Friday, 8 April 2011
Leighton Corinthians Fundraiser for Help for Heroes
If you are anywhere near the MK Dons Stadium this Saturday (9th April), please support our good friends from Leighton Corinthians who will be there raising funds for Help for Heroes. Have a go on their radar gun stand and you may even win the prize we donated!
Thursday, 7 April 2011
First 4 Football School
First 4, good friends of Playnasium, are running a football school in Dunstable throughout the Spring holiday (April 11th to 20th) for school years 1 - 4...
"As a new football school to Dunstable we bring a commitment to excellence delivering innovative and exciting courses that will inspire your child to learn new skills whilst having fun.
"Our schools provide outstanding value for money and a high quality experience for all participants with a wide range of football activities that promote confidence and develop skills in all aspects of the game.
"A whole host of fun games, competitions and tournaments also ensure teamwork and a continuous sense of achievement.
"Each child will learn from coaches that have played in the professional game and work together with their experience the very best educational principles to ensure stimulating activities for children of all ages.
"Our holiday courses are not elite programmes, its a grass routes provision in which every child can take part and enjoy, but with lots of opportunities to stretch your game working with ex professional players.
"We understand all children learn in different ways and our activities are designed to be inclusive with all coaches ensuring programmes are delivered to the differentiated needs of every child.
"What do we cover?
•fun warm ups
•ball control and dribbling
•passing and receiving
•shooting and balance
•1:1 attacking and defending
•mini matches
•tournaments
•short videos to enrich skills
•multi-sports taster (optional)
•skills stretch with a pro (optional)"
First 4's website can be found at www.first4.uk.com. Alternatively, you can contact Dean or Matt on 07949 833770/01582 663140.
"As a new football school to Dunstable we bring a commitment to excellence delivering innovative and exciting courses that will inspire your child to learn new skills whilst having fun.
"Our schools provide outstanding value for money and a high quality experience for all participants with a wide range of football activities that promote confidence and develop skills in all aspects of the game.
"A whole host of fun games, competitions and tournaments also ensure teamwork and a continuous sense of achievement.
"Each child will learn from coaches that have played in the professional game and work together with their experience the very best educational principles to ensure stimulating activities for children of all ages.
"Our holiday courses are not elite programmes, its a grass routes provision in which every child can take part and enjoy, but with lots of opportunities to stretch your game working with ex professional players.
"We understand all children learn in different ways and our activities are designed to be inclusive with all coaches ensuring programmes are delivered to the differentiated needs of every child.
"What do we cover?
•fun warm ups
•ball control and dribbling
•passing and receiving
•shooting and balance
•1:1 attacking and defending
•mini matches
•tournaments
•short videos to enrich skills
•multi-sports taster (optional)
•skills stretch with a pro (optional)"
First 4's website can be found at www.first4.uk.com. Alternatively, you can contact Dean or Matt on 07949 833770/01582 663140.
Thursday, 31 March 2011
Growing Old Disgracefully
"I should be able to climb this molehill without raising a sweat," you panic, when your legs and lungs refuse to propel you another inch. Suddenly it dawns - you must be getting O-L-D. Does this mean resigning yourself to a diet of progressively gentler sport? Read on...
Reaching The Peak
We all know that we are past our sporting peak not too long after reaching the big Three-O ... or so we are often told. But is that strictly true? Past our potential peak would be a better way of looking at it - the vast majority of us haven't put in anywhere near the necessary amount of groundwork (and we're talking several years of hard training) to realize our body's absolute potential when young enough to do so, and can thus still achieve what are our best ever sporting achievements much much later in life.
Even so, many sporty people - especially those with a competitive streak - dread 'getting old', convinced that they will soon lose all control over a body that has taken years to hone, consequently losing any admiration they enjoy now and suffering regular trouncings at the hands of their smug younger opponents. All they can see to look forward to is a bus-pass, a home-knit cardigan and slippers. Are they right?
Ringing The Changes
Naturally, changes do take place that affect your sporting endeavours. From around thirtysomething, your muscles and bones will slowly and steadily weaken. If you let them, that is. Through weight training and just generally keeping active, you can maintain a very good level of muscle and bone strength even into your seventies.
The other negative changes include reactions getting slower, balance not being such a doddle, your vision losing some of its acuteness, and a proneness to niggling aches and pains. All things that you consciously or unconsciously make allowances for when taking part in sport. Yet bear in mind that all this is, in general, a very gradual process. If you've been sporty for many years it will be even more gradual.
Dedication to your sport is more important as you get older, not less. Losing this dedication is a bigger reason for decline than age itself. If you cut down on your hours playing sport, decreasing fitness, not increasing age, will be the decisive factor. For added motivation, maybe think about getting into the 'masters' or 'veterans' scene in your favourite sport.
Bear in mind, of course, that the older you get the more vital it becomes, before undertaking any more exercise than you currently do (especially if you want to compete), to obtain your doctor's approval and advice.
Don't Act Your Age
Anyway, some think that 'old age' is to a large extent an elaborate excuse, that the drop in performance in certain areas can be caused by expecting the decline and behaving as if it has already happened. Some also think that our memories can easily change to suit what we want to believe. So maybe your legs and lungs never were as strong as you keep telling yourself. Maybe you always had trouble climbing molehills...
