Dive In

Exercise can be difficult to fit into a lifestyle. There is a certain amount of cardio that some athletes desire, but it can be hard to get. Running is something you can do anywhere, but the impact of feet pounding on the ground step after step can be too much for some people’s backs, ankles, and knees. So what exercise is there that avoids this stress on the joints?

One great alternative is swimming. It is low on equipment costs (unless you are planning to build your own pool all you need is a swimsuit, goggles, and a towel), it is easier on the body than running, it is great exercise, and it can be a lot of fun. Just get yourself down to the local pool or lake, dive in, and give it a shot.

With swimming, like any exercise, you should know your limits before trying anything too hard. Start small, you can begin by treading water in an area where you can touch the bottom if need be. From there, if you are comfortable and confident enough to do laps you can. If you’re in a lake, stay near shore or have a boater accompany you. It is always a good idea to be cautious. One of the perks of swimming for exercise is the low-impact nature of the sport. But, just because it is low impact does not mean you should not stretch before and after, this keeps your muscles loose and will allow you to swim more freely.

Once you have started to swim you can learn different strokes to work on different muscles – front crawl, backstroke, sidestroke, breaststroke, or the butterfly. You can vary your workout to cater to your personal goals – sprints or long distance. However you go about it, though, swimming is a unique and fun way to get your exercise in.

Filed Under: Sports, Training Tagged With: , ,

Which Types of Events Should You Bet On?

You should choose the events that interest you. If you don’t normally enjoy watching basketball because you simply don’t like the game, just placing a bet on a game just to see if you can win isn’t going to make you like it any better.

If you’re just getting started in sports betting, naturally you’re going to want to bet on the game that you’re most familiar with. For some people, this may be football; for others, it may be basketball. Still other people may enjoy “playing the ponies” or “watching the dogs.”

Many people participate in sports betting for the sole intent and purpose of adding more excitement to a game they already thoroughly enjoy. You probably already tend to act pretty silly when you’re cheering for your favorite team anyway, but wait until you have some money riding on the game. Talk about excitement!

You want to keep a few things in mind when considering sports’ betting. First, and most importantly, you want to make sure that you can actually afford to participate in sports betting. Many people actually budget a certain amount of money for placing bets on their favorite sports events. When that money is gone, they don’t place any further bets.

Second, you want to make sure you are dealing with legitimate betting sites, both “brick and mortar” and online. If your state does not allow gambling, you don’t want to participate in any organized betting (that is, betting that is open to anyone and everyone who is willing to risk getting caught placing the bet).

You want to make sure that your online betting sites are legitimate and properly operated. If you’re not sure about a site, then it’s best that you find another one. Remember, you will be providing personal and financial information.

Filed Under: General, Sports Tagged With: , ,

The Reward of Coaching

Many of us can look back on our childhood and think of someone we called “Coach”. Whether it was a friend’s dad who led our little league team to victory and orange slices, or a high school teacher who spent her afternoons blowing a whistle on the volleyball court, these people dedicated their time and energy into helping out a sports team and the impact they make is too easily overlooked.

Coaching, like participating in athletics, can be a very challenging experience. In turn, of course, it can be wildly rewarding. How a team plays or shows on the field can in many cases be traced back to the coach, yet the coaches are never the stars, they do not capture the crowds attention, and in the end, it is not them that wins or loses. So, why would someone dedicate such an immense effort to something if they could not hope to reap the bulk of the benefits?

They do it because they do see a reward waiting at the end (admittedly, it is of a different sort than the reward of the participant). In watching their athletes or their team perform at the top of their game, the coach gains a sense of pride. They can look out at the field and see their hard work culminating, their coordination and planning having transformed into action, and their athletes reaching their peak. It is in helping another reach his or her own potential that the coach really wins.

The next time you watch an athletic event, whether it’s a gymnastics meet or a hockey game, remember to think about the coach for a moment. How much of what happened was a result of their work? While the sport in front of you is difficult and the athlete deserves a great deal of credit, remember that the coach has been working toward this too, and deserves their credit as well.

