Sports Then and Now

Many people presume that doing explosive workouts is the only way to improve one’s fitness. That is correct but one should not ignore the fact that consistency is what yields perfect results. You could be busy and body fats are accumulating so scheduling for explosive workouts could be a problem. You don’t need to worry because burning fats every day is enough to make you shed off extra fats and weight. Below are some of the best exercises you can do to improve your fitness.

Squats

These are simple exercises that many people do to improve their fitness. Normally, people do squats when warming up for bigger exercises so it is not considered by many as an exercise itself. Squats can help people to reduce abdominal fats, fats on the legs and also reduce tummy fat. For those who have fats on gluteal region, this is the best exercise to do at all times. Do 10 sets of squats 3 times a week to make sure you improve your fitness. Squats don’t take a lot of time and it could only last for around 10 minutes and you are done.

Unlike leisure swimming wear, selecting a swimwear for competitive swimming should be a carefully thought and analysed purchase. Having the right wear is a crucial factor in competitive swimming – where in the performance is measured to the nearest of 0.10 seconds. Top tier competitive swimmers are separated by 0.10 seconds, and if you are wearing the tech suit that fits into your physique perfectly, it helps you to reduce the drag of your body and boosts your speed and performance. High tech suits improved the efficiency of swimmers to such an extent that in 2009, FINA, the world body governing the sport, banned use of high tech swimsuit totally.

Be it your first day at the gym or just your regular day at gym. It doesn’t matter if you train in a well-equipped gym like the gyms in Bondi beach with excellent hygiene and facilities or to a local gym, there are a few gym essentials that you must have in your gym bag – the essentials will come handy during and post workout session.

Here are ten must-have accessories you can’t afford to be without for your workout session.

Reusable Water Bottle

If you don’t want to wait in line for a water fountain or not comfortable drinking tap water, then a BPA free drink bottle is an essential item you should have in your gym bag. With this investment, you will able to keep yourself hydrated pre, during and post workout session.

The world’s elite athletes are always looking to give themselves an advantage over their opponents, regardless of the sport and the team/individual they are competing against. One crucial way of achieving that is to train hard, and compete even harder. Unfortunately for some athletes, however, all they do succumb to injury or get too tired to train. This means less training and less chance of competing at the highest levels, due to the stiff competition they are up against. What do some of the world’s leading athletes do to counteract this issue and how do they stay fit and healthy through their training and competitions?

Massage Therapy

Some athletes take to the table to ensure they get some quality time for muscle and mental relaxation. Massages encourage the muscles to breath and blood to recirculate. Training/competing hard means muscle tissues become extremely stiff and aren’t able to circulate blood as they would normally. However, a simple massage could be all it takes to get an athlete back in training sooner rather than later, which always gives them a competitive edge.

Nutritional Protein Shakes

There are many nutritional protein powders available on the market to athletes who are looking for quick muscle repair and the chance to get back to the gym quickly. There are many powders that can be mixed with fruit and veg to give athletes the nutritional value they seek, and the chance to repair their muscles at a quicker rate. Shakes come with different flavors and benefits to suit a variety of athletes, so it’s better to do your research before you go out and buy a big pot, as it’s generally quite expensive. Read the rest of this entry →

It is a great time to be a fitness-conscious person. Not only do you have more workouts to try and specific programs to help you achieve your goals, there are also more gyms and supporting facilities that you can visit to exercise. The growing fitness market means gyms and workout classes are also getting more affordable.

There are also gadgets and gear designed to help you work out better. Whether you want to keep track of your exercises or you want to increase the intensity of your workouts, picking up the right gadgets to support your exercise is the way to go. To help you get started, these fitness items are the ones you want to consider.

A Capable Fitness Tracker

Fitness trackers are perfect for keeping tabs on your exercise. The available trackers can help you monitor your progress while working out, which means you know exactly when you can start with every phase of the exercise program. Wearing a fitness tracker lets you gain more benefits from the workout itself.

There are some interesting options on the market too. The Fitbit Charge 3 is the perfect device if you are looking for a compact fitness tracker that still looks good when worn every day. The stylish design also means you can pair this fitness tracker with any workout outfit you like.

The Apple Watch 4 is also a great option. It may not be a device specifically for fitness tracking – and it only works with iOS devices – but you can still monitor key metrics while exercising. The added features that come with the Apple Watch 4 makes this smartwatch a great all-rounder. Read the rest of this entry →

Anyone who has ever played basketball has dreamed about leaping past and over a defender and performing a slamdunk in the best tradition of Horace Grant and Michael Jordan. Unfortunately, for most of us this seems like an impossibility. But your inability to do this likely has less to do with your technique than it does with your ability to perform a vertical leap. That’s the purpose of this article: to help you increase your vertical jump.

It’s important to keep in mind that improving your vertical leap means making better use of your leg muscles. So if you’re going to do this, your training needs to emphasize vertical movements, such as deadlifts, Olympic lifts and squats.

When combined with a solid understanding of basketball fundamentals, and increased vertical jump can give you a real advantage on the court. Keep the following in mind if you want to achieve maximum height when you leap for the slamdunk.

1. Get Rid of Those Knots in Your Legs

Muscle knots exist throughout your body and make your muscles weaker and shorter by stripping the length of muscle tissue. Slowly run a foam roller across your muscles, focusing on sensitive spots in order to release the knots there. You should work on the following areas of your legs, devoting roughly a minute to each leg.

Calf Muscles – Position the roller below your calf while resting the opposite foot flat on the floor. Alternatively, you could cross this leg over your shin in order to increase pressure. Then roll up from the ankle to the knee. Repeat with the opposite leg.

Quadriceps – Lie flat on your stomach and placed the roller underneath the front of the thigh. Then roll it up and down from the knee to the bottom of the hip. Then switch to the other leg and repeat.

IT Band – Lie on one side with the roller position close to your hip while resting the foot of the other leg. Then roll the roller up and down along the outer thigh. You can choose to enhance the pressure by positioning one lying on top of the other. Then repeat this process with the opposite leg.

2. Hip Flexor Stretch

If you’re going to successfully increase your vertical jump, it’s essential for you to be able to extend your legs much more quickly. One way you can practice doing this and enhance your ability is to do hip stretches. Doing a hip flex or stretch means you are pulling your knee up and loosening the muscles involved. This will help to ensure that your muscles won’t be tight and prevent you from increasing your vertical jump.

In the hip flexor stretch, place your back knee right below your hip and lunge forward, pushing with your pelvis unto you begin feeling the stretch at the point where your femur meets your pelvis. Hold this position for about 2 seconds and then release. You should repeat this 10 times for each leg. Read the rest of this entry →