'Workout Interrupted' an ISYS100 Sports group production

Basketball Fundamentals: Dribbling

Hi guys, Lewis here again with another tips 'n' tricks session on basketball, today I am going to give you an insight into the most fundamental skill of basketball, dribbling.

The act of dribbling the basketball consists of a downward thrust on the basketball so it hits the ground and then bounces back up within reach for you to repeat the same action. Without dribbling the basketball, the player is only allowed to take two steps before he gets called for a travel and the ball is turned over so it is imperative that you master the act of dribbling before you look at advancing in other areas of your game.

(image source http://us.123rf.com/400wm/400/400/LuMaxArt2D/LuMaxArt2D0903/LuMaxArt2D090300014/4411622-basketball-dribble.jpg)
 

Things to note:
- When dribbling the ball, you cannot use both hands simultaneously, otherwise this is another penalty called 'Double-dribble', which also results in a turnover.
- Once you have stopped dribbling, you cannot start again, once you have stopped moving and the ball has stopped the act of dribbling, it must be passed or shot.
- While dribbling, you can alternate hands, i.e so bounce it with your left hand, ball hits ground, then as it comes back up you can then bounce it using the right hand, but make sure it only touches one hand between bounces!
 

Once you have mastered basic dribbling skills, you can then look at doing tricks and variants with the ball, like bouncing it through your legs, bouncing it around your back or even bouncing it off your knee!
Below are pictures of pro's doing some tricks!

                                                 Brandon Jennings going behind his back

               (Image source http://ballislife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Untitled-12.jpg)

                                                Brandon Jennings going through his legs

               (Image source http://ww3.hdnux.com/photos/02/72/70/765482/3/628x471.jpg)

Thanks for reading again guys

Over and out,
Lewis!

Jack! Time to play Badminton! Part 2

Hey buddies! In the last episode, Jack talked about some basic information when you play badminton, this time I am going to talk about a basic technique- Badminton Net Shots!!!


Badminton is a very interesting sports, a flexible wrist could give you an edge in winning in the match!  

You can play net shots striaght or cross court! The idea is to force the other player(s) couldn't hit your shot. You could use forehand or backhand side when you doing this. The other two types are net kill and net lift which are also very powerful tool to win in the competition!







This is New Lift. (Source: http://www.badminton-information.com/images/net_lift.gif)


This is Net Kill! (Source: http://www.how-to-play-badminton.com/image-files/net-kill-angle2.jpg)

Jack is waiting to hit the shot!!!

                                                     Badminton Player: Lin Dan
                                                      Photographer: Chewy Chua
                                                     (Image Source: Flickr.com)

Basketball: How To Shoot A Jump Shot

Hi guys, Lewis here again. Today I'm going to give you insight into my other favourite sport, Basketball.

Basketball is played by two teams of 5 on the court, and the aim is to score more points than the other team by shooting the basketball into the ring. There are many different techniques that can be used when trying to score, and there is no right or wrong way of shooting. It is more of a comfort thing, whatever feels best for you is usually the best way to learn and practice.

The aim of the jump shot is to have the ball released at the highest possible point, to avoid the defender blocking the shot. The higher the release point, the higher the defender has to jump to block the shot, and a well timed jump shot is extremely hard to stop.

In the NBA, most players have their own unique and individual style of jump shot such as the following.

(Image source http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/000/175/070/96911936.jpg.15747_display_image.jpg?1268498723)

Dirk Nowitzki

Nowitzki plays for the Dallas Mavericks, last years champions, and he has a very unique jump shot in the way that his upper body is usually angled backwards, giving him alot more freedom in movement when shooting.

(image source http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/LeBron+James+Miami+Heat+v+Orlando+Magic+I0qztVQJ6vGl.jpg)

LeBron James

James plays for the Miami heat and is the current favourite for the MVP for the regular season. James has a very high vertical leap, and standing at 6 foot 8 inches, he gets a large degree of elevation, making his shot almost unblockable.

Thanks for reading again guys, keep posted for more.

Peace,

Lewis

Jack! Time to play badminton! Part 1!

