ELLIPTICAL VS TREADMILL

New machines are constantly being developed to help people create a better workout, in a smaller amount of time. Both the treadmill and the elliptical machine are capable of providing a vigorous cardiovascular workout, but much of what you get out of the session depends on what you put into it.

The treadmill is used often in home and public gyms. It has remained popular over the years because it has been proven to provide an effective workout. The treadmill has a conveyor belt that can be programmed to run at different speeds so the user can walk, jog or run. A treadmill workout is similar to running except that the conveyor belt does not force the backs of the legs to work as hard as they would in outdoor terrain. They are however ideal for keeping fit in those colder months where it is difficult to run outside.

The elliptical machine provides arm movement and forward and backward leg movement. Elliptical machines provide a smooth motion that is low impact for people with arthritis or aging knees and ankles. The elliptical’s settings can be changed to provide faster or slower workouts depending on the needs of the individual.

Individuals will find advantages and disadvantages to both machines. Both are capable of providing a full body cardiovascular workout. The treadmill does not allow the user to slow down without changing the setting while the elliptical allows the pace to slow as needed. Runners and those training for marathons will prefer the treadmill because of the similarity of the workout to running outdoors. Those who prefer a more varied movement with less impact on the joints will likely prefer the elliptical. Since both machines provide a good workout, it comes down to personal preference at the end.

In order to make the right decision, it is important to test both machines to find out which you think gives you a better workout. A good workout pushes you out of your comfort zone and makes you work. Sportsmart stocks a variety of elliptical trainers and treadmills to suit all of your fitness needs. You can view our ellipticals and treadmills online or visit our stores and get expert advice from our fitness staff about choosing a machine that is right for you.

HOW TO CONTROL THE SOCCER BALL

Dribbling is a fundamental skill that beginning players learn in soccer. Players must think of the ball as an extension of the foot. Keeping the ball close and in control at all times is crucial for all players. Control takes many hours of practice and dedication.

It is important to look up from the ball and know where your opponent is at all times. Dribbling requires staying in control of the ball in case the pressure increases quickly.

Take one step for each touch of the ball. Each touch should be a light tap that keeps the ball in play. Focus on moving towards the goal according to the set plays. Use all parts of each foot to move the ball. Use your toes, the insides and outer parts of the foot and heels. Tap the ball once between steps.

Keep the ball in close proximity, stay within one step with slight movements at all times. Move the ball using both feet to dribble and maintain a steady pace. Think of the ball as an extension of your foot, always keep it close and in control.

Turn by moving away from the opponent and using the inside or outside of your foot depending on which way you are turning.

HOW TO BOWL MORE ACCURATELY

The following guide will give you tips on how to bowl more consistently in the right areas. A quality bowler will be able to bowl in the same spot every delivery. Bowling like this is something that all bowlers should aim for.

Use a stiff arm when you bowl. Don’t bend your elbow. The ball can gain more velocity if you do this. You must release the ball before you step over the crease which is a line about a yard from the wickets at either end of where you are throwing from.

Strengthen your shoulder muscles and arms so you can hurl the ball faster. A fast bowler needs to have a lot of upper body strength. Remember to run from further back to gain the most momentum. Run to the crease fast. The faster you are moving, the faster your bowl will be.

Bounce the ball toward the batsman. This doesn’t lower the speed if you are throwing the ball with a forward spin. When the ball hits the ground with a forward speed, it will gain momentum. To gain the most accuracy, start by lining yourself up to your target and making a few practice throws without the ball. Visualise the movement and make sure your arm is locked.

Mark the starting point of your run up and repeat from the same location to get the form loaded into your brain. If your practice it enough, it will become a habit and this will help both your accuracy and speed.

Sportsmart stocks a variety of cricket gear and equipment. You can view our cricket range online or visit our stores to try some cricket gear out for yourself.

Remember The Cricket Sale is now on! View some of our great specials online!

HOW TO HEAD THE BALL IN SOCCER

Players can use their head to change the direction of the ball, make a pass and even shoot the ball to the goal. Hitting the ball effectively with your head will take many hours of practice, be sure to keep practice times short to protect yourself from possible injury.

There are two types of headers in soccer. Use the directional header to control where the ball will go after it comes in contact with your head. To do this you will need to hit the soccer ball with the middle of your forehead or just at your hairline.

