Keeping Your Sporting Gear In Good Shape (NAPSA)—Being active, enjoying the outdoors and participating in team sports are all great ways to maintain physical fitness and have a great time with friends and family. Whether it’s a pickup basketball game, companysoftball league, leisurely jog or morning weight-lifting session, exercising often involves the use of different types of equipment. Here are a few tips to help keep your gear in good working order: Keep Your Diamond Sparkling The best way to ensure a safe and enjoyable nine innings is to maintain the baseball or softball diamond. Be sure to drag theinfield after each day’s games(to level out the dirt and prevent bad hops), cover the mound andpitching rubber at night (moisture can damage and warp the rubber, and alter the pitching mound’s consistency and height), and tamp downthe dirt around homeplate and each base to ensurea solid foundation. Watch Out For Weight-Lifting Gear Weight-lifting equipment— specifically, machines—endures serious wear and tear and can be dangerous if not properly maintained. Be sure your equipment is consistently cared for by lubricating all pulleys and moving parts. If you work out at a public gym, keep an eye out for (and protect yourself from) sharp corners and other dangerous, jutting components. Helpful Hoops Hints Check your basketball’s air pressure after each use and periodically inflate to ensure consistent performance and bounce. Monitor the functionality of breakaway rims and sufficiently lubri- A new wayto lubricate sporting equipment makes things run smoothly. cate them to be sure they work. Keep plenty of towels around to mop up sweat and other wetness from thefloor of the court. Quick and Easy Maintenance at Home and Onthe Go Men who want an easy-to-use cleaning and maintenance tool with on-the-run convenience should use the WD-40 No-Mess Pen. Designed specifically to be portable and convenient, the NoMess Pen is the perfect tool for penetrating and lubricating removable baseball/softball cleats, lubricating weight-lifting pins and components, lubricating gear-shifting mechanisms on mountain bikes, greasing in-line skate bearings for a smoother ride, and removing adhesive and stickers from all types of sports equipment. The WD-40 No-Mess Pen—the size of a highlighter—is low in odor, allows precision application and is a handy item to keep in a gear bag, backpack, toolbox or garage. The pocket-sized, penshaped applicator is also ideal on the go, fitting into pockets, glove compartments, travel bags and just about anywhereelse.
