Category: Casual Sports

There is no better way to bond with your little one than teaching them to ride a bike. It is a lesson that will stick with them for the rest of their lives. And, above all else, it will prepare them for their adult life where they might find themselves cycling for pleasure or even as a means to commute to and from work.

So how do you go about successfully teaching your child to ride a bike? Well, this guide is going to give you some top tips and hopefully help you become a master teacher.

 

Make Cycling Appealing

If your child doesn’t see cycling as something fun, they will not want to learn. And children can be stubborn. So consider taking them out and about with your bike to show them, not only how much fun you have cycling, but also the places they can go on a bike.

You might want to invest in a trailer to transport them around it. We recommend you try to find a buying guide for kids bike trailers to make sure you get one that is sturdy and safe.

 

Get Them a Bike

This is the key to getting them excited. Children love new things and gifts. So make it a special occasion. Surprise them with their first bike and make a big deal out of it. The more important they feel it is, the more they will want to learn to ride. Make sure the bike has stabilizers that are attached but can also be removed.

Also, make sure they have a helmet, knee and elbow pads as well. The safer they feel the more fun they will have.

 

Support Them

The first step is to explain to them how to cycle, without putting them on the bike. Then, let them get on the bike and have a feel for it. Support them while this happens. Now take them for a little ride while you are holding them up for support the whole time.

We recommend letting this happen a few times. After the fourth or fifth ride, you can consider letting go in small intervals. Eventually, they will naturally take to it and be able to ride without your support.

It is important you still go out with them when they cycle. Just for a couple more sessions. The support you provide by just being there will be invaluable to their personal growth.

 

The act of tailgating refers to the American tradition of hosting large social gatherings before and sometimes after a sports event or concert, usually hosted in the parking lot of an arena or stadium. These events are enjoyed by all who attend and Americans as a whole are known for having very successful tailgate parties. The term tailgating refers to the boot of the car from which these parties are usually hosted, with music and entertainment, grilling food, and of course nice cold beverages. There are some fundamental things to remember that make up every great tailgate party in a traditional American way.

 

Food and Drink

Tailgate parties allow for celebrations to start early prior to an event, particularly in the summer months, good food and drink will be vital in order to ensure your social gathering is a success. The traditional food that is served at a tailgate party includes grilled meats served with simple sides, it is important to remember you will have limited facilities hosting from your car so choose foods that can be eaten easily and cooked with little effort. Things like burgers and hot dogs served in buns are a tried and tested classic meal for a tailgate party, try not to overthink the food you bring as the last thing you want is to be preoccupied with the food and miss out on all of the fun.

 

For drinks, alcoholic beverages are a must, for those who aren’t driving and are of legal age. It would be advisable to bring a coolbox packed full of different soft and alcoholic beverages, bring a selection so you are sure to have something for everyone and ice is a must to ensure your drinks are kept cold and refreshing.

 

Games

Another very traditional aspect of tailgate parties would have to be playing games, the social aspect of these events is what makes them so popular and it really is nice to see so many people from different backgrounds enjoying themselves playing games together. Whether it be a drinking game or something more suitable for the youngsters you can be sure everyone will want to get involved and have some fun. Classic games for an event like this can range from beer pong to lawn games like cornhole, it isn’t uncommon that somebody will have brought a soccer ball so there may also be an opportunity for a kick about.

 

Entertainment at a tailgate party reverts back to the simple pleasures in life, people play music from their car stereos and there’s always so many different activities going on at a given time, so it is hard to find yourself stuck for something to do. The united spirit and everyone having fun together are what makes a tailgate party so popular, other games you may expect to see would be things like ladder golf, Polish horseshoes, Louisville chugger, and darts, another common occurrence would be a friendly game of cards to keep the adults entertained before the event.

 

What you need

When planning to attend a tailgate party in true American fashion there are some things you may need to prepare prior to the gathering, below is a list of essential items to ensure you have the best time.

 

 

Coolbox – in order to keep your food and drink cool whilst you party a coolbox would be a great investment, if you are wondering which coolbox would be best for a tailgate party then why not look online for the best make and model. Searching online allows you to see features like the dimensions of the cooler box so you choose the right one for you, and the average American likes these cooler reviews on MyOutdoorGearGuide.com which offer detailed comparisons between many models currently on the market.

 Food – food is essential at these events, remember to choose easy to cook and eat items to limit the time it takes to prepare your meal, the food is normally quite simple with things like grilled meat served with beans, potatoes or bread being very popular.

Games – any garden-based games are bound to be a hit, try and pack things that can be played by large groups of people to ensure you are able to invite other party goers to join in with you.

When people hear the term sports therapy, it often confuses them. And that is an understandable reaction to have. The term itself seems like it should be clear enough, but leaves people scratching their heads. What is it really?

The medical field is a large one. There are hundreds of different avenues of medical care available, catering to the different needs of different people. And sports therapy is simply another one of these avenues.

There might be any number of reasons you need to look into sports therapy. Maybe you are an athlete looking for help. Perhaps you are opening up a medical spa and need more insight into this niche area. If that is the case our guide will take a look into what sports therapy is and why it is so important. A quick side note, for anyone looking to open a medical spa, this guide will not go into details about operations. For those interested, you can find help with marketing for a medical spa here.

What is it?