Copyright Playnasium. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced by any means without the prior permission of the copyright holder. To ask for this permission, please contact copyright@playnasium.com
All information on this page is general in scope and does not constitute advice. Always seek personal professional advice before making any decision or applying anything mentioned in any way. Use of information on this page is entirely at your own risk.
Reaching The Peak
We all know that we are past our sporting peak not too long after reaching the big Three-O ... or so we are often told. But is that strictly true? Past our potential peak would be a better way of looking at it - the vast majority of us haven't put in anywhere near the necessary amount of groundwork (and we're talking several years of hard training) to realize our body's absolute potential when young enough to do so, and can thus still achieve what are our best ever sporting achievements much much later in life.
Even so, many sporty people - especially those with a competitive streak - dread 'getting old', convinced that they will soon lose all control over a body that has taken years to hone, consequently losing any admiration they enjoy now and suffering regular trouncings at the hands of their smug younger opponents. All they can see to look forward to is a bus-pass, a home-knit cardigan and slippers. Are they right?
Ringing The Changes
Naturally, changes do take place that affect your sporting endeavours. From around thirtysomething, your muscles and bones will slowly and steadily weaken. If you let them, that is. Through weight training and just generally keeping active, you can maintain a very good level of muscle and bone strength even into your seventies.
The other negative changes include reactions getting slower, balance not being such a doddle, your vision losing some of its acuteness, and a proneness to niggling aches and pains. All things that you consciously or unconsciously make allowances for when taking part in sport. Yet bear in mind that all this is, in general, a very gradual process. If you've been sporty for many years it will be even more gradual.
Dedication to your sport is more important as you get older, not less. Losing this dedication is a bigger reason for decline than age itself. If you cut down on your hours playing sport, decreasing fitness, not increasing age, will be the decisive factor. For added motivation, maybe think about getting into the 'masters' or 'veterans' scene in your favourite sport.
Bear in mind, of course, that the older you get the more vital it becomes, before undertaking any more exercise than you currently do (especially if you want to compete), to obtain your doctor's approval and advice.
Don't Act Your Age
Anyway, some think that 'old age' is to a large extent an elaborate excuse, that the drop in performance in certain areas can be caused by expecting the decline and behaving as if it has already happened. Some also think that our memories can easily change to suit what we want to believe. So maybe your legs and lungs never were as strong as you keep telling yourself. Maybe you always had trouble climbing molehills...
Copyright Playnasium. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced by any means without the prior permission of the copyright holder. To ask for this permission, please contact copyright@playnasium.com
All information on this page is general in scope and does not constitute advice. Always seek personal professional advice before making any decision or applying anything mentioned in any way. Use of information on this page is entirely at your own risk.
Tuesday, 22 March 2011
Natural Products
A quick survey amongst the staff at Playnasium Towers revealed that the most popular natural products that we use after minor sporting mishaps are...
* Tea Tree Cream - the antiseptic qualities of which make it ideal for cuts and scrapes.
* Calendula Cream - very useful for soothing sore skin.
* Arnica Cream - effective on bruises.
The most important thing you need to apply, though, is common sense. In all cases, follow the advice inside the pack, never use ‘alternative products’ at the expense of conventional first-aid, and always consult a doctor about all but the most minor of injuries.
Copyright Playnasium. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced by any means without the prior permission of the copyright holder. To ask for this permission, please contact copyright@playnasium.com
All information on this page is general in scope and does not constitute advice. Always seek personal professional advice before making any decision or applying anything mentioned in any way. Use of information on this page is entirely at your own risk.
* Tea Tree Cream - the antiseptic qualities of which make it ideal for cuts and scrapes.
* Calendula Cream - very useful for soothing sore skin.
* Arnica Cream - effective on bruises.
The most important thing you need to apply, though, is common sense. In all cases, follow the advice inside the pack, never use ‘alternative products’ at the expense of conventional first-aid, and always consult a doctor about all but the most minor of injuries.
Copyright Playnasium. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced by any means without the prior permission of the copyright holder. To ask for this permission, please contact copyright@playnasium.com
All information on this page is general in scope and does not constitute advice. Always seek personal professional advice before making any decision or applying anything mentioned in any way. Use of information on this page is entirely at your own risk.
Don't Be An April Fool
Some years ago, during my time as Health & Fitness Editor of a news-stand magazine, I received a press release that proclaimed the launch of FatSox - “the result of developments in textile science and physiology”. Apparently, slimmers’ dreams had been answered in the shape of a disposable sock that drew fat from the body whilst the wearer was exercising. The pounds of lard would literally drain from the wearer’s body.
The press release was slick - five-syllable scientific terms, quotes from experts, nice pic, shiny folder, the works. The motto of the Health & Fitness Editor, though, is the same as that of the spy – 'trust nobody' – and I was therefore more than a touch sceptical (“You have got to be joking” were my exact words, followed by a swift move for the wastepaper bin). At which point I realised that they were. Joking, that is. “For publication on April 1” it said at the top of the page.
