Extreme Sports News
by Joseph Benson

5 Interesting Sports You Haven’t Heard Of

Sports are an integral part of our cultures. From cycling and running to archery and scuba diving, you think of an activity, someone’s probably made it into a sport. A lot of people want to find that perfect product to give them the edge they need in their chosen sport. If you’re a runner, I can’t recommend tiux.co enough for comfortable athletic compression socks. So we’re all aware of the sports that have annual competitions like the Superbowl in America but here are some sports that I guarantee you won’t have heard of.

Cheese Rolling

I know what you’re thinking. Cheese rolling? That’s not a sport. There’s no athletic skill to rolling a piece of cheese. But what if I told you, it’s not just a piece of cheese, but is in fact, a wheel of cheese, larger than a car tire? Have you ever tried wheeling a car tire? They’re heavy. And this cheese rolling doesn’t just occur on a flat surface. It’s on a hill. Every year, this bizarre cheese rolling race happens in Gloucestershire in the UK. The first person to roll their cheese to the bottom of an incredibly steep hill is the winner.

Extreme Ironing

I know what you’re thinking. Ironing is boring. Why would you want to do it as a sport? Well, not this ironing. Have you ever accidentally burned yourself while ironing in the comfort of your own home without any pressure to be quick? Well, good luck with extreme ironing. Here, you guessed it, ironing taken to the extreme. Players take ironing boards to remote locations and iron items of clothing. These locations can range from jungles to mountains and there is usually an element of danger. A lot of people will kayak or climb with their ironing boards to the locations. It’s all the fun of mountaineering and your clothes will be the nicest looking ones on the mountain. The real question is, where do they plug the iron in?

Man vs Horse

Have you ever looked at a horse and thought, “I could outrun you?” Well, that’s what players of this game think, day and night, as they train to beat the stallions in a 22-mile run. A lot of the race is through swamps and wooded areas. Again, this is a British invention, originating from a chat in a pub on a sunny afternoon in 1980. It’s probably the only race where you can bet on a horse and it loses to a human.

Underwater hockey

Has above water hockey always struck you as a bit dull? A bit boring after a while? After all, how hard can it be to hit a ball in a net with a stick when there are things like gravity and not much resistance? And ice hockey is definitely more fun to watch but imagine if that ice melted and players were now underwater? Well, that’s just what the players of underwater hockey, also known as octopush, do. It’s exactly the same as regular hockey but players wear snorkels and shorts. It was started in the 1950s as a way for people to play sports in the winter months.

Tuna Tossing

This sport started in Australia. It came about after people saw groups of fishermen throw tuna into the backs of trucks. It started out as a way to add interest to the local festival in Port Lincoln. Whoever manages to throw a twenty-pound tuna the furthest is the winner. The race is a little different nowadays as a rubber fish is used instead. This makes it easier to clean up and doesn’t smell nearly as bad.

by Jimmy

From Player to Coach: 6 Tips to Managing a Sports Team

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.

by Jimmy

Bushcraft 101: Learn wilderness survival skills

To be able to survive in nature is a fantastic skill. Whether you are a regular camper looking to hone your nature talents, a scout keen to explore or maybe a hard-core survivalist looking to brush up on the basics. Whatever the case, Bushcraft is a tough, yet rewarding skill to have. Particularly if you live in a more rural or country area, these skills will help you become more aware of your surroundings, adaptable and improve your quality of life. So below we are going to dive into some of the basic skills of Wilderness Survival.

Preparation

The most important skill of them all. Prep. Chance are you won’t have wandered into the wilderness by accident. More often than not you will be going on a planned expedition or camping trip. And to that end, planning is everything. And this goes beyond simply knowing when to arrive and when to leave. You need to know everything about your trip, your surroundings and most importantly your needs.

Firstly you need to decide how you will be sleeping. Tent or under the stars. Then you will need to invest in comfortable, yet sturdy, clothes. Special socks and shoes are a must as you will be traversing rough and possibly wet terrain. Investing in some special axes made for bushcraft will go a long way to improving your experience as well. You’ll be able to gather firewood, cut down thickets blocking your path and hack loose fruits and other food you forage for. Finally, you will want to pack a small first aid kit for emergencies. Which leads into the next point…

First Aid

While exploring nature is fun and freeing, it can be dangerous. Safety is always paramount. This ties into prep in a major way. Firstly you need to make sure you are bringing along a fully stocked first aid kit. This means everything from bandages and plasters to pain medication and ointments. There are all sorts of harsh foliage out there that can cause painful irritations and rashes. This is why it is vital to find out what dangerous fauna is present in the area you will be exploring and pack ointments that will be useful. But the first aid kit is not the only thing you need. You need to have a working understanding of the equipment and basic knowledge of first aid. What do you do if someone hits their head? How do you perform CPR? How do you deal with bleeding? These are the sorts of things you have to look into before you even leave your home.