Hi Guys! Today I am going to talk about a sport activity that I love to play since I was a little kid- Badminton! That's right! This is a popular sports in my country! Before you actually start to play, make sure you have a racket and a shuttlecock. This was how I begin my journey!

                                         A very cute badminton racket, I love Black and Yellow!

There are two types of Badminton Grips- forehand grip and backhand grip. Knowing how to control your racket could give you the strongest stroke power and accuracy! The main difference between them is whether you hit the shot from which side of your body- your forehand side & head shot/ backhand side!

 

(Image source: http://www.badminton-information.com/images/grip_2.jpg)

(Image source: http://www.badminton-information.com/images/grip_1.jpg)

Ok, when you are ready, grab a friend to play a badminton match with you! Before that, understanding how the Badminton court works can help you planning your strategies! Also, tossing should be done before the match starts, the idea is - if you win, you could either choose serve first or choose which side you wanted to play. Last thing is scoring! Scoring system consists of best of 3 games. Often you would see players are using toal 21 score system in major competition nowaday!

These are some of my experience with playing Badminton, later today I will post some photos of me doing NET SHOTS!! Yes, Net Shots - My favourite! So, get excitied and stay tuned guys! xoxo



Boot Camp & Jack!

Hi everyone! Long time no see! It's me - Jack! Just wanted to share with you my experience with my fitness class lately. I guess the weather in Sydney right now is really good for doing some sports activities, so Jack- no excuse to be lazy! 

Just a bit update of myself, I recently have joined the Boot Camp at the Gym which is just 15 minutes walk from my house. Training starts 6-7am - Mon,Wed & Fri and on Tue, Thu, Sat, I used to do some laps swimming. 

In the first session of the boot camp, we need to do a 2km run which I think I am quite good in jogging and running around, so I think I did ok!

Afterthat, fitness test comes! First is doing push ups! I think the idea of doing push ups is to build both upper body and core strength. In the boot camp, we are required to do so many as we could within a minute. There are few things I think is quite relevant when you are doing push ups- try to keep your body in a straight line from head to toe without sagging in the middle or arching your back!

 Another point is that I always forget is to inhale when you bend your elbows and lower yourself slowly until your elbows are at 90 degree angle!!! 

 

Sit ups has always been my favourite! Doing sit ups could strengthen your abdominal muscles and improve your fitness in general! There are different styles of sits ups you could do- oblique (work on your sides of abs)/ Bicycle Sit ups (Focus on legs) etc.. For me, I used to ask my friend to hold onto my feet so that I have a solid platform and move faster!

Last exercise that I did in the boot camp was squats- Thanks god it was just weight-free squats!  Doing squats benefits your lower body part. Foot placement is important, especially keep your knees in line without pointing your toes out! When you lower, breathe in. When you straighten up, exhale. You could also try the lunge and deadlifts which I find they are really good butt exercises!

 

OK Buddies, thanks for reading! I will keep you updated with what I did in the boot camp later on which it will be very exciting I am sure!!! Bye for now!

Chest workout

Here comes Adrian, you free online personal trainer, again. We have not got time to talk about chest workout yet. Chest, the most important muscle group in your upper body, unlike other parts of your body like shoulders which require more intense workout to see result,  gives you the fastest results if you exercise properly! and only if you read this session!

Alright! let's get started!

Dumbbell bench Press

Step 1

lie back on the flat bench. hold the dumbbells with neutral grip. keep your arms fully extended.

Step 2

Lower your dumbbells towards your lower chest as you keep your elbows close to your body. Hold for a brief moment. Return to starting position. Keeo your entire back on the bench at all time.

3 sets of 13 reps, take 30 secs break between each set.

The next exercise we are going to look at is focusing on your upper chest.

Incline bench press

Step 1

Set your bench to incline with a around 60 degree angle. 

Step 2

Lie back on the incline bench. Hold the barbell with overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder width. Hold the barbell with arms fully extended. the barbell is directly above the centre of your chest.

Step 3

Lower the barbell towards your lower chest as you keep your elbows close to your body. the barbell should slightly touch your chest at the end of the movement. refrain from bouncing the barbell off your chest. Hold for a brier moment. Returning to starting position. keep your entire back on the bench at all times.