This story is a good example of how any scam can be made to look respectable with the right presentation. If I hadn’t known that Esporta Health Clubs – the company behind the press release - were a highly professional company who would never entertain such half-baked claims (except in jest), I would probably have carried on thinking that FatSox was someone’s idea of a serious proposition, and worried about people falling for it. There are always plenty of similarly half-baked claims doing the rounds, preying on people who are trying to lose weight. And most of them have nothing to do with April Fools’ Day.
There’s a saying that will help you to resist these scams: If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. So whenever you hear about the latest miracle that will have the pounds draining from your body, remember the fable of the fat-sucking socks and research thoroughly before parting with your money.
Copyright Playnasium. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced by any means without the prior permission of the copyright holder. To ask for this permission, please contact copyright@playnasium.com
All information on this page is general in scope and does not constitute advice. Always seek personal professional advice before making any decision or applying anything mentioned in any way. Use of information on this page is entirely at your own risk.
The press release was slick - five-syllable scientific terms, quotes from experts, nice pic, shiny folder, the works. The motto of the Health & Fitness Editor, though, is the same as that of the spy – 'trust nobody' – and I was therefore more than a touch sceptical (“You have got to be joking” were my exact words, followed by a swift move for the wastepaper bin). At which point I realised that they were. Joking, that is. “For publication on April 1” it said at the top of the page.
This story is a good example of how any scam can be made to look respectable with the right presentation. If I hadn’t known that Esporta Health Clubs – the company behind the press release - were a highly professional company who would never entertain such half-baked claims (except in jest), I would probably have carried on thinking that FatSox was someone’s idea of a serious proposition, and worried about people falling for it. There are always plenty of similarly half-baked claims doing the rounds, preying on people who are trying to lose weight. And most of them have nothing to do with April Fools’ Day.
There’s a saying that will help you to resist these scams: If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. So whenever you hear about the latest miracle that will have the pounds draining from your body, remember the fable of the fat-sucking socks and research thoroughly before parting with your money.
Copyright Playnasium. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced by any means without the prior permission of the copyright holder. To ask for this permission, please contact copyright@playnasium.com
All information on this page is general in scope and does not constitute advice. Always seek personal professional advice before making any decision or applying anything mentioned in any way. Use of information on this page is entirely at your own risk.
Saturday, 19 March 2011
Long-Distance Cycling
You’ve started already, haven’t you. Daydreaming, that is, of that long bike ride planned for the summer. A tour around the coast, maybe. There’s nothing wrong with daydreaming, as long as you don’t let the rose-coloured lenses of your spectacles prevent you from being fully prepared for the various physical problems that lie in wait on long rides, ready to turn your daydreams into nightmares. Here are some of the problems you should be prepared for...
Overdoing It
It wouldn’t be clever for anybody to attempt any kind of long ride without putting in some long, steady training rides beforehand to build endurance of body, mind and spirit. Even if you have taken this step, though, make sure that you get adequate rest during your big ride - there is a limit to how much exercise any biological engine can take before various parts start to break down.
If you're in a hot place, it goes without saying that you need to take your cycling easy until you have acclimatised. And drink lots, of course. The body can sweat out as much as three litres per hour in hot conditions, though you are more likely to be losing closer to one litre per hour. You must replace at least a decent proportion of this. If you don’t drink enough, your body will dehydrate. As your body dehydrates, it can overheat in a shockingly short space of time, and you can suffer heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Heatstroke is the most serious - it is a life-threatening matter if you let yourself overheat to this extent.
Saddle-Soreness
The term saddle-soreness incorporates everything from bruising to boils to chafing on the undercarriage or inner thighs. Friction, sweat and direct gbh are all major contributing factors. If you don’t prepare for this potential problem, saddle-soreness could hold up your ride by many days, especially if the area becomes infected. Five of the best ways of avoiding this torture are:
1) Invest in a suspension seatpost.
2) Take all the time you need to find the saddle best suited to your particular rear end for a long outing, and to get the height and angle spot on.
3) Wear quality cycling shorts. The chamois - that strategically placed piece of padding - will wick away sweat from the skin and prevent chafing.
4) Smear Vaseline onto the areas of your nether regions susceptible to friction when riding.
5) Make sure yourself and your shorts are clean when you put them on before each day’s ride, and wash yourself thoroughly at the end of the ride. Staying bacteria-free is crucial.
Back Pain
When suffering from back pain, popping pills to mask the discomfort might allow you to continue cycling in the short-term, but, as with any part of the body, 'No pain, no gain' is not a maxim which you would be wise to follow; if there is pain, the only thing you are likely to gain from gritting your teeth and pushing on is more serious pain and injury. You need a professional medical assessment as soon as possible.
There are many possible causes of back pain, from a fall to a prolapsed disc. Your bike might be the wrong size and/or set up poorly (which is a major cause of aches and pains in other parts of your body too - necks and knees being prime examples). Being too stretched out on the bike, for instance, can cause your back to protest loudly.