Cooking

Everyone needs to eat. And there is nothing better than eating under the stars with a freshly caught meal. Whether you were fishing or hunting or even just foraging for wild fruits and veg, knowing how to prepare dinner, and also what you can prepare, is a useful skill to have. You’ll want to make sure you pack a few cooking essentials as well, cutlery, plates, frying pans and a steel grid to hold the pan over the fire. If you want to you could go as far to bring some condiments or if you prefer to forage for spices or nuts to add some zest to your meal.
Food poisoning is a serious threat when cooking wild food. So you need to make sure you know how to prepare the food you are making and when it is properly cooked and ready to eat. If in doubt, do not eat it. Make sure you bring some emergency food supplies along with you just in case.

Warmth

Staying warm is important. At night the temp can drop drastically, and hypothermia is a serious concern. Lighting a fire is useful but it won’t last all night, especially since you have to sleep sometime. To that end make sure you are packing the right clothes. Thermal leggings and shirts are extremely useful for the night. Also, it is worth investing in a heavy-duty sleeping bag. They may cost more, but they will be worth it. You’ll have a much more comfortable night’s sleep and wake up warm and ready to tackle the day.

by Jimmy

Which Wristbands Are the Best for Sport

Fitbit Charge 3

The Fitbit Charge 3 is the most famous of the sport wristbands, and with a strong litany of features and a price point of only 150 dollars it is not hard to see why. The Fitbit Charge 3 holds a battery life of six days meaning you can have an almost full week of unbroken usage. The Charge 3 was voted the 2018 tracker of the year, and genuinely set the benchmark for what a sports wristband could be. The Fitbit charger 3 will track your sleep, heartrate and activity. Giving you in-depth feedback of your performance, the perfect all-round sports wristbands.

Garmin Vivosmart 4

The Garmin Vivosmart 4 is one of the most technologically advanced smart watches available on the market. The sports band has an advanced sleep monitoring system with top of the range REM sleep sensors and can actually gauge blood oxygen saturation levels during the night with the wrist-based Pulse Ox² sensor. The watches wristband is something quite reminiscent to something you would find on SleekWristbands.com with a soft, stylish and slinky band; that will provide you with a comfortable fit.

Huawei Band 3 Pro

The Huawei Band 3 Pro will allow you to have a stylish look, without breaking the bank. The Huawei boasts a battery life of fourteen days, allowing for a long stretch of unbroken feedback. The Huawei Band has a water-resistant screen, a GPS tracker and a heart rate monitor. The Huawei comes in at only sixty dollars, so is the perfect band on a budget.

Fitbit Inspire HR

The Fitbit inspire is the cheaper alternative to the previously mentioned Fitbit Charge 3. The Fitbit Inspire has a lower battery life at five days and a more stripped back design. The Fitbit inspire does this to simply focus on your performance and leave the thrills behind. With lots of tracked metrics, a waterproof screen and a heart rate tracker. Coming it at just under 130 dollars the band gives you every high price feature without the high price.

Garmin Vivosport

The Garmin Vivosport is Garmins entirely focused sports band. The Vivosport has one obvious one up on the other watches, that of its multi-colored screen which will give you a highly stylish and futuristic looking band. The Vivosport is cheaper than most other Sport bands, yet still providing you with the all-important water resistance and GPS tracker. The Vivosport is especially useful for joggers and cyclists, as its heart tracker is one of the best in the business.

Honor Band 5

Finally, the Honor Band 5 which is actually the cheapest band on this list coming in at just over 30 dollars. The Honor Band has a color touch screen, water resistance, excellent in-depth sleep tracking. For just one of these features the 30-dollar price tag would be worth it, but for all three the Honor Band is an absolute must. The perfect sports band for any first-time buyer or casual athlete.

by Jimmy

Learn the Up and Coming Sport of Bowling

In the 21st century it could be argued that no sport has seen growth like ten pin bowling. Competitions have started popping up around the globe as the sport has grown from a casual sport to a sport that now exists on a professional level. This new form of professionalism can be seen in the fact that for the times in the sports history it will be an official sport for the 2020 Tokyo summer Olympics. A sign of the sports newfound legitimacy.

It is not surprising that ten pin bowling is a sport dominated by Americans. With the rise of American beer leagues being instrumental in the sport’s infant stages. This trend of American dominance has recently been broken by perhaps the most dominate bowler in the sports history in Jason Belmonte. Perhaps Belmonte`s biggest strength is his ability to be a dual wielding bowler, having mastery in both his left and right hand. This dual mastery has giving Belmonte twenty-three 300 score games, the maximum score you can achieve in bowling, so the fact he has twenty-three is simply absurd. Belmonte has been instrumental in the sports growth reaching celebrity status in his native homeland of Australia, the States and the ever-growing Japanese market, throughout his career he has received a tasty $1.5 million from the PBA tour alone.