3 sets of 13 reps, take 30 secs break between each set.

Tips

When adjusting your seat, please bear in mind, the steeper the bench is, the upper the chest will be worked, but if it is too steep (upper than 80 degree), it will put more pressure on your shoulder rather than chest.

Hope you all have a big, firm, sexy chest!

By Adrian Xiao JI

How To Kick A Drop Punt.

Hey guys, Lewis here again giving you yet another entertaining edition of how to learn the basic skills of AFL Football. Today, I am going to show you how to kick a drop punt. The drop punt is the primary means of disposing of the football in AFL. It is the preferred technique as it is considered more accurate and easier to mark than all other forms of kicking the ball.

First off, start by holding the ball with your middle fingers lined along the seems of the side of the ball. Some people prefer to hold the ball higher that pictured above, and others like to hold  it more towards the bottom. Whatever way works for you is usually the way to go.

As you are taking your steps in your run up to get power behind your kick, your non-preferred hand slowly leaves the ball and is raised to give your balance. If you kick right footed, you will raise your left hand and vice versa. Lift your kicking foot back and then bringing it down swiftly will ensure a good purchase on the football for maximum distance, and make sure you follow through as high as you can.

After you have tried it a few times, you will notice that if you are leaning back as you kick it, the kick will go higher, but if you lean forward, the kick will usually be short and sharp.

Remember, like everything, practise makes perfect so just try it a few times and do whatever feels comfortable is usually the best way to do it.

Thanks again for reading guys, stay posted.

Peace,

Lewis

Who do you play for? Australia's non-sporting underclass

"So who do you play for?"

This is the question that haunted my childhood, asked by overweight dads in singlets at barbeques, or parroting peers who didn't know any better.

"I...uh...I don't play any sports" I would reply sheepishly, looking down at the ground ashamedly and cursing my parents refusal to drive to god-knows-where and back at 7am on a saturday morning.
"Oh." The answer was always the same, a grunt of bemused surprise followed by immediate dismissal, leaving me there to ponder as to what social crime I had committed.

It was conversations like these that dominated a very large proportion of my younger years, and the effect they have had has brought me to question the validity of Australia's sporting obsession. whilst the benefits of physical activity and sport itself is certainly unquestionable, especially in this day in this age of obesity, heart disease and type 2 diabetes, what I wish to call into question is the emphasis we place on organised competition, and the 'non-sporting underclass' it creates.

Image Source: (http://www.ehow.com/facts_5200185_importance-sports-children.html)

Ehow health describes organised sport as a developmental necessity, noting that:
'Casual physical activity is fine, but organized sports provide greater benefits. They are scheduled, ensuring a commitment. Children also work with teammates and coaches which encourages competition, teamwork and problem-solving skills.'
(http://www.ehow.com/facts_5200185_importance-sports-children.html#ixzz1tflNuY4Y)

whilst, of course, the skills listed above are all fairly essential in our society, I believe that they can be built on in a way that does not necessitate the creation of a sport based social heirachy.

Image source: (http://images.paraorkut.com/img/pics/images/k/kids_rugby-13827.jpg)

Another element I believe to be a significant factor within these concerns is Australia's obsession with winning. Sportings supporters will always (understandably) go on about the importance of teamwork within our society, and the way in which this embodied within competitive sports. Whilst, theoretically, this makes perfect sense, it begins to fall apart as the emphasis placed on winning begins to grow. For two years, I worked as a football referee for the Gladesville-Hornsby football referees association, and I can say from experience that in single team I ever refereed below the age of 15, the coaches' strategies would always centre around passing the ball to the one or two players on the team who would be relatively guaranteed to score.

Image Source: (http://allstarawards.net/catalog/images/Soccer_Trophy.jpg)


Now certainly, this is a good way of winning games, but does it really build teamwork? does it really help children's self esteem to know that they exist only to pass the ball to someone better than them? This often adds even greater problems to the afforementioned social issues, furhter entrenching the sporting heirachy such that it was very difficult to escape.

