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Do You Wear Jewellery When You Play Sport?

FabSugarUK — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 09:00:00 -0700

Perhaps it was all of Serena Williams's good luck charms that won her a third Wimbledon title! On Saturday, the 27 year old played on centre court wearing a large diamond heart pendant, hooped earrings and a bracelet.

Whilst her all-white ensemble was tennis apropos, the jewellery wasn't something that I expected to see. I would think all of that clanging would be distracting, plus it could cause an injury if you were to fall.

At least she looked good, and it has me wondering if her baubles are from her own Serena Williams Fashion Jewellery for HSN collection. Tell me; do you wear jewellery when you play sport?

For more Wimbledon fun, check out all of the celebrities (including Ralph Lauren) that attended the Men's finals!

PopUK Gift Guide: Sucker For Sports

PopSugarUK — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 09:00:00 -0800

Today I'm bringing you gift ideas for the sports fanatic in your life. I've got a selection of sport-related books, DVDs, video games, equipment and subscriptions for sport-loving brothers, boyfriends, cousins and friends.

First up are sports books: Marcus Trescothick and Eric Bristow have autobiographies out in time for the gift-giving season, and there's a new celebration edition of Lewis Hamilton's My Story. Olympics and cycling enthusiasts will enjoy Heroes, Villains and Velodromes, boxing fans will love The Treasures of Muhammad Ali, and those with an interest in the historical impact of sport will savour Playing the Enemy.

Next up I've got a selection of sports DVDs, from cheap-as-chips Tim Lovejoy's Football Managers Uncut to American Football Legends and Top Gear: The Challenges. If he likes to get involved (from the comfort of his sofa!) you could buy a video game, like Topspin 3 for the tennis fan, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 for the golfer, or Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 for the guy who fancies himself a footballer.

If you're looking to push the boat out, you could even buy him a games console on which to play the games: the XBox 360 and Nintendo Wii consoles are both available for less than £200, whereas an 80Gb Playstation 3 will set you back nearer £300.

If your pal likes to get involved in sports, you can help his fitness by buying him some gym equipment, from stocking-filler-appropriate toning bands and pedometers to a more pricely exercise bike. You could even purchase a trial gym membership for your man. If that sounds too energetic for him, you could always get him a subscription to Men's Health magazine or the Setanta Sports TV channels.

Speak Up: What Sports Did You Play as a Kid?

FitSugar — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 16:00:00 -0700

Playing sports is so important when you're young, especially for girls. Being on a team or training for an individual sport like tennis or track helps to build friendships, teaches you how to communicate and work with others, and builds confidence, and it's a great way to encourage kids to get in the habit of staying active. When I was a kid, soccer was my sport, but I'd play just about anything. So what about you? Did you play sports as a kid? If so, tell me: What sports were you involved in?

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Speak Up: Who's Your Favorite Current Athlete?

FitSugar — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:30:00 -0700

Spring and Summer are busy seasons in the wide world of sports, and the Olympics are just around the corner. Exciting competitions like Wimbledon and the US Open, not to mention the ongoing baseball season, definitely make for good entertainment.

The athletes are fun to watch and inspiring, too, so I was wondering . . .

Extreme Sport: Stair Racing

FitSugar — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:00:00 -0700

If you love the StairMaster, you're going to love stair racing (also called stair or skyscraper run-ups). If you enter a race, you start at the ground level of a gigantic building, and you run up the stairs with hundreds of other people, often ascending thousands of steps in a few minutes. Just recently in the Taipei 101 race, a German athlete sprinted up 91 floors in 10 minutes and 53 seconds! Talk about major cardio.

You can find stair-climbing races in all the world's skyscrapers including the Empire State Building in New York City, the Sheraton Wall Center Hotel in Vancouver, Canada, and the Menara Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. Many of these stair climbs are for charities, so not only are people getting into the physical challenge of stair racing, but they feel good knowing they're raising money for good causes.

Even if you're not into racing, you can still benefit from climbing stairs. There's no need to buy an expensive StairMaster or join a gym. You can climb the stairs in tall buildings near you, or if you don't have access to multiple flights of stairs, you can go up and down one flight of stairs. You'll tone your quads, buns, and calves, and your heart and lungs will get an amazing workout as well. Not only that, it's totally free.

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Are You Going to Watch Wimbledon?

FitSugar — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 04:30:00 -0700

The 2008 Wimbledon Championships starts today and I, for one, am very excited. I love the game and I love watching strong men and women duke it out on the grass courts. I know that not everyone is a tennis fan, so will you be watching?

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Get in Gear: Wiffle Balls Come in PINK!!!