This foot of wealth is not simply for Belmonte with a top ten professional bowler reaching an average salary currently standing at just under $255,000, offering a nice pay day for those who find themselves complete professionals in the sport. As I previously mentioned Bowling competitions are becoming more and more common throughout the world. For the European market which bowling is currently trying to make indents into, the European Bowling Tour should be seen as the most exciting. First established in the year 2000 it is perhaps the fastest growing bowling tournament. First consisting of nine events in eight countries, the sport is now Europe wide with thirteen events in thirteen separate European countries. These competitions are the perfect family events, offering a laid-back environment which allows you to interact with some of the world’s top bowling athletes. I would highly recommend these competitions for people who find themselves new to the sport.

It is a common stereotype that bowling is quite an easy sport to enter, but this is simply not true with a number of variables acting as a gatekeeper to your entry into the sport. If for the reasons listed above you want to enter the sport of bowling, then perhaps the most important aspect of integrating yourself into the sport of bowling is finding the perfect ball for you. If you are a complete casual, then the first thing you need to find out is which hand you are best suited for in bowling- as unfortunately not everyone can be a dual wielder like Belmonte. For right handers I would recommend Storm Drive Bowling Ball- which is simply the Nike or Adidas of the bowling world offering a consistently solid product, and a ball that is easily in the top 10 for left handers would be the Brunswick Rhino Bowling Ball, coming in at 10lbs-16lbs and with a low hook potential, the ball is simply perfect for any dry medium lane- which is actually the most common form of competitive bowling lane. I would also highly recommend buying the ball in a black pearl color, as it simply looks cool.

The sport of bowling is fun, tense and ever expanding. If you would want to enter the sport this is perhaps the best time, with schools of professional leagues that are open to both men and women. I would highly recommend you go for a bowl and perhaps you can find your childhood love for the sport again. For the casual or the budding professional- bowling is simply fun, and with its new higher professional ceiling this may just be the sport for you.

by Jimmy

What are the Best Water Sports for Fitness

Water sports are a great way of having fun and getting some exercise, you’ll be surprised at how accessible water sports are to get into nowadays and there are many options for you out there that you can enjoy while getting some valuable exercise.

 

Swimming.

One of the simpler options when it comes to water sports would be swimming, swimming as a sport has become increasingly popular and attendance at the local baths has increased greatly. Swimming can be a fun way of getting out of the house, whether that be on your own or with friends and family, it’s a great way of being social and keeping fit.

 

Water Volleyball.

Water volleyball is another great form of exercise and a social event, this sport is both great fun and competitive. Compete in teams and even have the opportunity to enter competitions this sport is suitable for people of all ages so there’s no excuse not to give it a go. Look out for opportunities to compete in your local swimming baths.

 

Water Aerobics.

Something a little bit more gentle would be water aerobics, there’s something very graceful about moving your body in such a precise way. This is a great form of exercise as this sport requires excellent upper body strength and body control to move your body in such a precise way. This is also a great way to develop teamwork skills and meet new people through joining an aerobics team.

 

Diving.

Another great watersport that can help improve your fitness and improve your social skills through teamwork would be diving. Diving can be and intense and regimented sport that does require a lot of finesse and discipline. This sport may be more competitive but it can also be very fun to give a try and to improve fitness.

 

by Jimmy

The Most Popular Water Sports of the Past Decade

Water sports may be considered one of the more niche sporting categories but in recent years its popularity has increased and there have been more and more people hitting the water.

One of the most popular water sports would have to be kayaking, consisting of travelling across bodies of water it can be suitable for those of you that are adrenaline junkies or those looking for something a little calmer depending on where you choose to go.

This really is a sport that can be enjoyed by all competitive or not and would be considered a great way to get some exercise and see some breathtaking views.

Another great water sport would be diving, thanks to the increased popularity and support of the Olympic games, diving has had a huge increase in its popularity over the last few years especially as a competitive sport with diving teams being implemented into the academic setting encouraging a growth in the sports popularity.

Another example of a popular water sport is jet skiing, the thrill seekers amongst you will be huge fans of this one. The high speed  nature of the sport and whisking around the beach is considered great fun by many, the popularity has increased greatly especially with tourists on holiday looking to do something adventurous when they are in the sun. A final great water sport that has again increased in popularity for those that go abroad is parasailing, this sport consists of being towed in the water by a vehicle – usually a boat or jet ski. This sport is great for those that enjoy the adrenaline that comes with the high speed experience of parasailing. There’s something about being dragged around the ocean at high speed especially in the sun that is extremely fun.

Return to top of page