It is for these reasons that I call into question the emphasis placed on competitive sporting as an adequate means of providing physical activity and building character within our society, and it is for these reasons that I will forever dread that lingering question: 'So who do you play for'

- Sam

How To Handball: AFL Style!

Hey Guys!

As part of my blog entries I am going to be providing you will the basic tips and tricks of how to play my favourite sports. First things first, AFL. I have grown up loving the game, and will love it till the day I die. The objective of the game is to score points by passing the ball through the team's goal. The main way to score points is by kicking the ball between the two major goal posts. The team with the higher total score at the end of the match wins unless either a draw is declared or a tie-break is used. The two ways in which you can legally dispose of the football is by hand balling or kicking the ball. Is this blog I am going to show you how to correctly handball an AFL footy.

First things first, if you are left handed, you will need to cup the ball in the ball of your right hand, and vice versa if you are right handed. After playing the game for a while many players become ambidextrous in their abilities and can handball it using both hands.

Now, using the other hand that you are not holding the ball with, clench your fist and using the bit of your skin between the knuckles of your index finger and thumb, strike the ball with a flowing motion.

After you have released the ball, catch the ball you have struck the ball with in the other hand that was holding the ball, so as if you are replacing the ball resting there with your hand. You want to strike the ball so that it spins backwards, as this gives you the best control of where it is going.

Thanks for reading, and hope this helps anyone who needs it.

Peace,

Lewis

Bicycle Polo

Hello again ladies and gentleman!

As part of my continuous effort to bring you news on the strangest sports around, I have dug deep within the realm of obscurity, picking my way through a minefield of  vegans and inter-city hipsters, only to find myself staring into the very depths of Hades. This a very personal hell, and that hell is bicycle polo.

Image Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-29/brisbane-bike-polo/3026160

Described playfully as an 'anti-sport' by one enthusiast, bicycle polo is a sport generally played on  public basketball courts and other such places with enough open space and hard solid ground. Conceptually, it is very similar to other games of polo (whether they be on horse, elephant or any other played by men with overpriced shirts), as such, the game consists of teams of 3, who attempt to hit a ball into a goal using a wooden mallet. The twist of course, is that the game is played by people on racing bikes.

Image Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-29/brisbane-bike-polo/3026160

This is where the game becomes terrifying for me, pretty much all of my traumatic childhood memories involve bikes one way or another, whether it be the time I rode into crow territory and got chased and pecked, the time I attempted to ride along a seat, fell off and hit my head so hard that the helmet cracked in half, or the time the chain on my bike broke at 'bring your bike to school day' and I was forced to sit and watch everyone else have all the fun. generally speaking, bikes and I are not friends, however, being the pioneering journalist I am, I'm going to brave these chasms, just for you my dear reader, you should feel flattered.

The central hub for all things Australian bike polo may be found at www.bikepolo.com.au, however generally speaking, polo activities are organised at a state or area level, with annual national tournaments held in Melbourne. Information in regards to local events may be found at sydneybikepolo.org, with the most recent tournament being 'Cirque De Sydney' in February, and more to come later in the year.

Perhaps the most significant and positive aspect of bike polo is the way its organisers wish it to be percieved and played. All you need to join in is a bike and a mallet (which can either be home made or bought fairly cheaply), and due to the casual nature of the sport, it is open to persons of any age, experience or skill level. Whilst it is technically a competitive sport, its players pride themselves on their sporting and gentlemanly demeanor, you can forget about fat soccer mums yelling profanities from the side lines!

Not Pictured: Fat Soccer Mums

Image Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-29/brisbane-bike-polo/3026160

One aspect that may be of concern however, is that due to the inherent nature of the sport, minor injuries are a fairly common occurrence. Hence, perhaps it wouldn't be the best idea to jump right in if you're a bit too fragile to handle a few spills.

Ouch.

Image Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-29/brisbane-bike-polo/3026160

However, if you're fit, enthusiastic, and looking for something a bit different to quench your sporting thirst (or are a former polo champion whose horse was repossessed by the bank), why don't you give it a go? you may just discover a hidden passion for this game of bikes, mallets, helmets and fun.

