Sports Then and Now

Line Marking

Football is one of the most internationally popular sports, being played in over 200 countries. It is one of the oldest sports with a rich history dating all the way back to 1863, where its official beginning is believed to be. Throughout history there are various citations of a sport similar to modern day football, from Italy to France; many European countries claim to have played a form of football, but its most noted birthplace is of course England.

Dimensions

Football’s iconic pitch is renowned all over the world, but it didn’t always have the same universal look, some pitches were almost 200m in length! The rectangular pitch is now 90-120m long and 45-90m wide. Originally line markings were much more speculative than format, too. Pitches now have pristine white lines marked onto the ground to show the full boundaries of the game, along with netted goals as opposed to what their predecessor had, which was two bushes placed to mark the goal line. Matching line markings, goal posts must be white and made of wood, metal or other approved materials, but the goal posts didn’t develop the classic ‘crossbar’ until 1875.

Area markings have also changed shape over the years with the goal and penalty areas marked as half circles until 1902. With the boom of football’s adoration, the demand for accurate and pristine pitches has grown. Lines are painted with expert line marking equipment, as the turf itself is kept to exceptional standards under the watchful eyes of qualified groundskeepers. Read the rest of this entry →

We all know well the benefits and advantages of taking up a new sport. Not only does engaging in some kind of sport help keep your fitness in check, but it can also be a great way to ensure that you are socially healthy too. Actually, sports can be a particularly good way of ensuring that you are spending time with others, and this is something that is worth bearing in mind if you are wondering whether or not you should do so yourself. If you do want to get into a new sport, and you are not entirely sure where to begin, it might help to take a read of what’s below. In this article, we have put together some of the best advice on getting into a new sport, so that you can hopefully find it much easier to do so. As long as you have considered the following, you might find yourself getting started in a new sport before too long, and enjoying the numerous benefits that come along with that.

Deciding on Your Sport

Probably a good first step here is to make sure that you are aware of what sport you would most like to get into. There are so many sports out there which are played every day that you can’t even count them, so you know that you are not going to run out of ideas here. In fact, you might find that you have the opposite problem, and you actually struggle to narrow it down to a few sports you might like to try. Nonetheless, that is a good way of going about it, and it’s worth trying to find a way to bring your list of potential sports down to just one or two that seem worthwhile and interesting to you.

It can often be the case that a particular life situation means that you are going to lean more to one or two particular sports. For instance, it might be that your local neighborhood has a baseball team and not much else, in which case you might choose to go for that. Or you might be tall, and consider you have good chance in the world of basketball. But in general, assuming you have a number of sports to choose from, it should mostly be about what you genuinely think you would enjoy most of all. Read the rest of this entry →

If you’re a sports lover, then you might have noticed something: it’s not always the cheapest activity on earth. From the equipment to the clothes to supporting your local sports team, there’s always one cost or another to pay. But can we call it ‘expensive’? We’re not too sure. After all, there are millions – billions? – of people around the world who engage in some sort of physical activity, and most of them are not rich. Below, we take a look at the various costs attached to sports and try to come to some conclusion about the matter.

The Equipment

You need some equipment to play sports, even if that’s just a car to take you to the track. But most sports require much more than this. Let’s take, say, soccer. You’d need a ball, the right footwear, and a goal if you’re going to play a version of the sport that looks like the real thing. The ball will be cheap, but everything else? Those costs add up, and in the case of the footwear, will need to be replaced over time. The good news is that you generally only need to buy the bulky, most expensive pieces of equipment once.

Having the Right Gear

You can’t go out to engage in your favorite sport wearing your everyday clothes! You need the shorts, shoes, and shirts – not to mention various other apparel – that has been custom made for sports. And generally, you want to buy the best stuff: the sport is more comfortable to play if you’re wearing high-quality clothing that was designed for top-end performance. Walk into a sports store, and you might blink twice at the cost of these items, but there are cheaper ways to buy. Take a look at Nike discounts and deals, and you’ll be able to make big savings on your essential sportswear. The best clothing only looks expensive to begin with. Once you know where to look, things become much more manageable. Read the rest of this entry →

There’s something exciting about getting back into the habit of working out. Before you begin comparing what different fitness equipment stores have to offer, set some ground rules for choosing only the best. Here are a few tips that will help.

