Sport: Its Endless Benefits

The world we now live in is one caught up with endless rules and measures designed to make life – and sport – ‘safer’. Although it is important to take precautions to minimise the risk of injury, namely for individual benefit, we must not forget the endless positive effects sport can have on health, character and skill!

On the surface, we see the benefits of sport on our health; regular physical activity reduces the risk of chronic conditions including diabetes, cancer, heart disease and musculoskeletal conditions. Staying active improves health as a defined state of complete mental, physical and social well-being and that is why it is so important to try and at least undertake the recommendation of 30 minutes of moderate exercise per day. Our bodies are like cars – regular use and movement means they will function better over a longer period of time and though exercise can seem like a chore, fitness is immensely valuable. Aside from the more immediately obvious benefits such as toned physique, a fit and healthy adult will have better proven concentration, co-ordination and stamina than someone physically inactive. They are also likely to have a better posture and a longer life-expectancy…so far so good!

The benefits of daily exercise such as brisk walks to work are one thing, but the additional benefits that come with undertaking sport on a larger scale are better again. You may be involved in an individual sport within a club, such as hill-walking, or you may be a member of a team sport, such as rugby  - either way, the social benefits available in both circumstances make sport, and the opportunities provided by sport, even more wonderful. The chances to meet new people, discover new talents, and form long-standing relationships are limitless so long as you immerse yourself willingly enough! SportsCover Direct covers over 400 sports so we can help to protect you no matter where your interest lies. We can tailor a policy around your needs so you can enjoy your sport to the max.

Find your sport on our site today and get an instant, easy quote:

https://www.sportscoverdirect.com/

Don’t Let It All Go Downhill! The risks of racing

Since October, the Universal Sports Network has been presenting widespread coverage of the 2013-2014 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup season on air and online. It began with the women’s slalom and will continue to showcase more than 60 international alpine competitions, including the World Cup final. All eyes this year were set on Lindsey Vonn who looked to return from a knee injury in order to defend her Olympic gold medal in the women’s downhill. The U.S star has suffered on the sideline since her crash in February, along with a fellow American World Cup champion, Bode Miller, whose knee injury also meant he was out for most of last season.

However, Lindsey has reportedly withdrawn from next week’s World Cup race in the U.S after damaging her knee again in a training crash. Although a continuing course of therapy means that Lindsay should be able to race again in a few weeks, her accident speaks volumes for the potential risks involved with alpine sports, particularly downhill skiing. Lindsey partially tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and suffered a mild strain to her right knee in her recent crash; last February she tore multiple ligaments in the same knee. Since then, she has been wearing a protective knee brace and following an appropriate course of rehab after an MRI scan was able to reveal the damage.

Lindsey’s injuries and her ability to return to the sport demonstrate the fact that downhill racing – or any sport for that matter – is to be avoided because of the potential risks. However, the treatment incurred, namely the MRI scans and the extensive courses of therapy, does highlight the necessity of having a comprehensive sports insurance policy to cover you. Lindsey’s speedy recovery will be enabled by the advice and care of her orthopaedic surgeon, attentive treatments and regular check-ups, all of which can be financially ruining particularly when abroad. At SportsCover Direct, we offer a huge range of specialist sports insurance policies that can prevent the damaging consequences of physical injury. Our winter sports cover ranges from cross country skiing to heli-skiing to ski racing to ski acrobatics…find out more and get a quote today on our website:

https://www.sportscoverdirect.com/sports-travel-insurance/

The broadcast schedule for the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup events can be found here: http://www.powdermag.com/latest-news/full-2013-14-f-i-s-world-cup-schedule/

The Invisible Bike Helmet

Bicycle helmets have always been the same; cumbersome, uncomfortable and not very aesthetically pleasing. It is a chore to make children wear them and adults, too, regard them as a compulsory hassle. Generally, opinion is split as to whether the regular cycling helmet is even effective in the case of a serious accident and additionally, there are concerns that mandatory helmet laws would make cycling seem more dangerous than it is, putting people off a sport that had a positive health impact around 77 times larger than the potential for grave injury. However, the incredible invention of an invisible helmet now has put all these issues at rest.

The Hövding is a Swedish product, created by two women who began working on the helmet while they were at university. Although it has been available to buy for two years, the promotion video has only recently exploded into the public sphere, causing their website – www.hovding.com – to crash multiple times due to excessive hits. And it is unsurprising why! This ‘helmet’ is quite literally invisible, bearing far more semblance to a stylish fashion snood than the traditional ‘hat hair’ helmet. It comes in a variety of colours, or ‘skins’ to match any outfit, and features technology that far supersedes anything currently on the market. The product is the result of intensive market research which began in 2005 after its creators, Anna Haput and Terese Alstin, decided it was their industry’s job to come up with an alternative to helmets after research proved that many people would stop cycling upon the introduction of mandatory helmet laws. The result is a movement-activated airbag which explodes from the scarf-like hood in less than a second and encases virtually the entire head with strong nylon fabric. It passed, with flying colours, the higher safety checks set by the EU CE safety mark as it is three times more shock absorbent than ordinary helmets.

The final product is outstanding and has the ability – if it is not already – to revolutionise the face of urban cycling. Its seven-year development is reflected in the Hövding’s innovative craft; the inflation of the airbag is based on an algorithm that can differentiate between the bumps and movements of normal cycling to an actual serious, accident. If the cyclist ran down steps, picked up their keys or chucked the Hövding off at the end of the day, the airbag wouldn’t inflate – even if something were to fall on the cyclist’s head, the airbag still would not react. The seamless join of fashion and comfort with infallible safety technology makes this product the first of its kind, set to provide the best shock absorption in the world. If you don’t believe it, check out the proof!

http://www.travelinggreener.com/cycling/invisible-bike-helmet-from-sweden/

The battery powered product is on the market in a huge variety of colours, and will put you back £350. This seems a small price to pay however for a life-saving, reusable, invisible helmet that will complement most outfits while also keeping the hat hair at bay. Check out the Hövding website for more details:

http://www.hovding.com/en/

Popular Dance Competitions!

Headliners and the International Dance Challenge are among the most popular dance competitions in the world, attracting many competitors annually. Dancers compete nationally to be the best, and to potentially gain places within the top dance schools. The high level of technical skill and detail which is required means that focus and concentration is paramount to succeed as every move is analysed by the judges. Have you guys ever entered either Headliners or the International Dance Challenge? If so please feel free to share your experiences in the comments box below we would love to hear about it!