Sports Magazine

Archive for April, 2010

Jump bikes have recently hit the cycling scene and are taking it by storm. Imagine ordering one and taking it out for a ride, noticing that your body doesn\’t feel quite right on it. Your back is hunched over and your feet bump the front wheel every time you turn. What happened? How did the frame, handlebars, and suspension not meet your custom specifications? Did you just throw a rather large amount of money away with this purchase? Read the rest of this entry »

For me, like most Americans, the idea of going to the gym and just lifting weights and running on a treadmill is dreadfully boring.  Incorporating a fitness sport into my workout was an ideal way to keep myself motivated and to keep in shape.  Basketball is a great full body workout, an excellent aerobic exercise and a wonderful way to burn extra calories.  Oh, and its fun too!

Spicing up your workout every once in a while can do wonders.  When you do the same exercises over and over again, your body can get accustomed to them and you may not see the results you are hoping for.  Something like a game of basketball, racquetball or swimming can sometimes be just the thing to get you back in gear.

I can be extremely competitive, especially when it comes to sports, so I started incorporating basketball training exercises into my repertoire.  Sprints to improve my speed, jumping exercises to get me closer to the hoop to name a few.  I’d dribble a basketball at home constantly which helped me tone my biceps, triceps and forearm.

Playing a gym sport basketball has also helped meet a lot of new friends at my gym.  Working out with them outside of the basketball court forces me to kick it up a notch.  They’ve also introduced me to other fantastic sports like racquetball, water polo and kickboxing.

By adding all these additional exercises, I feel like I am getting the most from my fitness club and getting my full money’s worth.  It can be hard to digest the extra expense of having a membership at a health club, but if you really commit and take advantage of all that they offer, it may be worth your money.

For more information on basketball and several other gym sports, check out The Gym Sport Site

I remember being and kid, and my brother being into skateboarding in a big way.  He was always the more athletic and adventurous of our brood, so it’s not surprising he took up the sport of skateboarding.  I always thought it was  a new sport when he started doing it, but turns out that’s not quite true.  My brother was skating in the mid seventies, which I guess kind of gives my age away.  What I didn’t realize, was that skateboarding was invented in the 1950s, peaked in the early sixties, and eventually died out around 1965.  Many considered it a trend whose time had passed, but they were wrong.

By the mid 1970′s new technology increased the quality of skateboards and their wheels and all of a sudden skateboarding was a cool thing again.  Just ask my brother.  By the late seventies though, skateboarding once again fell out of favor.  It was deemed by many to be too dangerous a sport for kids to be playing.  Obviously, skateboarding regained in popularity during the eighties, and continues to be popular today.  That’s not to say there has been a steady increase in skateboarding since then, as it has continued to go through a number of rolller coaster type rides since.  But the highs have been pretty good, and the lows haven’t been as bad as they used to be.  Complete skateboards is just one of the many places that continue to benefit from this very popular sport.

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Anchor: complete skateboards

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Anchor: Skateboards

Cheerleading can be quite a taxing sport. Cheerleaders need a lot of energy and endurance to keep up with the routine and the long minutes of dancing nonstop. They have to remain healthy and stay fit. Their personality should also be spunky and tough.

Cheerleading outfits are a huge part of any cheerleading routine. They have to be comfortable enough to wear so that the cheerleaders can exercise their routines flawlessly and without difficulty. Read the rest of this entry »

When it comes to fishing there are a million ways to skin a cat.  And that is what makes it fun.  Granted there are times when only a given presentation will catch fish, but normally it is locating the fish and getting the bait in front of their nose.  Find the fish and you will be successful.  When it comes to the equipment used in fishing it is a somewhat similar conundrum.  You can buy one of dozens of different types, how could you possibly choose the correct one?  Thankfully there are generally some hard fast rules that you can follow to make your search successful.  It is definitely this was when it comes to finding the best fishing waders.

The first and foremost concern when it comes to waders is the fit.  There is nothing worse than being out all day long fishing and have to put up with an uncomfortable fit.  You will be cutting your trips short and enjoying the time you have out there less.  For this reason make sure that you find a quality pair that fit you with whatever clothes you are likely to wear.  If you are a large person (thinking 6 feet 4 inches and taller and 300 plus pounds) than you really can’t go with your standard off the shelf pair of waders.  You would be much better served finding a pair of big and tall fishing waders to use as opposed to simply using what you can find.  The same goes for children where you shouldn’t force them into a pair of waders that are far too large for them to move comfortably in.

The other key thing to consider is the bottom of the boot.  A sole that is rubber may work well in some applications, but if you encounter any slippery rocks or logs you are in for trouble.  It is much better to go with the felt sold waders and save yourself a bath out in the great outdoors.

My knowledge of Argentine football is pretty poor I know of Maradona, his golden hand and that the national team wears sky blue and white jerseys. On a recent visit to the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires, I thought it was time to expand my football knowledge and there is no better way of doing that than going to a football match.

I knew of only two teams in the national league, River Plate and Boca Juniors. When these two main rivals play against each other it is known as a suprerclasico, the match may not be the best of the season but the crowd and atmosphere have made it one of the top sporting events to visit in your life, or so says Life Magazine! Read the rest of this entry »

How many times have you heard that phrase mentioned at a sporting event.  Kind of funny don’t you think.  I mean, what to prescription glasses, have to do with a sporting game.  Well apart from my not so obvious attempt at humor, generally speaking, glasses don’t have a whole lot to do with the mechanics of a baseball swing or a tennis serve.  But, eyeglasses do server a very specific purpose in many games, and some of which from personal experience I wouldn’t do without.  Generally, it has more to do with safety than the mechanics of playing the game, but it can actually server both purposes.

