athletics

Athletics and fitness are the essential ingredients for your body to live a long and healthy life.

Thinking of Running a Half Marathon?
Thinking of running a half marathon? Great! There is no better feeling than seeing the finish line and then crossing it. Trust me, I've run over thirty half marathons, and crossing that finish line is the best feeling. But getting there takes a lot of work and dedication. The first step is easy. It's the steps that follow that are the most difficult.
By Lela Harris8 years ago in Longevity
Glistening Red and Black
A thick, rubbery smell, combined with the unmistakable stench of sweat surrounds the early risers in the UFC gym. A bright red wrestling mat, glistening with sweat, challenges fighters to spar with their coaches as soon as they enter, followed by an octagonal cage, inviting only the daring and fierce to step in. From the comparatively less noisy section towards the left of the cage, float only low grunts and the sound of vibrating weights. In comparison, the right side of the cage houses nearly thirty-five boxing bags and a dozen sweaty, panting individuals. A lean boxing coach enjoys his time advising various individuals by the punching bags; near the weight equipment, a fitness instructor helps people of all sizes perfect their lifting form which contrasts the tall kick-boxing instructor, who brawls inside the octagonal cage.
By Irbaz Ali8 years ago in Longevity
The Fastest Man Alive (on Two Wheels)!!!!
I have a secret to share with my reading public. I have a secret identity. Up until now, I have shared it with a few people—family, a few friends, and neighbors. I always had a need for speed and my one passion has ALWAYS involved the bicycle. Not a motorcycle, just the human-propelled bicycle.
By Maurice Bernier8 years ago in Longevity
Unto the Breach 2: Fail to Succeed
In this piece I will be writing about how I got the point I am now, what influenced my journey and how it has helped shape my current outlook when working with athletes.
By Michael Carolan8 years ago in Longevity
I Am Not a Sport
When I was a kid I was the stereotypical “horse girl.” Like to a perfect T. Most of the people in my grade knew me more for my horse t-shirts instead of my name. For as long as I can remember, I built my image and self worth around being the “horse girl,” and as I got older, I transitioned from a horse-obsessed child into an athlete, with several accolades and minor injuries to prove it. By the time I reached high school, much to my parents' dismay, I had decided that I wanted to train and ride horses as a career and I thought nothing could stop me. In August of 2016, at the start of my senior year of high school, I had never been riding better, and everything was lining up for me to ride in college. I could not have been more excited about what the coming months would entail. And then, in a split second, everything changed. While completing a simple maneuver (flying lead change), I was maybe an inch out of position and I heard a loud pop like opening a bag of chips. While I knew instantly that something was wrong, it wasn’t until several rounds of x-rays and an MRI later that realized exactly what I had done.
By Heather8 years ago in Longevity
The Pressures of Sports on the Mind
There are many children that play sports, whether it be rough contact sports like football and hockey or more relaxed like golf and swimming. To the people watching, it just seems like good, competitive fun. To the players, however, it's a bit more than that. At least it is from my personal experience. Playing soccer for over 10 years makes one a veteran with that sport. Anyways, the pressure that a sport can put on a single person's mind is actually quite large.
By Kylee Rouse8 years ago in Longevity
Tough Mudder Tips!
It may not seem like it here in the UK, what with the below freezing temperatures and thick snow fall, but Spring is upon us and that means Tough Mudder season is nearly here! Last year I was booked by Lucozade as one of their Tough Mudder "Made To Move" coaches. My job was to travel around the country with my team of fitness coaches and we motivated and trained Mudders in the thousands. It was one of the best experiences of my life, but I couldn’t quite get my head around why ANYONE would want to actually take part in the event itself.
By Samantha Bentley8 years ago in Longevity
Unto the Breach
This is the first of several writes about my journey working with athletes at Sports City Manchester, helping them achieve their dreams and goals. In a world where more than ever we are pushing for excellence, it is a final balance to strike between maximum performance and dream destroying injury. It is a science that we are still learning about and growing with.
By Michael Carolan8 years ago in Longevity
How To Start Parkour and Freerunning
Parkour and freerunning is a very unique and different sport. All there is to it is your human body. It's fun, crazy, adventurous, and extremely indescribable. I often get asked this question, "How could I start parkour and freerunning?" Many people would send me their age, size, height, and weight and it goes on. The simple answer is to just start. Parkour and freerunning is a worldwide sport, many people around the world train in this specific sport just like any other. The thing that makes oarkour/freerunning so different is the mentality every athlete has. Being a freerunner myself, it wasn't so difficult to get started, meeting other freerunners. I really wanted to learn what they were doing, I then went up to another freerunner and simply asked, "Ah hey, could you teach..." Before I could finish my sentence, he said right away, "I would love to teach you everything I know!" This sport is so open and positive it's just... so good, the feeling is so indescribable. I then thought it was just that one guy that was being genuinely nice, but that's the majority of the parkour/freerunning community. Many people don't have local freerunners that they could meet or train with, others can't afford to pay for classes to be taught. If you're that person, this link will have a playlist of 70 tutorials teaching you from the basics to advanced movements.
By Chantz Wright8 years ago in Longevity
Cheer Is Life?
When I was three years old, I went to one of my cousin's cheer competitions to watch her perform and from the second I walked into the arena I fell in love with cheer. I loved the atmosphere, people, the skills, the hard work, and most of all how cool it looked when they performed. After that competition I told my mom “I wanna do that.”
By Delaney Williams8 years ago in Longevity
The Importance of Elbows in Both Self-Defense and Competition Fighting
In today's world, where self-defense knowledge can save your life and possibly others around you, it's good to know the tools at your disposal, especially the ones that can stop an assailant in their tracks and get you out of harm's way fast. Perhaps the most efficient of these tools is the elbow. Whether you are fighting professionally as a Thai boxer or mixed martial artist, or just want to feel safer in the street, schooling yourself in elbow strikes is almost essential.
By David Herbert8 years ago in Longevity
Getting Fit Is As Easy As Joining the Circus
It is the start of a new year, and with it comes resolutions. Many will join traditional gyms while others will start new diets, all in the hopes of getting fit or losing weight. We all know maintaining a healthy lifestyle has been associated with providing many health benefits, but it does take a lot of work and many will give up just a few weeks later.
By Liza Saguto8 years ago in Longevity