Sports Then and Now

Hiking is a good way to kick start an exercise regiment.

For many of us, a healthy lifestyle includes a fair amount of physical activity. And for those of us who include exercise in our daily lives, the advantages are definitely worth the effort. From disease prevention to a more positive outlook on life, regular exercise is important and rewarding. However, for some people, the thought of exercise doesn’t exactly conjure up images of fun and excitement. Thankfully, though, exercise can be enjoyable.

Keep reading for tips on beginning a workout regimen, as well as information on staying safe, and finding an activity you love.

Safety First
Before beginning a fitness regimen of any kind, it’s important to take safety into consideration. First of all, it’s important to have a basic idea of your fitness level and your unique health needs.  For example, do you have any illnesses or health conditions that might limit your strength, endurance or cardiovascular capacity? Are you able to enjoy moderate exercise without experiencing pain or becoming winded? These and other questions will help you in creating your fitness regimen and setting various goals regarding health and fitness.

Another essential aspect of safety is the proper fitness gear. Supportive undergarments, the proper footwear, support socks and other types of athletic wear will help ensure stability, protecting the muscles, joints and other areas of the body. Also, if you have any joint issues, compression sleeves and wraps can reduce impact to the knees and ankles, and prevent injury and other complications. Read the rest of this entry →

Back injuries can be common in amateur sports.

Injuries to the back are a common complaint for those participating in amateur sports. They are also often ignored until they start to cause severe pain and discomfort. If treated early, more serious and long-lasting injuries and conditions can be avoided, or their severity drastically reduced. Here are some of the most common injuries and how to prevent them and treat them before they have a bigger impact on your life.

Lower back issues
The lower back is most affected by activities such as weightlifting or jogging that put a consistent amount of strain on this area. This area of the back is the most common to experience injury. Any repetitive motion that uses the lower back muscles can cause trouble. You might not even realize how much you are exerting yourself until it is too late. While sports such as golf may seem low impact, the sport actually requires a lot of twisting and turning, which can lead to strains.

Upper back and spine
Although injuries to the upper back and spine are rarer than those to the lower back, they can be severe when they do occur. A slipped disc occurs when a vertebrae in the spine slips out of place, causing pinched nerves and soreness. Physical activity should be avoided and a physician consulted immediately if this is suspected. A chiropractic clinic is the most readily used resource for treatment of back injuries. Your chiropractor may prescribe such treatments as rest, strengthening exercises, and wearing a brace during the healing process.

Strained muscles and ligaments
Although strained muscles and ligaments can occur when you least expect it, they are most often caused by too much exertion, lack of proper technique, hits and bumps, and not warming up properly. Prevention is easier than dealing with the pain caused by such injuries. Read the rest of this entry →

Many sports fans decorate with their favorite team in mind.

If you love something, then it should have a place in your home. If you love sports, then why not keep this in mind when deciding how to best furnish and decorate? Here are some design considerations to create the ultimate home for a sports fan.

Comfort and durability
When you want to relax and enjoy the big game, comfort is key. You need a nice seating arrangement that makes it easy to get comfortable and relax. A classic sofa, settee, and large chair arrangement can be great, but if you plan on having friends over, you might consider a sectional sofa that can accommodate a larger group. Of course, more people can mean more use and spills from snacking and socializing, so durability and ease of cleaning are also important things to consider.

Don’t forget your favorite teams
Using team colors and logos can add to the atmosphere of your room. It is easy to find fabrics in any color. Logos can be a bit dramatic for some tastes, so using the same color scheme can be a good compromise, especially if the room is to be used for other purposes.

Consider your space carefully
While you can incorporate elements of your sports passion into your living space no matter what size it is, those with an extra room or even a basement might consider dedicating a room to sports. Even an unfinished basement can often be renovated at a low cost to make a comfortable space for you, friends, and family. Read the rest of this entry →

If the NHL Playoffs began today, the defending champion Los Angeles Kings would have no chance of repeating.

If the NHL season ended today, the defending Stanley Cup Champion Los Angeles Kings would be left on the outside looking in at the 2015 playoffs. However, a recent hot streak has the champs back within striking distance and they still have a chance to make the playoffs.

Beyond the Kings, the race to the Stanley Cup seems wide open with many teams capable of hoisting the Cup. The top sportsbooks at SportsbookNavigator.com rate several teams as good bets to claim the title.

Of all the major sports, regular season success historically has been the least important to the eventual champion in the NHL.

You need look no further than last season when the Kings were sixth in their conference and their finals opponents the New York Rangers fifth in theirs during the regular season only to pull out big wins at the right time during the playoffs.

So far this season, the Nashville Predators have the best record in the league at 38-12-6. Quite a turnaround for a squad that won 38 games all of last season while missing the playoffs for the second straight season. New coach Peter Laviolette and 20-year-old star Filip Forsberg (with a team best 50 points) have the Predators on track to finish first in the conference for the first time in team history. Read the rest of this entry →

Golf is one sport where practice is essential.

If you watch any professional golfer in action, you will have noticed that they all have their own pre-shot routine and if they get distracted for any reason, they step back and start all over again.

Developing your own pre-shot routine will really help you to improve your golf game, and if you really needed any proof of that, you only to have remind yourself why all the pro golfers do it.

If you check out a resource like BirdGolf, you can find some help with your game in the form of professional tuition, but in the meantime, there are some methods you can work on as well in order to improve your scorecard.

Developing good habits

Golf will never cease to be a challenging game, which is why we love it so much, but it is made harder by the fact that it many of us find it so tough to get a great swing and contact every time we play.

The secret to a successful game and what keeps the professionals in contention, is developing some good habits and sticking to them with a disciplined attitude and approach, so that you can respond well to changing conditions and become more consistent.

One of the best habits you can develop is a good pre-shot routine. If you go through this same routine every time you step up to take a shot, you will improve your confidence and have a much better chance of performing to the best of your ability every time you play. Read the rest of this entry →

Great Britain is a country rich in culture, with a diverse language and a patriotic and proud people who live on a European island serving Queen and country. Fish and chips at the pier, tea and crumpets during lunch, passing the time with online casino games or watching the footie on the telly are all standard fare.

But just across the Atlantic you will find our long lost brothers from yesteryear, a culture built on freedom and ammunition, America. A country made famous in the media for its delicious fast food and muscled heroes. But, none of these things mean anything without all-American Football!

Also known as football or gridiron, American football is a strategic game that originates from rugby. The game is all about making sure your team has as much territory on the field as possible.  The offensive team has control of the ball and they have to ensure they make up as much ground as possible without being stopped by the defending team.

There are also multiple zones on the field and, depending on how much ground the offensive team has made up, these will determine whether or not they retain control over the ball.

Typical equipment worn in American football includes bulky shoulder pads as well as kneepads and a gridded helmet. Although all this protection may seem a little unnecessary to us, as rugby players don’t make use of them, it sure helps preventing major injuries as seen in traditional football back in Europe.  Read the rest of this entry →