When riding, keep your back as flat as possible, not allowing it to hunch over. Mind you, staying locked in one riding position for a long time isn't recommended either. Change your grip regularly, sit up for a while, get out of the saddle occasionally, do some gentle stretches. It all helps.
Stretching and strengthening relevant muscles is the way to avoid many cases of back pain. For instance, strengthening the abdominal muscles helps to protect the lower back. Having said that, unless you want to risk worse pain, you must use the right exercises and carry them out correctly. And only stretch and strengthen when you are pain-free to start with.
Of course, it’s unlikely that you will be able to prevent every trace of physical discomfort on a long-distance ride, but, with a bit planning, the ride can certainly be more of a daydream than a nightmare.
Copyright Playnasium. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced by any means without the prior permission of the copyright holder. To ask for this permission, please contact copyright@playnasium.com
WARNING: Do not use the information in this article for diagnosis or treatment purposes. Always seek the advice of a medical professional, who will be able to take into account your specific circumstances.
All information on this page is general in scope and does not constitute advice. Always seek personal professional advice before making any decision or applying anything mentioned in any way. Use of information on this page is entirely at your own risk.
Overdoing It
It wouldn’t be clever for anybody to attempt any kind of long ride without putting in some long, steady training rides beforehand to build endurance of body, mind and spirit. Even if you have taken this step, though, make sure that you get adequate rest during your big ride - there is a limit to how much exercise any biological engine can take before various parts start to break down.
If you're in a hot place, it goes without saying that you need to take your cycling easy until you have acclimatised. And drink lots, of course. The body can sweat out as much as three litres per hour in hot conditions, though you are more likely to be losing closer to one litre per hour. You must replace at least a decent proportion of this. If you don’t drink enough, your body will dehydrate. As your body dehydrates, it can overheat in a shockingly short space of time, and you can suffer heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Heatstroke is the most serious - it is a life-threatening matter if you let yourself overheat to this extent.
Saddle-Soreness
The term saddle-soreness incorporates everything from bruising to boils to chafing on the undercarriage or inner thighs. Friction, sweat and direct gbh are all major contributing factors. If you don’t prepare for this potential problem, saddle-soreness could hold up your ride by many days, especially if the area becomes infected. Five of the best ways of avoiding this torture are:
1) Invest in a suspension seatpost.
2) Take all the time you need to find the saddle best suited to your particular rear end for a long outing, and to get the height and angle spot on.
3) Wear quality cycling shorts. The chamois - that strategically placed piece of padding - will wick away sweat from the skin and prevent chafing.
4) Smear Vaseline onto the areas of your nether regions susceptible to friction when riding.
5) Make sure yourself and your shorts are clean when you put them on before each day’s ride, and wash yourself thoroughly at the end of the ride. Staying bacteria-free is crucial.
Back Pain
When suffering from back pain, popping pills to mask the discomfort might allow you to continue cycling in the short-term, but, as with any part of the body, 'No pain, no gain' is not a maxim which you would be wise to follow; if there is pain, the only thing you are likely to gain from gritting your teeth and pushing on is more serious pain and injury. You need a professional medical assessment as soon as possible.
There are many possible causes of back pain, from a fall to a prolapsed disc. Your bike might be the wrong size and/or set up poorly (which is a major cause of aches and pains in other parts of your body too - necks and knees being prime examples). Being too stretched out on the bike, for instance, can cause your back to protest loudly.
When riding, keep your back as flat as possible, not allowing it to hunch over. Mind you, staying locked in one riding position for a long time isn't recommended either. Change your grip regularly, sit up for a while, get out of the saddle occasionally, do some gentle stretches. It all helps.
Stretching and strengthening relevant muscles is the way to avoid many cases of back pain. For instance, strengthening the abdominal muscles helps to protect the lower back. Having said that, unless you want to risk worse pain, you must use the right exercises and carry them out correctly. And only stretch and strengthen when you are pain-free to start with.
Of course, it’s unlikely that you will be able to prevent every trace of physical discomfort on a long-distance ride, but, with a bit planning, the ride can certainly be more of a daydream than a nightmare.
Copyright Playnasium. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced by any means without the prior permission of the copyright holder. To ask for this permission, please contact copyright@playnasium.com
WARNING: Do not use the information in this article for diagnosis or treatment purposes. Always seek the advice of a medical professional, who will be able to take into account your specific circumstances.
All information on this page is general in scope and does not constitute advice. Always seek personal professional advice before making any decision or applying anything mentioned in any way. Use of information on this page is entirely at your own risk.
Friday, 18 March 2011
Red Nose Day
Our showroom staff weren't particularly keen on extolling the virtues of Stanno kits, Samba goals, Taktifol, etc. whilst wearing just their underwear, so instead we are donating 5% of all sales made via our website - www.playnasium.com - today to Red Nose Day. So if you are thinking of ordering from us, now would be a good time...
Thursday, 17 March 2011
How To Lose Weight - Dear Diary Part 1
Knowing in theory what you should be doing diet and exercise-wise to slim down is the (relatively) easy part, doing it in reality is a different ball-game altogether. Keeping a food and exercise diary is one way of motivating yourself to put the theory into practice. Motivation is not the only benefit - amongst many other uses, by recording what and how much food you eat, where and when you eat it, what exercise you do, where and when you do it, etc., you will be able to spot certain trends that are holding you back from your weight-loss goals.