Start With the Basics

It’s been a long time since you worked out regularly. Now is not the time to invest in a lot of equipment that is beyond your ability. Focus instead on basic equipment like benches, weights, and other resources that you can use to tone those muscles and build endurance. The day will come when you can add more equipment and take advantage of the great pricing for new exercise machines for sale. For now, simple and basic will serve you well.

A Little Fun Won’t Hurt

While you may be sticking with the basics for now, that doesn’t mean you can’t have a little fun at the same time. You’ll find that the better fitness equipment stores offer equipment that almost makes it seem as if you are playing instead of working out. Remember how much fun it was to jump rope when you were a kid? Consider adding some time jumping rope to your workout routine. It’s a great stress reducer and works out more muscles groups than most people realize. Jumping rope is also a lot of fun even if you aren’t particularly stressed right now. Read the rest of this entry →

As consumers, we need to be able to determine gimmicks from the real thing. It’s not uncommon for manufacturers to use hype and brand reputation to their advantage in order for them to sell products that are simply overpriced. And this applies to almost every industry, whether it’s in smartphones, shoes, cars, and clothing.

Now, whenever a product retails for an exorbitant price, eyebrows tend to be raised. This mostly because majority of the current population are Millennials. And this particular generation is extremely resistant to marketing pitches (because they’ve been exposed to all sorts during their childhood). Couple this with our heavy reliance on technology and the internet for information and you’ve got yourself a generation that’s skeptical by default.

Now, to answer the question, yes. Sportswear actually works. But it really boils down to the sport you’re planning on doing. Almost all sportswear are designed for a particular sport. For example, sites like https://kinonasport.com/ sell sportswear that’s designed for Golf, while https://www.head.com/en-IC/home/ sell sportswear and equipment for Tennis. While you could technically wear these to the gym, as well as casually, there isn’t much benefit because the features that these clothes have are meant to enhance golf performance. The same could be said for training shoes. While technically, you can wear them when you go out to run a marathon, you won’t really benefit much, or in some cases, you may even end up injuring yourself because you used the shoes for the wrong sport. Read the rest of this entry →

As a hardcore sports fan, it’s no surprise you dedicate a lot of time, energy and heartache to your teams — and, as such, you deserve a space that reflects your passion.

Creating a sports-themed man (or woman) cave is one of those projects that can be amazing when done right, but can easily veer off the mark into tacky territory. Here are six steps to help create the ultimate sports den.

1. Choose a Theme

Before you break ground on your room, decide on a unifying theme. Whether you want to showcase your love for the Philadelphia Eagles, interest in all things hockey or incredible jersey collection, deciding on a theme will help inform all of your decisions. Going with the Eagles? You now have a green and black color scheme. Is hockey more your jam? Well, hockey sticks make for fun wall art. Showcasing your jerseys? You have your décor covered.

2. Get Comfortable

You can’t call it a proper man cave until you have ample and comfortable seating. Indeed, the focus of any good sports den has got to be watching sports. As such, furnish your room with pieces that will make sports watching the most comfortable for you and your buddies. Whether it’s theater seating with two rows of leather recliners or an L-shaped sectional, choose seating that is sized for your space.

3. Accessorize Your Space

Rather than overwhelming the room with junk, acquire one or two special items and make those your focal points. Beautifully showcased game-used memorabilia is a perfect addition to any sports den. Once you have your centerpiece, accessorize with other items that fit your theme.

Have a signed home run ball? Set it off with lighting and surround it with nicely framed photos of the player or game. Got a basketball jersey worn by your favorite player? Frame it to display it on a wall with a series of mounted basketballs. Read the rest of this entry →