Category: AFL

Sportsmart fits out Western Bulldogs with Nomis football boots

Nomis boot van

 

As the exclusive Melbourne retailer of Nomis football boots, Sportsmart spent today fitting out the Western Bulldogs players with new boots.

We arrived at the Whitten Oval training facilities with a custom-fitted Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van – home to more than 120 pairs of ‘try on’ boots. The players were able to choose boots to wear during training to allow them to make an informed decision. This unique ‘try-on’ experience, along with expert advice from the Sportsmart staff, helped each player to get the correct boot to suit their needs.

While Nomis is the chosen boot of many international and national football stars, including Jason Akermanis and Adam Conney, this service is not exclusive to the stars – this is how Nomis and Sportsmart treats all players at all clubs.

We are offering this ‘try before you buy’ football experience to all clubs who want us to come to their club with the Nomis van and expertly fit out their players with Nomis football boots. There is absolutely no obligation to buy as part of the process and all players are free to trial the Nomis boots during their training session. We believe this, combined with Sportsmart’s expert advice, is the best way to purchase football boots.

So, if you want us to fit out your club, contact us at clubdirect@sportsmart.com.au

 

Nomis football is an Australian football boot company supplying premium quality leather football boots to players who seek performance, fitness, injury prevention and superior comfort.

HOW TO: PREVENT & MANAGE INJURY

July is the time of the season when everything counts. With two months until the finals, there are no more second chances for some teams. Making sure you are able to compete injury free is essential at this stage of the season.

A lot of injury prevention is common sense. Ensure that you are properly stretched and warmed up before training and matches, and keep your body warm. Do not cut corners.

If you already have an injury, ensure you properly treat it as soon as it is sustained to maximise your rehabilitation and recovery. Follow your physio’s advice and do all the extra strengthening and stretching work to get you back to full fitness before finals.

Gerrard Woods
Director, Sportsmart

Q&A: KEEPING WARM

with Sportsmart Clothing Manager, Liam Collins

Q. Why is it important to keep warm while training and playing?

A warm muscle is a strong muscle. Warming up before exercise and staying warm during exercise increases the movement of blood through the tissues and increases delivery of oxygen to muscles.

Once muscles are warm they become more limber, which helps prevent injury during exercise.

A warm-up prepares your heart for an increase in activity and prepares your muscles for stretching (note: stretching should be completed after or during the warm-up, not before). In general, a warm-up is essential to exercising safely.

Q. What is the best way to do warm up?

When exercising for general fitness, allow 5 to 10 minutes for your warm-up (or slightly longer in cold weather). This could consist of a light jog, working at 25–35% of maximum heart rate, which will increase body temperature. You should complete movements that gradually increase your heart rate.

As you warm up, your core temperature will increase. As this happens, you can ramp up your warm-up intensity to prepare your body to start your workout/training/game. For example, you might opt to do 6 sets x 40-metre strides at 70% of maximum heart rate.

An athlete, advanced exerciser or someone who is training for a particular sport may need a more advanced and longer warm-up.

Q. Are there any products that help to optimise body temperature?

Compression garments assist with preparation, performance, recovery and body temperature by accelerating blood flow and oxygen to muscles, which assists with eliminating lactic acid to allow you to compete at a higher rate for longer. They also draw moisture away from the skin and improve circulation to optimise body temperature in hot and cold environments.

Some of the options Sportsmart has on offer are:

Skins™ (compression)

Can be worn in either hot or cold environments. A common misconception is that skins can only be worn during winter as they will be too hot in summer, but this is incorrect. I personally like to wear my Skins™ sport long tights all year-round.

Skins™ also has a travel & recovery range, which can be worn after exercise/activity to aid recovery or during long travel.

Under Armour® (compression)

Includes the ColdGear® range, engineered to be worn in the cold/winter months, and also HeatGear®, designed for the warm/summer months.

 

Come in store to compare the different options that Sportsmart can offer you.

AFL TRAINING TIP: STRENGTH

Aussie Rules is a contact sport, so players require a huge amount of strength so they can stand their ground, take marks, tackle and also gain greater resilience to injury. Players need to have a strong overall body, which can be achieved through strength training. This should consist of whole body strengthening (not just one specific area). A good way to achieve this is through a circuit, which could include the following exercises:

• Legs: Squats, lunges, step-ups and box bounds
• Chest: Push-ups, dumbbells and chest press
• Shoulders and arms: Dumbbell shoulder press and dips
• Back: Seated row

Personal trainer, Tavia Ambler
(0433 826 944)

Mid-season musings

I love the middle of the footy season. The days are cold but there is nothing more comforting than turning on the TV to watch your team (the Bulldogs in my case) battle it out on the ground. Even better is rugging up and going to the game – whether it is the big league or the local footy. I play on Saturdays and thrive on the team spirit, the spectator support and just playing at my hardest. There’s definitely something special about making the finals, but the main thing is just getting out there and giving it your all every week.

Gerrard Woods
Director, Sportsmart