You can, of course, keep separate food and exercise diaries, yet you might prefer a joint one for convenience’s sake. You can easily design your own (there is no ‘correct’ layout or form), but we will provide a blank diary page in a future Playnasium blog entry. Grab a new diary sheet every day and file the filled-in pages in a folder.
Keep the layout simple (so it is more likely that you’ll find time to fill it in), but the more details you include within your entries - how the food was cooked, whether you warmed up before your exercise session, the difficulty of the route you cycled/ran, and so on - the more detailed analysis you’ll be able to do later on.
You will find such a diary interesting reading even without us telling you what to look for, but, to make the most of the effort you put into keeping your food and exercise diary, in another forthcoming article we will explain exactly how to analyse your entries.
Copyright Playnasium. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced by any means without the prior permission of the copyright holder. To ask for this permission, please contact copyright@playnasium.com
All information on this page is general in scope and does not constitute advice. Always seek personal professional advice before making any decision or applying anything mentioned in any way. Use of information on this page is entirely at your own risk.
You can, of course, keep separate food and exercise diaries, yet you might prefer a joint one for convenience’s sake. You can easily design your own (there is no ‘correct’ layout or form), but we will provide a blank diary page in a future Playnasium blog entry. Grab a new diary sheet every day and file the filled-in pages in a folder.
Keep the layout simple (so it is more likely that you’ll find time to fill it in), but the more details you include within your entries - how the food was cooked, whether you warmed up before your exercise session, the difficulty of the route you cycled/ran, and so on - the more detailed analysis you’ll be able to do later on.
You will find such a diary interesting reading even without us telling you what to look for, but, to make the most of the effort you put into keeping your food and exercise diary, in another forthcoming article we will explain exactly how to analyse your entries.
Copyright Playnasium. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced by any means without the prior permission of the copyright holder. To ask for this permission, please contact copyright@playnasium.com
All information on this page is general in scope and does not constitute advice. Always seek personal professional advice before making any decision or applying anything mentioned in any way. Use of information on this page is entirely at your own risk.
Quick Tip 1: Sit Ups and Losing Weight
Contrary to popular opinion, sit-ups will do very little to help you lose fat from your waistline...
Copyright Playnasium. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced by any means without the prior permission of the copyright holder. To ask for this permission, please contact copyright@playnasium.com
All information on this page is general in scope and does not constitute advice. Always seek personal professional advice before making any decision or applying anything mentioned in any way. Use of information on this page is entirely at your own risk.
Copyright Playnasium. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced by any means without the prior permission of the copyright holder. To ask for this permission, please contact copyright@playnasium.com
All information on this page is general in scope and does not constitute advice. Always seek personal professional advice before making any decision or applying anything mentioned in any way. Use of information on this page is entirely at your own risk.
Wednesday, 16 March 2011
Gym Versus Home
"Is visiting a gym better than training at home?"
Both have pros and cons. Working out at home is cheaper in the long run, more convenient, and you won't have to go through that initial period of embarrassment when you feel that everyone is looking and laughing. It also takes a high and continuous level of motivation to keep dragging yourself to the gym on a regular basis.
On the other hand, a good gym will have a far wider and better-quality selection of equipment than you could possibly have at home (unless you are as rich as David Beckham, of course). If you're a beginner, it is also much safer (and more effective) to have professionals on tap to show you the correct techniques and just generally keep an eye on you.
Some gyms offer short-term or pay-as-you-go membership so you can get an idea of whether it will suit you. Which is a good halfway house.
Caution: Before starting a weight-training programme, obtain your GP's approval and advice. In addition, make sure you know exactly what you're doing - although the benefits of weight-training are great, so are the risks of injury if done incorrectly, even if the weight is relatively light.
All information on this page is general in scope and does not constitute advice. Always seek personal professional advice before making any decision or applying anything mentioned in any way. Use of information on this page is entirely at your own risk.
Copyright Playnasium. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced by any means without the prior permission of the copyright holder. To ask for this permission, please contact copyright@playnasium.com
Both have pros and cons. Working out at home is cheaper in the long run, more convenient, and you won't have to go through that initial period of embarrassment when you feel that everyone is looking and laughing. It also takes a high and continuous level of motivation to keep dragging yourself to the gym on a regular basis.
On the other hand, a good gym will have a far wider and better-quality selection of equipment than you could possibly have at home (unless you are as rich as David Beckham, of course). If you're a beginner, it is also much safer (and more effective) to have professionals on tap to show you the correct techniques and just generally keep an eye on you.
Some gyms offer short-term or pay-as-you-go membership so you can get an idea of whether it will suit you. Which is a good halfway house.
Caution: Before starting a weight-training programme, obtain your GP's approval and advice. In addition, make sure you know exactly what you're doing - although the benefits of weight-training are great, so are the risks of injury if done incorrectly, even if the weight is relatively light.
