Sports Then and Now

Some die hard football fans will visit the stadium without even having a ticket to get in. That’s because it can be just as fun, if not more fun, to tailgate and watch the game from the comforts of your own car. In fact, 42 percent of tailgaters spend over $500 a season making sure everything is just right. When the NFL season kicks off, more and more fans will be busy all Sunday long packing, prepping, and enjoying tailgate parties. If you’re going to be hosting your own tailgate party in your special stall, here are some tips to prepare your car:

Cargo Carrier Complete With Hitch

You might be able to fit some of the key items that you’ll need for the big day in your trunk, but you’ll probably need a cargo carrier if you’re throwing a sizable party. When you have the portable sun shades, seating, a smoker, a barbecue, tables, and all of the fine linen that you need to set the mood, you’ll need space. Make sure you have a cargo carrier that’s compatible with the hitch on your vehicle. Check out sizes, weights, and designs to see which one will have the right capacity.

Air Compressors for Inflation

Flat tires can flatten the mood. If you have an air compressor with you, you don’t have to deflate the fun just because you have a flat. These tools are also handy when you need to inflate balls, seats, and anything else. Simply plug into the AC adapter, and you’ll have air in seconds. You can go to a place like U Pull & Pay if you need other car parts for the big day.

A Toolbox BBQ Kit

If you want to get a little creative, you can make your very own toolbox BBQ kit so that you have everything you need while you’re slathering the best meats with BBQ sauce. Include everything you have to have from a spatula and lighter to matches and tongs, and you won’t have to turn around on your way to your lucky parking spot. Read the rest of this entry →

Witnessing the whole BALCO fiasco and long trials of Barry Bonds along with Mark McGwire would have made you wonder that these are the first cases of doping in sports, especially in baseball, but that’s farther from the truth. Yes, the baseball doping was highlighted way more than other incidents of steroid use by athletes in the US, partially because of congressional hearings in 2005 and critically acclaimed movie ‘Bigger, Stronger, Faster’.

Initial Phase

The fact is doping history in sports goes all the way back to ancient Rome when chariot racers were used to drink an herbal pre-workout of sorts before races, heightening their focus and endurance. That’s one of the earliest forms (100 AD) of competitive sports known to mankind. Fast forward to 1889, and ironically, a baseball player openly admitted using testosterone, a rather organic form derived from pigs and dog’s testicles. Sure, there were few instances of athletes experimenting with caffeine and liquor here and there, but come on, caffeine and booze can’t be considered doping despite their proclaimed performance enhancing effects.

First Causalities

Soon after the use of testosterone in 1889, the world witnessed the horrors of steroids in 1896 when Ephedrine intake caused death of English cyclist, A.Linton. Then in 1904, Tom Hicks collapsed at St. Louis marathon, and though he won the event, doctors proved use of Strychinine and Cognac.

The Booming Period

After that we saw a boom in the use of drugs that enhance performance of humans to somewhat super human level, across sports and in wars as well. Call it leaked secretive documents or conspiracy theories, soldiers in WW II were given Amphetamines to boost their endurance and focus, both Allied and Axis.

Finally, we see the mid-1900s, when the use of anabolic steroids was rampant and we witnessed highly tuned muscular physiques. It was the era of superiorly muscular bodybuilders like Sergio Oliva, Arnold and later Dorian Yates, Ronnie Coleman and Phil Heath ushered a ground-breaking phenomenon where human limits were pushed to the max. Soon HGH joined the list of anabolic doping agents as the most potent activist. Ironically, the very sport of bodybuilding highlighted the absolute potential of HGH and doping agents, in addition to its side effects. The number of causalities and deaths directly related to abuse of HGH, insulin and anabolic steroids, in bodybuilding is among the highest and the facts are widely documented on social media. However, that happens only when you misuse them. Learn more about HGH here. Read the rest of this entry →

Sports can be an effective way for a child to learn how to function as part of a team while having fun and staying in shape. However, sports can pose several dangers to children that school administrators should be aware of. While it is impossible to ensure that no child will ever get hurt playing for a school team, there are many steps that can be taken to reduce the likelihood of that happening.

