this technique without looking at the ball.

Look at this video from www.ehow.com explaining you how to dribble:

SUBTITLES: 1. Clic the play button. 2. Clic on the grey rectangular button with two lines 

 

 

 

C) THE PASS:

Two-Handed Chest Pass:

-This is the most effective pass you can use.

-Use this pass whenever possible because it's the fastest way to advance the ball to teammates.

     Fundamentals:
-Place each hand on either side of the ball and spread the fingers evenly.
-Fully extend your arms as you push the ball out from your chest.
-Be sure the pass is thrown with enough strength, with the ball parallel with the floor.
-You want the pass to arrive at your receiver above the waist and below the shoulders. 

Image: www.zimbio.com

Two-Handed Bounce Pass:

This type of pass is good to miss the defender´s hands, but it is the slowest one.
-Use the same grip and motion with this basketball pass as you did with the chest pass.
-The ball must hit the floor about two-thirds of the way to the receiver.

Two-Handed Overhead Pass:

This type of pass is easy to control and helps you keep the ball away from your defender.
-Position your hands on the sides of the ball with your fingers pointed up. Your thumbs should be on the back of the ball and pointing in toward one another.
-Bring the ball up above your head (be sure your hands go straight up, not up and back over your head).
-It's usually good to make a step forward with the foot of your strong arm side when you throw the ball.

Baseball Pass:    

Effective for long passes.
- Place the ball high above the side of your head with the passing hand behind the ball while the other hand is in front of and slightly under the ball. 
-Plant your rear foot and step toward the receiver with your front foot. Try to keep both hands on the ball as long as possible and throw the ball with a quick wrist snap and arm thrust.

 

Image: http.//hiphopstan.com 

Look at this video from www.ehow.com explaining the main types of passes:

 

 SUBTITLES: 1. Clic the play button. 2. Clic on the grey rectangular button with two lines

  

D) THE SHOOT:

Basic position:

-Your feet should be shoulder width apart with. Weight should be slightly forward on your toes, knees bent slightly, hips relaxed.
-If you're right-handed, place your right foot slightly ahead of the left  (if left-handed, place your left foot slightly ahead of the right).
A good basketball shooting starts with the correct balance and your power for the shot comes from the legs, not arms.

Ball Placement:

-Hold the ball close to your chest and just below your chin. Your shooting hand should be positioned a little under the ball and and a little more toward the back. Non-shooting hand should be cupped, slightly under the ball and a little more toward the front.
Your fingers and thumb must be well spread and your thumbs and index fingers forming a “W”
-The ball should touch your entire hand except for your palm.
Prepare to shoot:
Lock your wrist and tilt it back.
-Your hand, forearm, elbow, knee and foot should be in a straight line.
-Don't let your elbows stick out at your side. Keep the elbow pointed at the basket and closer to the basket than your wrist. This prevents you from "pushing" the ball at the hoop.
-Keep your head up. Your weight should still be slightly forward on the balls of your feet, knees bent slightly, hips relaxed. Focus on the front of the rim before, during, and after your shot. Don't look away to watch the ball in flight.

 

Image: http://www.youth-basketball-tips.com

The Shot:

When you begin the shot, your weight should roll  forwards, to the toes of your forward foot. If you lean backwards, on your heels, the ball will not reach the basket.
-As the ball leaves your hand, snap your wrist to release the ball with a  back spin, necessary for a soft shot.

 

 

 

 

Follow Through:

Visualize putting your hand into the basket as you follow through. This will help you get complete elbow extension and wrist flexion during the follow through.

 Image: http://www.youth-basketball-tips.com

 

Do you need to see all this to get a better idea of the shooting technique? Look at this videos:

Super slow motion shots:

 

A video from www.ehow.com explaining you how to shoot:

SUBTITLES: 1. Clic the play button. 2. Clic on the grey rectangular button with two lines

 

 

E) THE LAY-UP:

-Pick the side you are going to shoot from, right or left. Dribble the ball towards the basket with the hand of the side you are on. 

-When you get to the three point line, have the opposite foot in front of the side you're shooting from. Put the ball in the hand opposite the foot in front.

-Run two giant steps towards the basket you're shooting at. About 1.5m from the basket, stop dribbling and jump off the foot closest to the basket. As you jump, your other knee should come up towards your chest. 

-Throw your ball at the backboard top corner with the hand furthest from the basket (right hand when approaching the right side of the basket; left hand when approaching the left side). The ball should hit the backboard and pass through the net.

 

Look at this video explaining how to do a lay up:

 

 

 

F) THE UNDERHAND LAY-UP:

-If you are right-handed, approach the basket from the right side.

-You must jump off the foot opposite your shooting hand (in this case, the left) and bring your right leg, hand and arm up at the same time.

-The left hand is used to protect the ball.

-Keep the ball close to your body on the way up.

-Your shooting hand should be in front of and under the ball with the fingers pointed up.

-You should release the ball with a slight flick of your wrist, fingers and elbow at the peak of your jump. 

Image: http://a.espncdn.com

 

 Look at this video from www.ehow.com explaining you how to do a good lay-up:

 SUBTITLES: 1. Clic the play button. 2. Clic on the grey rectangular button with two lines