All information on this page is general in scope and does not constitute advice. Always seek personal professional advice before making any decision or applying anything mentioned in any way. Use of information on this page is entirely at your own risk.
Copyright Playnasium. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced by any means without the prior permission of the copyright holder. To ask for this permission, please contact copyright@playnasium.com
Wednesday, 2 March 2011
Taktifol Tactics Sheet
The following article is by David Taylor, a Grassroots Football Coach based on the Wirral, who writes a great blog - Grassrootsfootycoach
As a coach have you ever written your team sheet on the back of a fag pack?
Have you given your team talk using cones to represent players?
Do you ever give a team talk and notice two players who still dont know what to do?
When I completed my level 1 course, my assessor advised all coaches to invest in a coaches board to help when planning and presenting sessions to your team. I have tried a few methods over the past 5 years but never found a method that suited my style until I discovered Taktifol.
Taktifol is a product which incorporates electrostatic sheet with a football pitch marking. I have trialled this product over the past 2 months. I have planned my sessions with the sheet on my office wall, explained the session to my coaches on my car bonnet, and presented the formation and tactics to my team on the side of a portacabin using the scenarios in the photos below.
Over the past couple of months the sessions I have done have been windy and very wintery, probably the worst weather to coach in, and I haven’t experienced any issues.
To make this product even more desirable to coaches, once you have finished presenting your tactics, the sheet folds away and can be put into your coat pocket, ready for when you need it next. The sheet also comes with a marker pen which can be rubbed away, if needed.
Below are several photos of the Taktifol sheet being used.
Depending on your coaching needs there are a few different products available from a simple Taktifol Football Tactics sheet, to starter, coach and Pro Sets.
As a coach have you ever written your team sheet on the back of a fag pack?
Have you given your team talk using cones to represent players?
Do you ever give a team talk and notice two players who still dont know what to do?
When I completed my level 1 course, my assessor advised all coaches to invest in a coaches board to help when planning and presenting sessions to your team. I have tried a few methods over the past 5 years but never found a method that suited my style until I discovered Taktifol.
Taktifol is a product which incorporates electrostatic sheet with a football pitch marking. I have trialled this product over the past 2 months. I have planned my sessions with the sheet on my office wall, explained the session to my coaches on my car bonnet, and presented the formation and tactics to my team on the side of a portacabin using the scenarios in the photos below.
Over the past couple of months the sessions I have done have been windy and very wintery, probably the worst weather to coach in, and I haven’t experienced any issues.
To make this product even more desirable to coaches, once you have finished presenting your tactics, the sheet folds away and can be put into your coat pocket, ready for when you need it next. The sheet also comes with a marker pen which can be rubbed away, if needed.
Below are several photos of the Taktifol sheet being used.
Depending on your coaching needs there are a few different products available from a simple Taktifol Football Tactics sheet, to starter, coach and Pro Sets.
Tuesday, 22 February 2011
5 Handy Hints When On Your Bike
1) Go hand in glove
Reason: Several. Firstly, padded cycling gloves help protect your ulnar nerve; the part of this nerve in your hand can get compressed as you lean on the handlebar, causing numbness. Secondly, if you decide to go hands-on with the tarmac, you’ll leave less skin and more grit behind if gloves are there to take the brunt. Gloves also help prevent blisters. And help you get a grip on things, of course.
2) Regularly move your hands around the handlebars
Reason: Again, this helps prevent compression of the ulnar nerve. Use to the full your drop bars or aero bars if you have them. Regularly moving your hands also helps you keep the upper hand on blisters.
3) Don’t burst blisters
Reason: Human nature, yet you are increasing your chances of the area becoming infected.
4) Wear sunscreen
Reason: Sure, this tip partly depends on your choice of gloves, but many people overlook the finger/back of hand/wrist area in the ritual smearing on of the Factor 50, in spite of the fact that parts of this area might be taking the full force of the sun’s rays for most of the ride.
5) Don’t fall off
Reason: You really need to ask?
Copyright Playnasium. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced by any means without the prior permission of the copyright holder. To ask for this permission, please contact copyright@playnasium.com
All information on this page is general in scope and does not constitute advice. Always seek personal professional advice before making any decision or applying anything mentioned in any way. Use of information on this page is entirely at your own risk.
Reason: Several. Firstly, padded cycling gloves help protect your ulnar nerve; the part of this nerve in your hand can get compressed as you lean on the handlebar, causing numbness. Secondly, if you decide to go hands-on with the tarmac, you’ll leave less skin and more grit behind if gloves are there to take the brunt. Gloves also help prevent blisters. And help you get a grip on things, of course.
2) Regularly move your hands around the handlebars
Reason: Again, this helps prevent compression of the ulnar nerve. Use to the full your drop bars or aero bars if you have them. Regularly moving your hands also helps you keep the upper hand on blisters.
3) Don’t burst blisters
Reason: Human nature, yet you are increasing your chances of the area becoming infected.
4) Wear sunscreen
Reason: Sure, this tip partly depends on your choice of gloves, but many people overlook the finger/back of hand/wrist area in the ritual smearing on of the Factor 50, in spite of the fact that parts of this area might be taking the full force of the sun’s rays for most of the ride.
