STRETCHING BEFORE PLAYING SPORT

Before participating in any kind of sport or exercise it is important to stretch and warm up. If you don’t stretch and warm up properly before playing sport, you will find that playing sport will lead to soreness, strains and possibly injuries. You should spend a good 20 minutes stretching, especially if you will be playing a lot of sport.

Stretching and warming up is done so that you can practice using muscles which may not be used that often and help them become more flexible. They also help to get your blood flowing especially if it is a cold day and can help you mentally before the game i.e. relax and calm you down.

Before you start any exercise or sport, be sure to warm up first. This could include a light jog or walking around the room. Once you are warmed up, you can move on to stretches. Stretching should be steady and done slowly. Each stretch should last about five seconds. The type of stretches you do will vary according to the type of activity you will be participating in. Try to target your main muscle areas i.e. legs, arms, back and shoulders.

Stretching before playing can also help to prevent injuries. Muscles need to be flexible so that when you play sport and extreme movement is needed, the muscle will be able to perform. Stretching does not guarantee that you will not get injured during the game; it can help prevent injuries in the long term. By increasing your flexibility over time you will definitely help to prevent yourself from getting seriously hurt as you can prevent imbalances in your muscles occurring.

You should also remember to do a small stretch after you have finished playing as muscles tend to tighten up after being worked. This will help cool you down and relax your body.

HOW YOUR LOCAL SPORTING CLUB CAN ATTRACT SPONSORS

Attracting sponsors for your local sporting club can be a difficult task. It requires having the right approach to demonstrate to the potential sponsor that the partnership will be mutual and beneficial for both of you.

You might want to begin by preparing a list of friends, associates and supporters. This might include people who run a business, fans who have a strong attachment to the club or suppliers to the club i.e. caterers, sports shops etc. and other businesses in the area which are known for having strong links with the community.

Before approaching a potential sponsor, you must prepare a proposal. This will enable you to highlight the opportunities that a partnership with your club will bring. When putting together the proposal, think about the types of businesses that would match well with your club and if they will help the club’s image within the community. Try not to spend too much time talking simply about benefits of sponsoring; businesses want to know if there are any opportunities for growth.

Also, try not to waffle on. Be straight to the point in your proposal and give the reader enough information to make a decision. Spelling and grammar is also important, ensure there are no errors as it will look very unprofessional.

You have to remember that most sponsors are looking for advertising and promotion for their business. This might mean seeing their logo displayed on team strips, trophies, equipment, club website etc. Your sponsor will also appreciate being mentioned in marketing materials that your club may supply.

The Sportsmart Club Advantage program is designed to help local sporting clubs by offering them a tool to help fund the cost of sporting equipment. It is free to join and offers many benefits to sporting clubs including a 5% discount for club members and the ability to accrue credits and receive a rebate twice yearly in the form of gift cards. Visit the Club Advantage website for more details and how to sign up your local club.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT BOXING GLOVES

Boxing has always been a very popular sport. The athlete’s ability combined with their boxing equipment is what makes them a great boxer. Choosing the right boxing gloves is one of the most important decisions a boxer has to make before setting foot in the ring.

If you are new to boxing, you need to have the right pair of gloves. Don’t go straight for the best looking ones, do some research. Leather gloves are usually highly recommended. They do cost a bit more than gloves made from other materials, but on the plus side they last a lot longer and offer more support. If you want to use boxing gloves simply for a fitness class, the material shouldn’t matter too much.

Next, you have to consider the way the gloves are going to close. There are two main options; both depend on what you will be using the gloves for. You can get gloves that tie onto your hands, this is what professional boxers use. The feeling should be similar to that of wearing shoes, tying the laces will make the gloves feel snug. You also have the option of using gloves with Velcro straps. The advantage of these is that you can put them on and take them off by yourself whereas with gloves with laces you will need someone else to put them on and take them off for you. Again, if you are an average person looking for decent gloves for fitness and training purposes you can use the boxing gloves with the Velcro straps.

Another important factor to consider is the size of your boxing gloves. Sizes include small, medium and large and are made for both men and women. Average men will normally need a large and average women will normally need a medium. Try your boxing gloves on with wraps if possible. Your fingers need to curl to about 1cm at the end. If the gloves feel a little bit tight then they are a good fit.

Sportsmart stocks a large range of boxing gloves and equipment for both professional and training needs. View our boxing range online or visit one of our stores to get expert advice in choosing the right boxing gloves for you.

SPORTSMART MEGA GIANT SHOE SALE

The Sportsmart Mega Giant Shoe Sale is now on! You will save up 30% on all full priced models. This includes Adidas, Nike, Asics, Saucony, Asics, Brooks, Puma, Diadora, Mizuno and New Balance. You will also save 30% on all full priced football boots.

View our range online at sportsmart.com.au or come in store today to try on a pair and get yourself an amazing bargain.