Filed Under: Athletic trainer, Sports, Training Tagged With: , ,

Baseball’s Greatest Players, by the Stats

Since its founding in 1869, Major League Baseball has turned out a lot of stars. This is a simple little list of the best of the best – the top five players of the game in terms of runs, hits, home runs, strikeouts, earned run averages, shutouts, and batting averages. These are the greats.

Runs

  1. Ricky Henderson (career 1979-2003) – 2,295 runs
  2. Ty Cobb (1905-1928) – 2,246 runs
  3. Barry Bonds (1986-2007) – 2,227 runs
  4. Hank Aaron (1954-1976) – 2,174 runs
  5. Babe Ruth (1914-1935) – 2,174 runs

Hits

  1. Pete Rose (career 1963-1986) – 4,256 hits
  2. Ty Cobb (1905-1928) – 4,191 hits
  3. Hank Aaron (1954-1976) – 3,771 hits
  4. Stan Musial (1941-1963) – 3,630 hits
  5. Tris Speaker (1907-1928) – 3,514 hits

Home Runs

  1. Barry Bonds (career 1986-2007) – 762 home runs
  2. Hank Aaron (1954-1976) – 755 home runs
  3. Babe Ruth (1914-1935) – 714 home runs
  4. Willie Mays (1951-1973) – 660 home runs
  5. Ken Griffey Jr. (1989-2010) – 630 home runs

Strikeouts

  1. Nolan Ryan (career 1966-1993) – 5,714 strikeouts
  2. Randy Johnson (1988-2009) – 4,875 strikeouts
  3. Roger Clemens (1984-2007) – 4,672 strikeouts
  4. Steve Carlton (1965-1988) – 4,136 strikeouts
  5. Bert Blyleven (1970-1992) – 3,701 strikeouts

Earned Run Averages

  1. Ed Walsh (career 1904-1917) – 1.816 ERA
  2. Addie Joss (1902-1910) – 1.887 ERA
  3. Albert Spalding (1871-1878) – 2.045 ERA
  4. Mordecai Brown (1903-1916) – 2.057 ERA
  5. John Montgomery Ward (1878-1894) – 2.102 ERA

Shutouts

  1. Walter Johnson (career 1907-1927) – 110 shutouts
  2. Grover Cleveland Alexander (1911-1930) – 90 shutouts
  3. Christy Matthewson (1900-1916) – 79 shutouts
  4. Cy Young (1890-1911) – 76 shutouts
  5. Eddie Plank (1901-1917) – 69 shutouts

Batting Averages

  1. Ty Cobb (career 1905-1928) – .3664
  2. Roger Hornsby (1915-1937) – .3585
  3. Joe Jackson (1908-1920) – .3558
  4. Ed Delahanty (1888-1903) – .3458
  5. Tris Speaker (1907-1928) – .3447
Filed Under: Benefits, Sports Tagged With: , ,

Common Sports Injuries and Treatment

Sports injuries happen all the time. Certain movements put strain on the body and sometimes the strain can be too much. A muscle pulls. A ligament is strained. A joint gives out. There’s always the chance of some sort of injury when engaging in most any sport. Here are a few of the more common injuries and what to do if or when they happen.

Injuries to the knee are very common and numerous. There’s bursitis, dislocation, tears or straining of cartilage or ligament, sprains, and more. For many knee injuries, immobilization, compression, elevation, rest, and ice are a recommended treatment. For more serious injuries – like a tear to the ligament or dislocation – this method should be used, but with medical treatment.

Like knee injuries, muscle pulls are very common. They can occur in almost any muscle and often result from overuse, strain, or even falling. A pulled muscle can be treated with immobilization, rest, and ice, and then, when possible, gentle stretching. A really bad pulled muscle can be a torn muscle and medical assistance may be required.

Shin splints happen though overuse and repetitive impacts like running, jogging, and aerobics and are usually a strain or tearing of the muscles around the bones in the lower leg. Minor pain can be treated with rest and gentle muscle stretching. If the pain is greater, use compression, rest, elevation, and ice.

Sprained ankles are the most common sports injury and result from straining or tearing the muscles in the ankle. As with the other injuries here, the ankle should be immobilized, compressed, rested, elevated and iced.