Until next time

-Sam

E-Sports in Australia

Hey guys! it's Sam again, and today I'm going to provide you with an insight into something beyond the realm of 'normal' sports, instead focusing on a fairly niche area in Australia (and to a lesser extent, the world) that I hold a great deal of interest in: E-Sports.

E-Sports in Australia

The term 'E-Sports' (or Electronic Sports), refers to the playing of certain video games in a competitive, organised and sport-like fashion. E-Sports, as they are known today, began in the mid to late 1990's in Northern America with the creation of the Cyberalthlete Professional League (http://thecpl.com), and growing international interest in these sports led to the creation of global competitions, such as the World Cyber games in Korea (http://au.wcg.com), as well as Major League Gaming (www.majorleaguegaming.com). This was also supported by the release of games in which such a competitive style of play was the primary intention, such as Counter-Strike in 1999 and Starcraft in 1998. Since this time, the world of competitive E-Sports has greatly expanded, finding a truly international market, with ever increasing advertising and sponsorship deals providing prizes of up to $1,000,000 for winning teams, such as that seen within the tournament promoting the release of the game DOTA 2 (http://www.dota2.com/tournaments/international).

The winners of Valve's DOTA 2 promotion tournament

Unfortunately, as is often the case with items of relatively niche interest, Australia has been seen as somewhat slow to become involved in the the competitive gaming scene in any serious sense. It was not until 2006, with the creation of the Australian Cyber League, that a professional outlet for E-Sports within the country existed. However, since then, Australian interest in the sport has risen exponentially, with pro teams such as Sydney Underground and Mind Freak gaining serious international attention. Whilst, to this day, competitive gaming remains far more of a casual hobby than a serious sport, the prevalence of tournaments and competitions, both online and in organised Local Area Networks (LANs) has increased far beyond anything previously imagined, and I have little doubt that as this growth continues, so too will interest and recognition from sponsors and media networks, thus promising a bright future for the world of Australian competitive E-Sports.

I will now provide a brief overview of some of the primary games played within competitive tournaments, both in Australia and Internationally.

Counter Strike

Image source: (http://store.steampowered.com/app/240/)

Counter Strike, released as a mod for Half-Life in 1999, is generally considered one of the defining games within the professional circuit. It follows a simple, two-team structure in which Terrorists and Counter-Terrorists use a variety of realistic weapons to plant bombs, rescue hostages and eliminate the opposing force. Since 1999, three more iterations of the game have been released (Condition Zero, Source and Global Offensive) thus ensuring that Counter Strike remains at the forefront of competitive gaming, and holds a spot in all the largest E-Sport Leagues.

Starcraft

Image Source: (http://media.bestofmicro.com/4/0/245088/original/SC2%20title.jpg)

Starcraft was released in 1998 by Blizzard Entertainment, and follows the basic structure of most other games within the Real-Time Strategy (RTS) genre, with multiple players creating and fighting with large armies of units. Starcraft's enormous presence within the competitive gaming industry is the result of its unprecedented degree of popularity within South Korea, generally attributed to its release alongside the national internet network. Since then, Starcraft has grown to become South Korea's unofficial national sport, with two television channels dedicated to showing coverage of the game, and professional players receiving celebrity status within the public eye.

Defense of the Ancients

Image Source: (http://storefront.steampowered.com/v/gfx/apps/570/header.jpg)

Defense of the Ancients (generally known as DOTA) was originally released in 2003 as a mod for the game warcraft 3. It follows a unique structure in which players work in teams of up to 5, controlling an individual hero and attempting to push through increasingly powerful defenses and into the opponent's base, whilst simultaneously defending their own. Due to the constraints of the engine on which it was originally built, DOTA has been somewhat superseded of late by games borrowing its basic structure, but providing simplified and specific means of finding others to play with, such as League of Legends and Heroes of Newerth. Later this year, Valve software will be releasing the official sequel to DOTA, as shown above, thus hoping to bring the community back to its roots, and replace both the original game and its competitors within the professional E-Sports scene.

Wow, that post was longer than I originally intended, thanks for sticking around till the end :)

See you next time

-Sam