5) Don’t fall off
Reason: You really need to ask?
Copyright Playnasium. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced by any means without the prior permission of the copyright holder. To ask for this permission, please contact copyright@playnasium.com
All information on this page is general in scope and does not constitute advice. Always seek personal professional advice before making any decision or applying anything mentioned in any way. Use of information on this page is entirely at your own risk.
The Benefits of TV
Not all television-watching is bad for a child. Here are some ways it may actually be of benefit to their sporting performance:
* Allowing children to watch their sporting heroes in action can be a great motivating force in getting them to take part in sport themselves.
* If the child is old enough, you could explain some technique/strategy points while they are watching. Watching an expert is a tried and tested path to improving performance at anything. If the child is really keen on doing well in a certain sport, you could even purchase specific instructional videos for them to watch.
* If you have access to a video camera, another excellent use of television is to film the child taking part in the sport and review the tape with them later, pointing out where they could improve. Many elite sportspeople make use of this method. Watching yourself from ‘outside’, in slow-motion if need be, is often the only way to understand and eradicate certain flaws.
Copyright Playnasium. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced by any means without the prior permission of the copyright holder. To ask for this permission, please contact copyright@playnasium.com
All information on this page is general in scope and does not constitute advice. Always seek personal professional advice before making any decision or applying anything mentioned in any way. Use of information on this page is entirely at your own risk.
* Allowing children to watch their sporting heroes in action can be a great motivating force in getting them to take part in sport themselves.
* If the child is old enough, you could explain some technique/strategy points while they are watching. Watching an expert is a tried and tested path to improving performance at anything. If the child is really keen on doing well in a certain sport, you could even purchase specific instructional videos for them to watch.
* If you have access to a video camera, another excellent use of television is to film the child taking part in the sport and review the tape with them later, pointing out where they could improve. Many elite sportspeople make use of this method. Watching yourself from ‘outside’, in slow-motion if need be, is often the only way to understand and eradicate certain flaws.
Copyright Playnasium. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced by any means without the prior permission of the copyright holder. To ask for this permission, please contact copyright@playnasium.com
All information on this page is general in scope and does not constitute advice. Always seek personal professional advice before making any decision or applying anything mentioned in any way. Use of information on this page is entirely at your own risk.
A Cheat's Guide To Keeping Fit (Part 1)
We can’t be perfect all of the time. Some days (or maybe every day) you just won’t be able to face trekking to the gym to pump some iron. However, there is a cheat’s option: doing those odd jobs around the homestead can build muscles just as effectively as a session in the gym can. Laying stepping-stones in the garden, making that tree-house that little Billy’s been on at you to make (using hand tools instead of power tools, of course), reorganising the junk in the loft, and so on, will test your muscles in a wide variety of ways. And certainly won’t do your fitness any harm in the long run. To avoid the real risk of injury, it is vital that you take all the usual safety precautions as regards bending, stretching, lifting, etc. that you should take when doing any form of exercise. But the ‘odd job workout’ provides a unique bonus that you simply can’t get from any other workout – millions of brownie points with your other half. They will think that you’re perfect … even if you know better.
Copyright Playnasium. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced by any means without the prior permission of the copyright holder. To ask for this permission, please contact copyright@playnasium.com
All information on this page is general in scope and does not constitute advice. Always seek personal professional advice before making any decision or applying anything mentioned in any way. Use of information on this page is entirely at your own risk.
Copyright Playnasium. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced by any means without the prior permission of the copyright holder. To ask for this permission, please contact copyright@playnasium.com
All information on this page is general in scope and does not constitute advice. Always seek personal professional advice before making any decision or applying anything mentioned in any way. Use of information on this page is entirely at your own risk.
Monday, 21 February 2011
Keep Your Kids Fit
It can be upsetting enough seeing an adult struggling with a weight problem. Seeing a child struggling with this problem can be heartbreaking. But the statistics show that more and more children are struggling.
On top of the social and practical torments that go hand in hand with being fat, the condition often carries on into adulthood and frequently causes very unwelcome health problems. Type II diabetes and coronary heart disease are two such problems. Frighteningly, there are an increasing number of reports of signs of these serious diseases, normally only seen in older adults, occurring in children.
So what is causing this problem? A major reason is the obvious one - lack of physical activity. Today's children aren't getting enough exercise in or out of school. Getting children to take more exercise, however, can be difficult. They can't comprehend the risks of a sedentary lifestyle and will happily spend their time playing computer games, watching TV and texting friends. Here, then, are five top tips for encouraging your kids to be more active:
* Enjoyment is vital. If they are enjoying themselves, children won't even think about the fact that something is doing them good, and will want to do it again and again. So take notice of what physical activities they want and don't want to do. Don't force them to take up a particular activity just because you think it would be good for them.
* A varied range of suitable activities is ideal. But exercise doesn't have to be a big deal - a kick-about in the park is far more appealing to many children than a Sunday league match.
* A confident child will take part in physical activities more eagerly, so try to avoid putting them in situations where they are of a lesser standard than most/all of those around them.