Athletes can almost expect to sustain some sort of sports-related injury. Prevention certainly helps, but it only goes so far. Accidents, falls, or strains happen. Treatment is important because without it, an injury could heal incorrectly and then hinder the functionality of the injured muscle or joint.

Filed Under: Athletic trainer, Sports Tagged With: , ,

Strength and Mass Building Exercises

Whether you want to build strength, maintain your muscle or add some muscle mass, these exercises are for you. Rotate through these exercises several days a week, every week, and you’ll build some serious mass and strength. In simple alphabetical order:

  • Back/Barbell Squat – rest the barbell on your shoulders, behind your neck. With your feet just wider than shoulder-width, squat down, then rise. Keep your back straight.
  • Barbell Bench Press – lie flat on the bench; grab the barbell slightly wider than shoulder-width. Lift the bar off the rack and lower it to within a few inches of your chest and push it back.
  • Barbell Row – stand with your knees bent slightly at shoulder-width, waist bent forward, back straight, and shoulders back. Grab the barbell with an overhand grip, pull it up to your lower chest area, and lower it.
  • Dead Lift – with your feet at hip-width and your back straight, squad down and grasp the barbell with an overhand grip at just wider than shoulder-width. Raise yourself with your legs and then straighten your waist. Keep back straight throughout. Reverse steps.
  • Power Clean – move into the ‘up’ position of a dead lift, then bend your elbows, raise the bar to your chin, and support it there with your wrists bent back. Move one leg forward and lower yourself – bending both knees – dropping the back knee near the floor, then stand back up. Alternate legs.
  • Reverse crunch – lie on your back with your hands behind your head. Without moving your head or arms, bend your knees and pull them up and toward your head.

Work hard, go for positive failure, and rest between sets. You should really have a spotter for many of these. You’re trying to build strength and mass, not hurt yourself or trap yourself helplessly under a barbell you’re too tired to lift. Be careful.

Filed Under: Athletic trainer, Sports Tagged With: , ,

Baseball’s Greatest Managers

Major League Baseball was organized and founded in the late 1860s and is over 140 years old today. In that time, there have been hundreds of managers leading dozens of teams. Here are a few of the greatest to ever manage the game.

  • Connie Mack. Mack is Baseballs longest-serving manager and hold records for most games managed, most games won, and even most games lost. During his five-and-a-half decade career managing the Pirates and then the Philadelphia Athletics, he won five World Series championships, managed 7,755 games and won 3,731 games.
  • Joe Torre. Torre managed the Mets, Braves, Cardinals, Yankees and Dodgers. He led the Yankees to win ten American League East Division titles and four World Series titles. He has 2,326 wins as a manager. In 2009, Sports Illustrated named him the Best Manager of the Decade.
  • Tommy Lasorda. Lasorda managed the LA Dodgers for 20 years. In that time, the team won two World Series titles, four NL pennants, and eight division titles. As a manager, he won 1,599 games.
  • Casey Stengel. Stengel managed the Dodgers, Boston Braves, Yankees, and Mets. During his 30 year managerial career, he stacked up seven World Series titles, three AL championships and 1,907 wins.
  • Joe McCarthy. Over his 34 years as a manager, McCarthy led the Cubs, Yankees, and Red Sox. His teams won 7 World Series titles, championships in both the American and National Leagues and a total of 2,125 games – 1,460 with the Yankees alone.
  • John McGraw. McGraw managed the Baltimore Orioles for both the American and National Leagues and then the New York Giants for 30 years. During his tenure, the Giants won three World Series titles and seven NL pennants. As a manager, he won 2,763 games.
Filed Under: Athletic trainer, Sports Tagged With: , ,

Ways to Afford College Tuition and Fees

New York City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein, N...
Image via Wikipedia

It seems as if every year, colleges and universities all over the country announce that they are raising tuition and student fees. In the majority of cases, these increases in fees and tuition can range from $50 all the way up to $5,000. With these increases becoming a regular part of secondary education, any prospective college student needs to start budgeting for college tuition and fees before they even decide which college they’ll attend.