FitSugar — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 15:45:00 -0700

Over the weekend I was suggesting that you get out and play a fun (and possibly slightly competitive) game of wiffle ball. Well, I just had to tell you about something I found that will make it even better!

Pink wiffle balls! How awesome is that? Not only are they prettier than plain old white balls, (and won't show dirt as easily) but they send women and young girls the very important message that sports are NOT just for men.

I am a full supporter in any product that encourages females to play team sports. They'll learn how to work with others, challenge themselves individually, and most importantly will see how important it is to move and use their bodies everyday. Plus these are cheap too, only $3.97 for 6 through Dick's Sporting Goods. I'm loving these pink wiffle balls!

It's Ultimate Frisbee Time

FitSugar — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 10:15:00 -0700

Warmer weather always makes we want to go for a nice long walk in the park. I always see college kids, running around barefoot, and tossing around a frisbee.

Some ladies are causal frisbee tossers, and others take the game much more seriously. Ultimate Frisbee has taken this carefree pastime to a whole other competitive level.

It's like a whole bunch of sports rolled into one. You play on a field similar to one used for football. It requires the athletic endurance of soccer, and the quick thinking and passing of basketball. It's played by 2 teams of 7 players.

In order to score a point, you need to catch the frisbee in the other team's end zone (kind of like football). You can run around unless you have control of the frisbee, then you need to stay put until you pass it.

If you want to play, you can always get a bunch of your buddies together for a friendly game, but you could also join a club, team, or game in your area.

Want to see the 10 rules of Ultimate Frisbee? Then read more

Here are the rules:

The field is rectangular, with endzones at each end. A regulation field is 70 yards by 40 yards, with endzones 25 yards deep.
Each point begins with both teams lining up on the front of their respective endzone line. The defense throws ("pulls") the frisbee to the offense.
Each time the offense completes a pass in the defense's endzone, the offense scores a point. Play is initiated after each score.
The disc may be advanced in any direction by completing a pass to a teammate. Players may not run with the frisbee. The person with the disc ("thrower") has ten seconds to throw the frisbee. The defender guarding the thrower ("marker") counts out the stall count.

When a pass in not completed (e.g. out of bounds, drop, block, interception), the defense immediately takes possession of the frisbee and becomes the offense.
Players not in the game may replace players in the game after a score and during an injury timeout.
No physical contact is allowed between players. Picks and screens are also prohibited. A foul occurs when contact is made.
When a player initiates contact on another player a foul occurs. When a foul disrupts possession, the play resumes as if the possession was retained. If the player committing the foul disagrees with the foul call, the play is redone.
Players are responsible for their own foul and line calls. Players resolve their own disputes )there are no referees).
Ultimate Frisbee stresses sportsmanship and fair play. Competitive play is encouraged, but never at the expense of respect between players, adherence to the rules, and the basic joy of play.

Dodgeball? A Workout?

FitSugar — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 08:45:00 -0700

Okay, I'm having major PE flashbacks here. Dodgeball was definitely not my favorite sport as a child, but Dodgeball, the movie definitely sparked my interest in the sport as an adult.

I just found out that Crunch Fitness Gyms offer Dodgeball 101 classes.

Dodgeball is back folks! You get a great cardio workout from all that running around, ducking, and throwing balls. Playing this fast-paced game as an adult is much more fun, since now you have more throwing and aiming skills, not to mention upper body strength and speed. I always end up laughing my ass off, so it's a great way to relieve stress. Plus, since you are playing a game you forget that you are working out.

You're interested now, aren't you? To find a Crunch Fitness Gym near you, check out this map of gym locations.

Fit's Tips: If you're even more into it, you can also join a local Dodgeball team or league. Check around in your area to see where they're offered (try the YMCA), so your team can start practicing for the 2007 National Dodgeball Championship.

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Ice-Ice Surfing

FitSugar — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 16:40:00 -0800

Ice surfing, also called Ice Sailing or Snofering, is a lot like windsurfing, but you ride ice instead of waves. It's a hybrid sport mixing the speed of snowboarding with the agility and power of wind surfing.

The board is similar to a skateboard, with ice blades in place of wheels. You're propelled across the ice with a windsurfing sail, and you steer with your feet.

What makes Ice Surfing so much fun is the amazing play between the sail and the wind. The continual and direct balance between your body weight and the pull on the sail induces a tremendous sensation of speed and motion.

If winter is a bitter and miserable time for you, you've got to get out and embrace it. There are so many fun and incredible things to do on snow and ice, and this just might be the thing that gets you hot for winter.

If you're in the Ontario, Canada area any time soon, you can take a lesson on Lake Simoce. It's one of the windiest lakes in the area, and it's cold enough for the lake to be frozen 1-3 feet thick.