My favorite game to play these days, is the game of squash.  And, I wouldn’t dream of stepping on a court without wearing glasses for protection.  When the ball is just about the right size to replace your eyeball, and travels at speeds of up to 170 mph, you’d have to be crazy to play it without a pair.  I actually wear prescription glasses when I play now, as I’m getting a little older, and I figure I need every advantage I can get.  When I first started playing racquetball though, I didn’t wear glasses and distinctly remember getting hit square in the eye with a ball.  I was lucky, and only had a black eye for a few days.

If you’re planning on climbing high mountains, then you need to be darned sure that you have a mountain tent that is as tough as the conditions you’re likely to meet. The last thing you want to experience at 7,500 meters in the Himalayas or on a deadly mountain such as K2 is to have your tent blown down or broken. So here are a couple of tips to help you find the right sort of expedition tent for your next big adventure.

The first thing you need to do is look only at tents that are specifically rated as expedition tents. In some circumstances you can get away with what is known as a 4-season tent, but to be honest the difference in price and weight between an expedition tent vs a 4-season one is not so great, so you may as well go for the tougher option. Do not fool yourself into thinking that a lightweight tarp or even a bivvy bag will be enough to keep you warm. An emergency bivouac bag can save your life if you are stranded away from your tent, but it would be madness to expect to rely on one as your main source of shelter since you won’t have nearly enough space to fire up your cooker to melt snow for drinking water. Without water, your days on the mountain will be limited indeed.

The next big decision you need to make is between going for a single-walled tent or a double walled tent. A few years back there was not such luxury. All tents had two walls (apart, that is, from the cheap knock offs that you could use for backyard camping and nothing else). These days there are breathable and waterproof fabrics that are strong and light. Using a single-walled tent can cut the weight you have to carry by almost half to about 2.5 kilograms from about 4.5 kg or so for a traditional double-walled tent. The downside is that you will pay more and should probably not expect it to last as long. If you are an elite mountaineer, have a gear manufacturer sponsoring you, are planning a solo or are just rich then this is a good choice. For the rest of us it probably means humping a heavier mountain tent along in our back packs.

Love watching cricket? Then you should also be interested in playing right? Do you have the cricket equipment to start playing it along with your friends? If you don\’t have then you need to buy one immediately and enjoy the game when you wish. So, let\’s start right away and see what things you need to remember while buying a cricket bat, the first thing you need to add to onto your “things to buy” list. Cricket bats come in various brands, whatever the brand is, they all are almost the same and don\’t feel offended if you could not get a branded one.

Keep in mind the following factors while you are buying a cricket bat: brand, size, model and weight.

If you think you need a branded one then it is completely your personal choice. Actually there is not much difference between the various brands. Almost all brands will have the same attributes and features, and the variation will only be too minor to notice – you do not need the best equipment for cricket right away. However you need to know that the kookaburra cricket bat models are worth and unique because some of them are now reinforced with new graphite matrix lending maximum power transfer and more strength.

While choosing the model carefully select the bat that fits you most suitably when you play. Some bats are designed in a specific way for some styles, the Kookaburra Big Kahuna for example is designed for the strong and big hitters. Whereas the Kookaburra Ricky Ponting bat is for the excellent stroke player who loves to hit boundaries. If they are purchased by the wrong person with the wrong kind of style in playing it will be difficult to play the game properly.

Another important point to keep in mind is the correct size. If you have a bat that is too small or too big for you then it will again be uncomfortable for you. One good way to find the appropriate size is to stand in your batting stance and rest the toe of the bat against the outside of your back foot, lean the cricket bat so that the top of the handle rests next to the inside groin of your front leg. If the bat is of the right size it should rest comfortably next to your box on the inside groin of your front leg.

Next thing to look at is the weight of the bat, the most important aspect while choosing a bat. It is better to choose a lighter bat. Most often players choose a heavy bat and it becomes very difficult for them to play with it. It\’s the youngsters who often feel that it is a matter of pride to be using a heavy bat or a very big one. It actually hinders their play. For adults, choose a weight of around 2\’ 8 – 2\’ 10 oz, in a short handle (SH).

Also take into account the grade of the willow. Most bats are made of English Willow, which is a soft fibrous wood, with good striking qualities and is the best option. There is also Kashmir Willow, which is cheaper, harder and quite durable, often used in junior bats and produces less ball striking satisfaction. If given an option, choose English Willow. Cricket bat willow is graded on a scale from G1+ to G4. A willow grade of G1+ is the highest grade and is used by the top professionals, the best willow and is unbleached with straight even grains and no markings or discoloration. It\’s more expensive and worth it!

Wicket keeping gloves are available in such abundance that the choices can become very confusing. Buyers in need of new gloves will find a myriad of brands on the market. What is the standard for high quality? Which types of features are most necessary? These and other questions can easily come to mind while shopping. These essential pieces of cricket equipment can be found at an affordable price. Keeping a few simple guidelines in minds will make the process much simpler. Read the rest of this entry »