One of the recommended ways for a student to be able to afford college is to try to get as many scholarships as possible. There are millions of scholarships available to students all over the country. Some are general scholarships provided by the school for students who are just attending the college, while others are corporate funded and can range from the factory in a city providing a scholarship to the local classic car insurance company providing a scholarship. Scholarships are the best way to fund college as any money received from scholarships does not have to be paid back.

Another way a student can pay for college tuition and fees is through the use of government grants. Most government grants require that a student either meet an income requirement or follow some specified course of study. There are dozens of grants available for students and just like scholarships, grants do not need to be paid back.

The last way to pay college tuition and fees is through the use of student loans. Unlike the other two options, student loans need to be paid back after graduation and usually incur interest once the student graduates. However, for college students who don’t have the savings or enough scholarships and grants to pay for a college education, student loans are a lifeline to their future.

Filed Under: Benefits, Making The Grade, Online Learning, Sports Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Injuries Among High School Athletes

Austrian Forward Rubin Okotie tries to score o...
Image via Wikipedia

In the 2005, the Center for Disease Control sponsored a study conducted by an Ohio children’s hospital on injuries among high school athletes. The purpose of the study was to determine which athletes were at the highest risk of being hurt. One hundred high schools of varying sizes and from different regions participated in the study.

Athletic trainers were asked to help gather data based on the injuries they treated. The trainers had to be certified and associated with the National Athletic Trainers’ Association. They reported incidence and athletic conditions for students participating in nine sports. Injuries among high school athletes who participated in football, wrestling, girls volleyball, boys and girls soccer and basketball, and softball were tracked by the athletic trainers.

The report did not include injuries that were not seen by the trainer. Therefore, emergency room and urgent care visits, as well as doctor visits were not included in the data if the athletic trainer didn’t initiate the visit.

Of the 4.2 million high school athletes participating in these nine sports, almost 1.5 million suffered an injury. Injuries were more likely to happen during competition than practice. Football was the most likely sport to have student athletes suffer injury. Wrestling was second for injuries, and girls’ soccer came in third. Almost 80% of the injuries were new rather than re-injuries or complications from old injuries. Concussions and broken bones were more likely to happen during an actual game rather than in practice.

The CDC recommends that this kind of surveillance be ongoing so that better guidelines and recommendations can be made to help protect the high school athletes as well as prevent some of the injuries that occur. Based on this study, the National Athletic Trainers’ Association can better make recommendations to reduce injuries among high school athletes.

Filed Under: Athletic trainer, Sports

Finger Injuries are Commonly Treated by Athletic Trainers

Finger injuries are one of the most common treatments by athletic trainers. Trainers are typically the front line of medical care when a finger injury occurs, so it is very important for the trainer to be knowledgeable about the types of problems that most commonly occur.

Hyperextension of joints is the very most common finger injury, and where it may not seem serious, it can be a big problem for growing athletes. Kids between the ages of 12 and 16 often suffer this kind of accident. Due to the fact that their skeletal system is still growing, the injury can lead to arthritis in older age.

The middle finger is the most likely digit to be injured. Naturally hyperextension is the biggest problem. This means that the joint is straightened too much. The least likely joint to be injured is the one closest to the fingernail. If a joint injury is bad enough, it can result in joint displacement. Again, the middle finger is the most likely to suffer this type of assault.

Athletic trainers usually treat finger injuries by either using the buddy taping method, or with by splinting the finger with an immobilizer. A good trainer knows that an immature athlete should also get an X-ray of the injury.

A less dramatic finger injury is the jammed finger. This means that the two finger bones get jammed together at the joint. Athletic trainers treat this kind of injury with rest, ice, elevation, compression and support. It can take six weeks for the jammed finger to totally heal. Swelling can be difficult to control, so the athlete needs to be reminded to keep the hand with the jam elevated as much as possible.

Finger injuries that are properly diagnosed and treated by the athletic trainer typically do not lead to life long debility for the athlete.

Filed Under: Athletic trainer, Sports
« Older Posts
Newer Posts »