Sports therapy is, at first glance, exactly what it sounds like. It is a therapy based around sports. But this is quite a vague statement. So let us dive deeper. High-level athletes put a massive strain on their bodies daily. Whether this is in training or during a match. This strain on their bodies is significantly more than the average person experiences during normal healthy exercise. And it is because of this extra strain that athlete often requires greater physical recovery methods. And that is where sports therapy comes in.

The first big part of sports therapy is a sports massage. Sounds nice right? You would be wrong. A sports massage is one of the most painful and grueling massages you can ever get. Carried out not long after a match or intense workout, it is designed to remove all the intense knots and lactic acid build-up within the joints and muscles and stop cramps, tears, and stiffness. But this massage is intense. It requires moving the muscles and massages them with great, painful pressure to really get them to relax. Painful, but healthy. Without sports massages, athletes are much more likely to seriously injure themselves and cause irreversible damage to their muscles.

These massages are often followed by ice baths. These are designed to shock the body but also relax it. Ice is proven to reduce swelling and stimulate the body to work harder. That is why athletes take ice baths, it gets their blood flowing closer to the muscles and stimulates muscle repair while also help training lung capacity and reducing swelling.

Recovery

Athletes get hurt. It is a sad truth about the world of sports. Injuries happen. And athletes need to recover from them properly. Physical therapy is a huge part of sports therapy. The athlete often has varied dietary requirements and needs and, as such, need specialized physical therapy regimes to aid in their recovery efforts. But it goes further than that.

Athletes are people just like us. And their job is stressful. There is a lot of pressure on them to play well and win. And losing can put a massive strain on their mental wellbeing and confidence. Not to mention dealing with the press and being under the public eye is strenuous as well. And internal conflict within the team and the stress of training takes its toll.

That is why sports therapy also looks at the mental aspects of sports. It studies the impact sports has on athletes’ mental health and looks at ways to combat this and help them recover. The world of sports therapy has changed a lot and is now being more open to the mental issues that arise. That is why traditional therapy practices are being adapted for athletes as part of sports therapy.

A great example of this is certain sports teams now attend regular group therapy sessions as part of their training regime. Rather than everything being physical, they learn to open themselves up and respond to their emotions. And by doing this as a team they learn methods to support each other and be understanding of what other team members may be thinking or feeling. Tensions can run high out on the field. Fights happen. Words get flung. Damage is done. So these sessions serve as a point of calm and rest for these athletes.

Sports therapy is an often-understated field of medical care, but a very important one. Sport is a worldwide unifier. It brings us together in our communities. People love sitting down to watch their favorite team. But these athletes need the same care anyone does. That is why sports therapy is so important to athletes and the world as a whole.

Motivation

A crucial aspect of managing your sports team to a high standard would have to be keeping them motivated. For your team to work well they must have the necessary motivation to win. Keep morale up with rewarding good performance, encouraging your team and reminding your team of why they enjoy sports. Highlight the importance of having fun, winning isn’t as valuable as having a team who wants to do well. Although it can be frustrating if your team isn’t bringing home the wins, in order for them to win they must be motivated to do it, your team is full of players who have a passion for what they do, they may lose sight of this passion as it can be a very stressful industry, your job as a manager is to ensure they are doing their very best.

Down Time

Competing in professional sports can be a gruelling experience for the body, the constant training and regular games can have a seriously tiresome effect on your team. It is important you allow your tea to have the necessary downtime to relax and allow their body to recover from their sporting ordeal. In the unfortunate case that a team player goes through an injury, you must ensure the player has the required recovery time in order to ensure their safety.

Communication

All too often do we see managers holding back information from their team, this not only reduces morale but can damage your rapport with your team. Ensure you keep your team with the situation regarding the financial position, how the team is doing and any other issues that could affect your team. Transparency allows you to build a genuine friendship and shows how much you care about your team’s progression. Many managers make the mistake of keeping information from their team, even if you have negative news, communicating with the team and working through any issues you may face together adds a sense of strength and creates a united dynamic.

Health

As previously mentioned professional sports can have a negative impact on the body, health is vital to ensuring your team is as strong as it can be and ensuring the safety of each and every team member. It is not acceptable for a player to not go through regular health checkups and to get the medical attention they need. An injured player should be taken out of the game for at least one game, is it at their physiotherapist’s discretion as to whether they are well enough to play again. Although it can be frustrating when a great player is injured it is important to remember the value of your player’s health, never place their health as less important as a game.

Team Building

A big part of keeping up team morale and ensuring your team works as a strong unit is spending time conducting team building activities. Games like never have I ever or a game of 21 questions are great examples of fun games that can help your team become more familiar with each other. Taking time to encourage your team to have fun together and get to know each other more is a great way of forging a strong bond across your team which can only improve their performance on the field. If you have a close-knit team and you as a manager gain a rapport with them management becomes a breeze and the team are more confident and comfortable.

Training

As a manager, you will have an input in how and when your team trains, ensuring there is a solid balance between different exercises will help improve your team’s overall performance. Training can be damaging to motivation if it is not conducted in a fun and engaging way, try implementing some fun variations into the training activities you do with your team and use it as a means to boost morale. Managers are required to think about all aspects of their team from training to team building you should be able to use any time you spend together to help make the team a stronger force rather than just focusing on sports performance.