Comprehensive Sports Guide: Rules, Conditioning & Equipment

Athletic mastery depends on understanding official gameplay rules, optimizing equipment technology, and implementing sport-specific conditioning drills.

Two buckets of balls tipped over on grass

Difference Between Hard & Soft Golf Balls

Golfers have witnessed plenty of innovative changes in equipment over the past 20 years. Golf balls, for example, are much more durable while maintaining the spin and distance properties that golfers covet. Today there is very little difference between hard and soft golf balls.

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Mature couple walks down a nature trail.

Should You Take Walk Breaks During a Half Marathon?

Half marathons are challenging runs. There are usually more runners registered in a half marathon, and many participants try to run faster than the full marathon pace. Running for 13.1 miles is stressful on the muscles and joints.

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swimmers swimming with a swim board

Swimming Aids for Adults

Whether in the pool or far out at sea, knowing how to swim can save a life. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3,443 people unintentionally drowned in the U.S. in 2007. An additional 434 people died from boating-related drowning incidents.

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Men exercising on fitness bikes

Maximum Weight Limits of Recumbent Bikes

A recumbent bike is similar to an upright bike but is designed so that your legs are parallel to the ground while pedaling. Benefits of a recumbent bike include less pressure on leg joints, a design more comfortable for people with back problems and it’s easier to mount, especially for people less steady on their feet.

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skier on an untouched ski track

Sore Calves From Ski Boots

The calf pain associated with stiff ski boots is enough to make you consider snowboarding. Fortunately, the pain-killing endorphins produced while soaring downhill at exhilarating speeds usually override the pain.

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"Young man swinging golf club, rear view"

Loose Wrists & Hands for a Golf Swing

The proper use and tension of the hands and wrists during the golf swing confounds many a player. Though your instincts may tell you that maintaining a tight grip on the club with firm wrists is necessary to generate a powerful swing, the opposite is true.

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Young woman swimming in pool

The Effect of Swimming on Bone Strength

Swimming is an excellent exercise for cardiovascular fitness and weight maintenance. It is also one of the best activities around for cooling off on hot summer days.

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American football player

Should I Wear a Girdle Under Football Pants?

Football involves aggressive physical contact, but also requires speed and agility. Equipment manufacturers strive to find new ways to protect football players without cumbersome padding and extra clothing.

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Running Back behind Linemen

How Many Calories Do You Burn When You Play Football?

Whether you're out on the field for the team or simply playing a game with the family after Thanksgiving dinner, football gets you moving. You'll burn a significant number of calories passing the ball, sprinting down the field and blocking opponents in a full-contact game.

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Man and young woman arm wrestling, close-up

What Muscles Are Worked Out in Arm Wrestling?

Calling it arm wrestling is a bit of a misnomer. To succeed in arm wrestling, you must get your entire upper body into the movement as you pin your opponent. Some muscles, such as those in your forearm, are more important than others, but they all work together to give your arm the power to defeat your competitor.

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Friends playing volleyball

Newton's Three Laws of Motion for Volleyball

Here’s a fun thought: Next time you watch the fast-paced action of a volleyball game, consider how many laws of physics are being demonstrated on the court. For example, every movement by the ball or the athletes illustrates one of Newton’s three laws of motion: inertia, acceleration and action-reaction.

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What Is a Decent Swim Time for 100M?

Swimming a two-minute 100 m could be the best of times or the worst of times. You might start out as a beginning adult swimmer, just grateful to complete the distance without stopping. With improved technique and endurance, your swim times improve, along with your dissatisfaction for your previous performance.

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Girl tying soccer cleat

Difference Between Little League Baseball & Soccer Cleats

Your son is playing baseball and soccer. Your daughter is playing soccer and softball. Since those sports always seem to be played in the spring and fall, there are days you are literally running from one sport to the other in a matter of minutes.

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Boy kicking soccer ball

How Much Force Does the Average Soccer Player Use to Kick the Ball?

The solid “thwack” of foot to soccer ball, such as when a goalkeeper like D.C. United's Bill Hamid sends the ball on a goal kick, tells you that the ball is being sent with considerable force. Sir Isaac Newton’s laws of motion allow you to determine reasonably accurately how much force is exerted at the time of impact.

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triathlon

Tips for Your First Duathlon

A duathlon is a run-bike-run event that offers a good way to join the multisport movement. These typically range in distance from a 2-mile run, a 10-mile bike and a 2-mile run to a 6.3-mile run, a 37.3-mile bike and a 6.3-mile run.

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Marathon runners on road, low section

The Training Time to Progress From a 5K to a 10K

If you've already run a 5K, congratulations on your progress so far. A 5K is no small feat for a novice runner and it can serve as a stepping stone to longer races. One of the next logical distances is the 10K.

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Biking in Norway against picturesque landscape

The Advantages of an Aluminum Bike Frame

Many materials are used in the construction of modern bike frames, and each has its pros and cons. Though their explosion in popularity is relatively recent, aluminum bike frames date back to the late 19th century; the St.

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Teenage girls (14-17) floating on water, elevated view

Sore Stomach After I Swim

Having a sore stomach following a swim can be caused by a variety of issues, so it’s important to determine the source for proper healing and future prevention. Each swim session may be triggering pain, but it’s unlikely that swimming will cause serious injury to your organs.

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Mountain biker on a forest trail

The Speed Difference in Mountain Bikes & Road Bikes

Mountain bikes can scramble over roots and rocks that would stop a road bike in its tracks, but when it comes to pavement, a road bike will take the lead every time. This discrepancy in speed results from the weight of the bikes, the position of the riders and other basic differences in construction.

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