Teach Proper Form

An athlete should be taught to never use his or her head as a means of making contact with a ball or to make contact with an opponent. Furthermore, players should be banned from striking another player in the head for any reason. Before games, players should be required to stretch and otherwise get their muscles ready for several minutes or hours of physical activity. Doing so may reduce strains or sprains.

Protect Players from Threats Made by Adults

While there is little on the line except pride in a middle or high school sporting event, parents or other fans may take the games quite seriously. This could lead to threats of physical violence being made at players. School officials should eject any parent or fan who makes a verbal or physical threat to a player. Officials should also be on the lookout for any threats after a game takes place. Read the rest of this entry →

It would be amazing to see the reactions of some of the great athletes of the past if they could witness what’s happening in their sports today. While the games may not have changed much, there are a range of technologies at work to support better performance, more safety, and an exhilarating experience for sports fans. Here are just some of the ways technology has changed sports in recent years.

1. Better Facilities

Sports arenas have been adapted to use new technologies in ways that benefit both fans and athletes. Athletes can get fairer judgements from umpires and officials thanks to instant replay and digital technology that can narrow down events to a single photo frame or micro-second from multiple angles. Stadiums and outfitted with audio systems and giant screens so fans don’t miss any of the action. Today, athletic leagues are making security a priority with improved traffic flows, automated lighting, and CCTV camera systems scanning the crowd.

2. Equipment and Safety

The design and materials of the equipment used in nearly every sport is also evolving. Tennis racquets and golf clubs are now made of graphite instead of wood or steel. From hockey pucks to volley balls, there are now strictly enforced standards. But analytics and computerized design software are generating constant innovations intended to produce better results and more control. Safety is another key design issue, especially in high-contact sports like football or hockey where a range of new helmet designs are appearing to minimize concussions. Read the rest of this entry →

It may be summer, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be relaxing 100 percent of the time. Instead, you — or someone you care about — will be playing sports this sunny season.

Because of the warm temperatures and bright skies, it may seem the perfect time to get out onto the field or court. However, it can be dangerous to exercise outside during the summer: athletes often fall victim to dehydration, heat exhaustion and even heat stroke if they’re not properly prepared to get sweaty when the mercury’s at the tip-top of the thermometer.

Want to know how to safeguard your summer sports outings? Here are six ways to keep yourself hydrated, healthy and ready to play all season long.

1. Wear the Right Clothing

It likely goes without saying, but you shouldn’t be wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants for a summer workout. Instead, choose your most breathable, airy T-shirt and shorts. It’s important, too, to choose pieces in lighter colors: black and other dark colors absorb light wavelengths, transforming them into heat. On the other hand, white and lighter colors reflect wavelengths so heat doesn’t get absorbed into the fabric. Read the rest of this entry →

Whether you’ve recently started with Taekwondo or you have some experience already, the fact is that you might have noticed that in this sport, protection gear is quite a big deal. When sparring, the chance of getting injured is rather high. That’s why beginners are instructed to get a set consisting of head and chest guards, foot protectors, shin pads, and even groin protectors.

A chest guard is vital because it can protect your most important internal organs. Both headgear and mouthguards are necessary for every sparring session. If you haven’t bought this type of protective gear, you might not know what to look for. The simplest way of going about things is to understand that a good fit can get you out of trouble every time.

That’s why chest protectors have to come with Velcro straps so that you can adjust their fit to a certain extent. Most medium-sized hogu’s are recommended for women, with large and extra-large options being intended mostly for men.

So, why do I need good protective gear even when I kick the bag at home?

It goes without saying that you don’t need all that much protection if you plan to practice on your own. One of the first things you’re going to require is a Taekwondo kicking bag. While some parts of the gear you can do without, there are some essential components that you can’t leave out. Read the rest of this entry →