HOW SPORTING CLUBS CAN BENEFIT FROM SOCIAL NETWORKING

In this day and age, local sporting clubs need to be active on social networking websites. There are many reasons why local sporting clubs should have an active Facebook presence. For example, there are more than 500 million Facebook members, 8 million of those members are Australian. In fact, these days people expect clubs and businesses alike to have Facebook pages and have a prominent online presence.

A Facebook page is a great opportunity to create conversation about your club, promote events, update fans with news and run competitions. You should also create a Twitter page for your club. It may not have as much merit as a Facebook page, but it still has its advantages.

By having a Twitter, you can ‘follow’ local news outlets, other sporting clubs, sponsors; supporters etc. and watch your fan base grow. You might even catch the attention of local media and new sponsors. You can also tweet club news, what teams will be playing on the weekend and links to the club website and Facebook page.

Another benefit for using both Facebook and Twitter is that you can even post videos of games, events and interviews to further engage with your audience. Supporters and members want to be involved with their club and have a say.

Using social media is also a great way of communicating information to members of the club i.e. cancelled training, presentation nights etc. on a timely basis. Social networking is available on most phones and tablets therefore communicated messages will be received almost immediately after being sent.

Starting and maintaining Facebook and Twitter pages is made easy due to their easy accessibility through phones. With free sign up and the ability to reach thousands if not millions of people, you can’t afford to be an inactive member of the social networking community.

Sportsmart has both a Facebook and Twitter page which reaches thousands of fans and followers. We run competitions and post interesting information frequently and they are a great way for us to engage directly with our valued customers. ‘Follow’ or ‘like’ us today!

HOW TO USE A TREADMILL

Treadmills are the motorised equivalent of walking or running. You basically have to keep up with the movement that is happening beneath you. Treadmill workouts burn the same number of calories as walking or running outdoors. The only exception being running up hill. When you incline the treadmill, it is much easier than running up a hill.

Today’s treadmills are more springier than ever and have many features such as being able to connect to the internet and being able to store up to 100 training programs. When using a treadmill you must pay attention or you could stumble. In order to avoid this, start off slowly. Most treadmills have features that help you to prevent starting your workout at fast speeds, but its better not to take any chances. Always place one foot on either side of the belt as you are turning the machine on and step on the belt after you know it is moving at an appropriate speed.

Don’t rely on the handrails. Hold on for balance at the beginning when you are learning how to use the treadmill, but let go when you feel that you are comfortable and ready. It can be bad for your elbows and you are likely to burn fewer calories. However, if you have balance issues, use the handrails as lightly as possible to help you feel steady and secure.

You have to remember to look straight ahead. Focus on what is in front of you as your feet have a tendency of following your eyes. If you are focusing on what is in front of you will usually walk straight ahead. The first couple of times you use a treadmill, you might feel disoriented and dizzy. This is completely normal and the feeling will pass after a few times.

An important tip to remember is to never run on the treadmill barefoot. Always wear a good pair of walking or running shoes during your workout for support and also to prevent any injury. You must also try to minimise distractions i.e. reading while on the treadmill as you can risk loosing your balance and falling.

Sportsmart has a large range of treadmills available which you can look at online or try for yourself at any of our stores. Our expert staff can also help you to select and show you how to use a treadmill that is suited to your needs.

PRODUCT REVIEW: SKINS A400 LONGTIGHTS & ¾ TIGHTS – WOMENS COMPRESSION

Womens A400 garments are available in two different body shapes – ‘A’ and ‘H’. ‘A’ shaped bodies have a small waist in relation to their hip and thigh. ‘H’ shaped bodies have little variation in shape from waist to the hip and thigh. This ensures that the clothing is snug and not restrictive making it comfortable to train in and leaves you feeling secure.

Skins compression is scientifically proven to improve circulation and make the body perform and recover better by delivering more oxygen to your muscles. The fabric used is also very durable and allows you to move around and reduce the risk of injury.

The main purpose of compression garments is to improve the supply of oxygen to the muscles, improve performance when exercising and reduce lactic acid build up and risk of injury. The Skins A400 compression range have taken this technology and improved it by including ‘Memory MX’ fabric which provides constant compression that will return to its original shape no matter how much stress you put them under.

At Sportsmart we stock Skins products at all of our stores. You can view our range on the Sportsmart website or come in store to try them out for yourself. If you are a Smart Card member you will receive 10% off Skins products. Sign up online or in store today!

SHOOTING FOUL SHOTS

Shooting foul shots or free throws is a unique skill and is hard to master. Many players have problems perfecting their foul shot and would prefer to shoot from any other spot inside or outside of the key rather than take a shot at the free throw line. The technique of the foul shot itself combined with the pressure of making the shot is enough to cause you to make a mistake.

If you prepare yourself mentally, foul shots will be an easy shot for you to make. There is no defensive player in front of you to counter the shot; the shot is effectively the same over and over again. Good free throw shooters do the same thing every time they shoot.

Perfecting your foul shot will make a huge difference to your game. A lot of players come straight from a game and say ‘we could have won if only we made our foul shots’. Foul shots make all the difference and it is important to master this skill.