Learn the clearing header, this involves hitting the ball with your forehead as hard as possible to keep it away from the defenders. While this method is great for getting out of a tight jam, it can result in the other team getting control of the ball.

Some ways to practice heading the ball include:

  • Balancing the soccer ball on your forehead without letting it drop to the ground.
  • Bounce the soccer ball off your forehead and straight up in the air.
  • Practice hitting the ball higher and higher each time you drop the ball onto your forehead.
  • Try bouncing the ball repeatedly on your forehead without catching it with your hands in between bounces.
  • Throw the ball into the air and try bouncing the ball with your forehead. Remember to look at the ball as it comes in contact with your head.

HOW TO GET READY FOR THE CRICKET SEASON

Spring has just arrived and that means pre season cricket training has begun. Using our guide we will help you prepare for the cricket season and make the most of this critical period.

Begin by setting some goals. A big part of success in cricket is knowing what success looks like and planning how you are going to get there. They don’t need to be complicated, simply write down a few goals you have for the coming season. Once you have your goals, plan what you need to do to achieve them. For example, if you want to be fitter than your goal might be to do fitness training three times a week until the season starts.

Find a training buddy, fitness training can be hard to get motivated for sometimes. Find someone on your team who also wants to improve and motivate each other to do so. You must also remember to learn to relax and not get too worried about your performance.

Balance your training, if you just have nets you will not improve as fast as if you combine nets with drills, bowling machines, practice games and fitness work. You can talk to your captain as they will also be forming their own plans for the season soon. Talk to them and find out what he wants from you this year.

It is also important to assess your cricket equipment. Make sure that you have the best equipment possible as it is key to performing your best in cricket. Sportsmart has a variety of cricket footwear, cricket bats, cricket gloves, cricket pads and other cricket accessories. You can view our cricket range online or visit our stores to see our cricket range for yourself.

Remember, the Cricket Sale is on again! Massive savings across all cricketing gear from brands such as Gray Nicolls, Kookaburra, Puma, Slazenger, County, MRF, Duncan Fearnley, Gunn & Moore, Woodworm and many more!

Visit www.thecricketsale.com for more information on specials and like The Cricket Sale on Facebook for regular updates.

The Cricket Sale runs Thursday – Sunday for the next two weeks (ends 18th September)  at 21 Viking Court Cheltenham, 3193.

REVIEW: ADIDAS BARRICADE 6.0 TENNIS SHOE

The adidas Barricade 6.0 provides players with a lighter and faster tennis shoe. The Barricade 6.0 also offers support and durability in a speedy package. The added upper materials provide a quicker break in and provide long lasting comfort.

Players will experience the same great traction and stability that previous Barricades have offered. The new mesh upper has improved ventilation and the adidas Torsion System provides excellent lateral support and stability to make the Barricade 6.0 the ultimate hard court tennis shoe.

The synthetic leather upper is lightweight and the adiprene+ insert for the forefoot offers players extra propulsion. The extended torsion system provides midfoot and forefoot integrity while the feathered construction allows for ultimate performance in multi directional sports.

The full herringbone tread pattern with pivot point for traction makes the adidas Barricade 6.0 tennis shoes perfect for all court surfaces.

The adidas Barricade 6.0 tennis shoes are available at Sportsmart. You can view the adidas Barricade 6.0 tennis shoes online or visit our stores to try a pair on for yourself.

ANOTHER COACH BITES THE DUST!

The winner of  the Sportsmart AFL sponsorship program, Michael Shmerling, provides regular blog articles on his favourite topic – football …

Neil Craig, Dean Bailey and now Rocket Eade are gone, and now the task of appointing an Adelaide, Melbourne and Western Bulldogs coach have hit fever pitch. Two unlucky coaches given the flick as the other simply didn’t have what it takes, you work out who they are. But what should these clubs look for in a new coach, what makes a successful coach? Well below are my predictions on this coaching merry-go round, and by seasons end we’ll see how close I am.

Adelaide:

I personally believe that the best candidate for the Adelaide Crows is the man that is leading them. Mark Binkley is the right man for the job. He has the pulling power of a James Hird or Nathan Buckley to bring the club together again. This is one of Adelaide’s worst seasons in their history and Binkley has the power to help the Crows re-establish themselves as a real contender.