* Set a good example. If you regularly take part in physical activities, it will encourage the child to do the same. Taking part as a family can be fun, though don't try to force this on older children - they will probably do their utmost to avoid it (very uncool).
* Not all television is bad for a child's fitness. Allowing them to watch their sporting heroes in action can be a great motivating force in getting children to take part in sport themselves. Just don't tell them this…
Please note: If a child is significantly overweight or has any special medical considerations that need to be taken into account, seek their GP's approval and advice before they embark on changes to their current physical activity habits.
Copyright Playnasium. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced by any means without the prior permission of the copyright holder. To ask for this permission, please contact copyright@playnasium.com
All information on this page is general in scope and does not constitute advice. Always seek personal professional advice before making any decision or applying anything mentioned in any way. Use of information on this page is entirely at your own risk.
All information on this page is general in scope and does not constitute advice. Always seek personal professional advice before making any decision or applying anything mentioned in any way. Use of information on this page is entirely at your own risk.
Saturday, 19 February 2011
Building Confidence in Children
Confidence has so many potential benefits for a child’s sporting success that it is difficult to overstate its importance. A confident child will pursue their training more eagerly and will stick at it longer, further improving their chances of success. Lack of confidence, on the other hand, can make a child give up sport altogether. So here are a few confidence-boosting tips:
* Try to avoid putting children in situations where they are of a lesser standard than most/all of those around them.
* Remember "Whether you say you can or you say you can’t, you are right." Whenever you hear the child voicing a negative thought such as "I’m useless at...", "I‘ll never be able to...", etc., remind them of a past success they have had. And after they finish each session, make a point of telling them what went right, what they achieved, how they improved, however small.
* Where possible, surround the child with positive, encouraging people.
* Of course, success is the ultimate key to confidence. If they are frequently successful, the child is obviously going to be highly confident of achieving success next time around. But what is success? It isn’t just about winning. If they‘re a runner, they might lose a race but still get a personal best time. Success or failure? Confidence could take a dive or go sky-high, depending on how they choose to look at it. Your job is to make sure they judge themselves by how well they do, not by whether anyone else happens to do better that day.
Copyright Playnasium. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced by any means without the prior permission of the copyright holder. To ask for this permission, please contact copyright@playnasium.com
All information on this page is general in scope and does not constitute advice. Always seek personal professional advice before making any decision or applying anything mentioned in any way. Use of information on this page is entirely at your own risk.
* Try to avoid putting children in situations where they are of a lesser standard than most/all of those around them.
* Remember "Whether you say you can or you say you can’t, you are right." Whenever you hear the child voicing a negative thought such as "I’m useless at...", "I‘ll never be able to...", etc., remind them of a past success they have had. And after they finish each session, make a point of telling them what went right, what they achieved, how they improved, however small.
* Where possible, surround the child with positive, encouraging people.
* Of course, success is the ultimate key to confidence. If they are frequently successful, the child is obviously going to be highly confident of achieving success next time around. But what is success? It isn’t just about winning. If they‘re a runner, they might lose a race but still get a personal best time. Success or failure? Confidence could take a dive or go sky-high, depending on how they choose to look at it. Your job is to make sure they judge themselves by how well they do, not by whether anyone else happens to do better that day.
Copyright Playnasium. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced by any means without the prior permission of the copyright holder. To ask for this permission, please contact copyright@playnasium.com
All information on this page is general in scope and does not constitute advice. Always seek personal professional advice before making any decision or applying anything mentioned in any way. Use of information on this page is entirely at your own risk.
Welcome to The Playnasium Blog
Welcome to The Playnasium Blog.
Playnasium (http://www.playnasium.com/) specialise in supplying football goals, Taktifol static tactics sheets and other sports equipment to clubs, schools, local authorities and individuals across the UK. We have been up and running since 2002, and during that time we have served all levels of players and clubs, right up to the Premier League and international.
This blog has been created to enable us to provide our loyal customers (and future customers...) with news and interesting articles from our incredibly knowledgeable and talented staff (nobody said we were modest).
Feel free to phone or e-mail us if you want advice within our area of expertise. We are consultants not salespeople and one of us should be able to provide an answer (or we know a man who can). Try to stick to sensible questions, though, unless you want to make it onto the list of gems on our noticeboard. Top of this list at the moment is the chap who asked whether one of our footballs would fit in his mouth...
We look forward to hearing from you.
Playnasium (http://www.playnasium.com/) specialise in supplying football goals, Taktifol static tactics sheets and other sports equipment to clubs, schools, local authorities and individuals across the UK. We have been up and running since 2002, and during that time we have served all levels of players and clubs, right up to the Premier League and international.
This blog has been created to enable us to provide our loyal customers (and future customers...) with news and interesting articles from our incredibly knowledgeable and talented staff (nobody said we were modest).
Feel free to phone or e-mail us if you want advice within our area of expertise. We are consultants not salespeople and one of us should be able to provide an answer (or we know a man who can). Try to stick to sensible questions, though, unless you want to make it onto the list of gems on our noticeboard. Top of this list at the moment is the chap who asked whether one of our footballs would fit in his mouth...
We look forward to hearing from you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)