Law Dawg Sports

Archive for December, 2009

Artificial sports surfaces made of polypropylene or polyethylene fibres are highly durable and can be used all year round. As they require minimal maintenance, the annual expenditure on them is a smaller when compared to what is spent on the maintenance of natural grass sports surfaces.

Synthetic sports surfaces also require some amount of care and maintenance, if not as much as that required by a natural grass sports field. A proactive approach is the best way to ensure proper care and maintenance of an AstroTurf. There are many professional firms with the expertise in offering effective care and cleansing for every type of artificial sports surface- be it a synthetic soccer or hockey pitch, an athletics track, a MUGA (Multi-use Games Area), a sports hall, or any other sports surface.     

An artificial grass sports field requires power sweeping on a periodic basis, which helps  it to offer optimum playing conditions for a longer period of time. It is done with the help of a soft cylindrical brush which can lift approximately 2-3mm of sand and pile. The lifted pile is cleaned and is then returned to the surface. Such a sweeping action is essential to remove all dirt particles and debris from the surface before they penetrate deep into the pile. Power sweeping keeps the drainage system of the artificial turf in its best condition. It is a hassle free task, as it can be completed within a day even for a full sized sports pitch. Depending on the condition of the sports field, available budget, and climatic conditions, a sports facility can opt for power sweeping either once in every month for the whole year or bi-monthly for 6 months, or once  every quarter. In some cases, power sweeping is followed by some chemical treatments to prevent or remove moss from the surface.

Artificial sports surface cleansing is also a part of the proactive approach towards the maintenance of these surfaces. An artificial sports field, which is over 3 years old and is suffering from either surface silt or poor drainage, needs  deep pitch cleansing at least once a year. The deep pitch cleansing treatment involves lifting the sand and rubber infill from the pile, passing it through a specially designed machine for removing all kinds of contamination, returning the sand and rubber granules to the pile, and power sweeping the pile “carpet”. Such a cleansing programme is important for maintaining the drainage system of a synthetic sports field whilst retaining optimum playing conditions.   

In case of MUGAs and synthetic athletics surfaces, proper maintenance also includes taking care of the multi-coloured striping and event markings. Proper maintenance of floodlights, electronic scoring board, sports equipment, indoor sports hall, and fence of the sports area are also an integral part of the overall care and maintenance of a sports facility.

Will a video game promote your good health? You bet it can, if its a Nintendo Wii fitness game! We all know the bad reputation video games have gotten in the past. It was believed video games led to a sedentary lifestyle. Parents have complained for years that their couch potato tykes do nothing but sit around day and night playing video games as their health deteriorates. And, of course, we all know the horror stories of how sofa tater children grow up to be sofa spud adolescents who can’t cut it in the adult world.

Some may disagree with these fears, but now, things have changed! Nintendo Wii video games makes these fears a thing of the past. A Wii fitness game mixes all the skill and fun of a average video game with exercise you would get, if you were actually playing it. Doctors and parents have all started to support the Wii. You may not burn as many calories as playing the actual sport, but, you will burn a significant amount and that’s a heck of a lot better…and more fun, than sitting there.

Just envision yourself on a tennis court, ready to serve the ball to your opposition. You enhale, throw the ball up and swing with all you’ve got. Now envision doing this in the comfort of your own home, wearing whatever you find comfortable. If you are not able to find an opponent to play against, no problem, you can just play against the computer. If, on the other hand, you have a friend (or three), you can all get into the fun. Volley the ball to and fro, matching your skill against your nemesis. You start to get into the game and begin to forget it’s just a Wii fitness game, and best of all, you even forget you are receiving an aerobic workout!

The Wii game console has made it a possibility. The action can be so close to reality, and the bodily benefits so terrific that some physical therapy specialists have in reality tied wii fitness games into their patient’s workout procedures, helping them to regain lost or impaired joint and muscle flexibility.

Senior citizens are even getting in on the action. It is no longer accurate to depict the elderly sitting around living a dormant life. Wii fitness games have been turning up in more and more elderly living centers. What was once seen to be a lethargic universe has again acquired fresh life, as the elderly are able to easily learn the necessary skills to enter into all the fun the Wii gaming console has to offer. There have even been Wii bowling clubs starting up in the centers, providing hours of amusement and most importantly bodily movement and exercise.

So, if you’ve been considering getting into better shape, or getting your family active together, then toss out your antiquated ideas and turn to video games. Provided you’re talking of the Nintendo Wii gaming console, you can’t lose anything but some extra pounds.

Obviously extreme sports get your attention. The have garnered the attention of the U.S. military who has recognized that anyone involved in extreme sports would be good candidates to recruit for their hard to fill special operations positions like the Army Rangers and Navy Seals.

So what is it that makes a sport extreme? Let’s take a look at some of the most popular ones

One of the main factors that make a sport extreme is the element of risk of injury or even death. In nearly every sport that is classified in this way you will usually find speed, heights, danger, and stunts. I believe the thing that causes people to become addicted to participating in these sports is the adrenaline rush associated with them. Adrenaline is much like morphine when released in the brain and I see people who just can’t seem to get enough no matter how many times they are hurt.

The first of the extreme sports was probably skateboarding. Introduced in the 1960’s as a way to stay in shape when the surf wasn’t up, skateboarding became a sport of its own and soon competitions were formed with riders jumping over cars and doing tricks in half pipes where they would be floating thirty feet or more above the bottom of the platform. There has been a lot of negative press directed at skateboarders but lately skateboarding is gaining mainstream recognition and is being appreciated worldwide.

Snowboarding is another extreme sport with its own radical characters and is essentially skateboarding on snow. Snowboarders perform many tricks that are the same or similar to those in skateboarding and like skateboarding, the sport has caught on internationally. Today, on any ski slope in America, you will find snowboarders.

Sport climbing is a variation of rock climbing that has become very popular over the years and is enjoyed by those who care more about displaying and testing their strength and athletic ability than adventure.

Skydiving is an extreme sport that is much less competitive but highly dangerous. It is the initial jump that is the biggest thrill with skydiving. There are more competitions being formed now in skydiving with groups forming shapes and creating chains for records before opening their shoots.

The attraction to watching sports where the outcome is unpredictable is growing larger, especially with younger children. No doubt as more people begin to participate in these sports they will seem less and less extreme.