Melbourne:

Melbourne have said they want a coach with experience, a coach with a real presence and there are only 2 coaches out there that fits that bill, that’s Mark Williams and Rodney ‘Rocket’ Eade. Both coaches are a perfect fit, both coaches have coached at clubs with limited resources and have worked will in that environment. So Melbourne, make your choice but I believe that Rocket is best suited as Mark Williams has been out of the game a little longer than a week like Rocket.

Western Bulldogs:

Club legend Leon Cameron, get him now! Another club champion similar to Mark Binkley, he will bring the club back and its supporters. I believe the obvious choice for the role, has a number of years experience as an assistant as well as a stint at the bulldogs.

Its gonna be a coaching circus, so lets all sit back and enjoy!

HOW TO START RUNNING AND STICK WITH IT

All the time people will try to begin a fitness program, many of those people will soon stop. Starting a running program and sticking to it can be a challenge, but if you follow some simple guidelines you will have a better chance of success.

Start slowly, too many people try to do too much in the beginning which leads to sore muscles and injuries. Beginning slowly and increasing your time and distance will gradually help you feel ready for your workout.

Schedule your exercise time and make it a habit. People who are successful at working out have learned to make time for exercise on a regular basis. In the beginning, it may be easier to actually schedule your exercise time on a calendar and then make sure you don’t let anything stop you from meeting that schedule. Making your run a habit will increase the likelihood that you will stick with it.

Find a running buddy. You might run with someone you know who already runs or you might find someone who is also new to running. You can keep each other accountable to your schedule and encourage each other during times of low motivation.

You can hire a personal trainer. Not only will you be paying money but you will also have someone you are accountable to.  The combination of these two aspects will help you to stay on track because you won’t want to waste money or let your trainer down.

Do something you enjoy while running such as listening to music or an audio book or run through your favourite park. When running is the only time you allow yourself to do these things, you will look forward to your run. For example, choose a book that you’ve been wanting to read and only listen to the audio version while running. You could even register for a race or other event. Knowing that you have a deadline will keep you motivated.

THE IMPORTANCE OF SPORTSMANSHIP

Sportsmanship is the rules and ethics of being a team player when participating in an athletic event. Sportsmanship emphasizes the fact that teammates and opposing players should act in a civilised manner. The rules of sportsmanship emphasize playing the game well without having a negative attitude or resorting to negative actions.

Teams are taught to have a respect and appreciation for the rules of the game. Athletes must play by the rules and must not be tempted to cheat to win the game. Teams should also ensure that do not treat the opposing team in a negative or degrading manner. Players must avoid name calling and using unsportsmanlike conduct such as unnecessary pushing or shoving.

Good sportsmanship teaches players to support their teammates. Instead of bashing a player when he has made a poor decision in the game, a teammate with good sportsmanship tells the player not to worry and that they will have better luck next time. Players with good sportsmanship who lose are sure to congratulate the winning team on a tough but well earned game.

It is important to emphasize that winning isn’t everything. Teams that understand playing the game well and to the best of their ability are more important will have a better experience. The concept that winning isn’t everything will help prevent athletes from feeling tempted to cheat or play dirty. The aspect of sportsmanship is very important for young children when playing on their first teams.

HOW TO PERFORM A DOUBLE TOUCH MOVE IN SOCCER

In soccer, offensive players can use fakes and misdirection to move defensive players out of the way. Defensive players are taught to always keep their eye on the ball and to anticipate where the ball is going. While body fakes work well, quickly changing the direction of the soccer ball is often more efficient at moving close defenders out of the way. The double touch move quickly changes the direction of the ball so defenders don’t know what to do.

Start by dribbling the ball slowly at first by passing the ball from your right foot to your left foot a couple of times. Then kick the soccer ball quickly from the inside of your left foot to the inside of your right foot.

Hop into the air to kick the ball with the inside of your right foot in order to send the ball back to the left quickly. Practice kicking the ball hard with your left foot as if passing to another player. Instead, you’ll jump forward so that your right foot passes the ball to your left foot.

Remember your right foot should not touch the ground from the time your left foot kicks the ball for the double touch. Add a burst of speed to practice dribbling the ball away from defenders after the double touch.

Switch it up and start the double touch with your right foot. Mastering this skill with both feet may make you a more effective player, so you can perform it no matter where you are on the field.