A few things to remember when taking a foul shot are to balance yourself at the free throw line, keep your feet shoulder width apart and parallel to one another. You must also point both feet and and square your upper body toward the basket. Position your feet just behind the line. If you tend to jump while taking the shot step one foot behind the line so that you do not jump over when you take the shot and the shot is considered a violation.

You must hold the ball using your non shooting arm to cradle and support it lightly. Place your middle three fingers on the seams of the ball and use your thumb and palm for support. Keep your shooting arm straight and the elbow of your other arm in.

Aim the shot, try to aim for the backboard box above the rim. If you hit the centre of that box properly the ball will hit and fall through the net perfectly. It is important that you remember to bend your knees. The strength from your legs will propel the shot.

Shoot in one motion and remember to follow through with your shot. Remember, a foul shot can be the shot that determines whether your team wins or looses.

FRENCH OPEN PREVIEW

The winner of Sportsmart and Wilson’s tennis sponsorship program, Scott Lyons, provides regular blog articles on his favourite topic – tennis …

Well, what a crazy time in tennis. Over the last few years we have debated over who the current (and perhaps all time) best player in the world is- Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal? We have automatically pencilled Nadal in to take out the French Open year after year, with Federer being rated the next best chance at taking him out. So where did Novak Djokovic come from?!

Djokovic is undefeated- yes, undefeated- this year. He has not had a “cruisey” run through the tournaments he has won either, taking out both Nadal and Federer numerous times. Until last month Nadal hadn’t lost on clay in two whole years. However, Djokovic has just recently beaten him twice on clay, both in finals. So effectively we are faced with a three man competition- the player who has been unstoppable at the French Open for so long, the player who is currently unstoppable full stop, and then arguably the greatest player to have ever played the game (at least records wise anyway).

As for my tip? I genuinely have no idea. I would love to see Federer recapture his old form and take out the tournament, but I think he would be the clear outsider to win of the three. I think you have to go on current form, and so I can’t go past Novak Djokovic.

The draw on the women’s side is wide open. Apart from the three titles from Justine Henin (who has now retired), no woman has won multiple French Open titles since Steffi Graf. It is always the tournament full of surprises, which makes it more than hard to pick a winner!

World number one Caroline Wozniacki is yet to win a grand slam title and you can’t help but feel that it is bound to come soon.  She has won six titles for the year and is in very good form. She hasn’t however made it past the quarter-finals at the French Open, yet we must remember she is only twenty still! Kim Clijsters is a popular favourite to win the French Open this year, despite having never won it before. She has won the last two grand slam titles though, so there is a good chance at continuing that grand slam form. World number three, Vera Zvonareva is not without a chance herself, although there are many question marks over her ability to perform well on the big stage, having lost three grand slam finals before. The Williams sisters are both not taking part in this year’s French Open!

As for Sam Stosur, I think she is a big chance to win the French Open and I am tipping her to do so (I’m probably a little bit biased, I’ll admit!). She is healthy, in good form and plays well on clay. Her top spin- both with ground strokes and serves- is the heaviest of any woman in the tournament, and this will help her massively on clay. Let’s hope she is able to win her first grand slam, as I’m sure all of Australia is right behind her!

TIPS ON HOW TO RUN A FUNDRAISER FOR YOUR SPORTING CLUB

Organising and running a fundraiser for your local sporting club can be difficult. It takes time and proper organisation to ensure that the event is a success. Here is a simple guide you can follow on how to organise a fundraiser for your club.

Firstly, it is essential that you develop a plan and a schedule on how the event will run on the day. Figure out what needs to be done prior to the event and who needs to be involved in this process. You must start the planning process early. If you need to book a venue, facilities, and a guest speaker or apply for permits it is important to make sure these are the first things to be taken care of on your list as they may take time.

Don’t try to plan an entire event on your own, ask for help. Members of the committee, parents of sporting club members or even the members themselves can help to plan the event.

It is important to promote the event. Use a variety of methods i.e. making posters and displaying them around the club, word of mouth, mentioning the event in your clubs newsletter, putting the event on the club website, putting posters up in local businesses etc. Without promotion, you will miss opportunities in which to target people both within and outside of the club.

Complying with regulations also needs to be taken into consideration. Make sure you have all the necessary permissions for the event. For example, if the event is not at the club i.e. a local park, you will need to check with the local council as to whether or not you have permission to use a public area.

Lastly, remember to thank those involved in the planning process and who helped contribute to the event. This includes any local businesses who have supplied donations as well as volunteers. It might be an idea to develop certificates of appreciation to hand out as a more formal way of saying thank-you.

The Sportsmart Club Advantage program is designed to help local sporting clubs by offering them a tool to help fund the cost of sporting equipment. It is free to join and offers many benefits to sporting clubs including a 5% discount for club members and the ability to accrue credits and receive a rebate twice yearly in the form of gift cards. These gift cards can be useful as prizes or giveaways for club events and fundraisers.