Health Kick: Giving it 110%
Have you ever heard someone say “you should be doing this run at 60 per cent effort” or “do these sets at 80 per cent,” without having any idea what they’re on about? Sixty per cent of what?
Typically when you hear those sorts of comments from a coach or a health instructor, they’re referring to percentages of your maximum possible effort, or more directly, your maximum possible heart rate. Trouble is, most people don’t actually know what their max heart rate is, so they end up working at a different effort level than what’s required for the workout. Making these unguided decisions can actually be extremely detrimental if you’re training for a specific goal, such as losing weight or becoming competent at the 100m dash. Training at different intensity levels trains your body to do different things.
Sports you’ve never heard of: Camogie
Camogie, just like hurling, originated in Ireland and was formerly called “camoguidheacht.” Hurling and Camogie are the two official sports of Ireland.
You call that a slump?
Not only are the Canucks allowing horrendous odd-man rushes that require acrobatic saves, but they’re failing to provide any kind of pushback. Yet, thanks to the spot-on performances of both Canuck goaltenders, the team has been managing to still take away points. As frustrating as it must be for Vancouver fans, some solace must be taken in knowing how much more irritating it must be for those from the teams trying to catch up to the Canucks.
Canadian Super Bowl parties: an analysis
It’s interesting how Super Bowl parties in Canada work. In my experience (limited as it may be), they generally follow a similar pattern. First, the guests arrive and the question is asked: “Who are you going for?” Ninety per cent will declare a side, (in our case, Giants or Patriots) and quickly qualify the statement by saying “…but, I don’t really follow football too closely.” The other 10 per cent give a puzzled look, likely unaware that there is even a football game on.
Giants edge out Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI
Super Bowl 46 was everything it was hyped up to be; a close game that came down to the wire, game changing plays and the birth of legacies.
Body checking blues
Canada has long been the home of predominate players in the NHL: we’ve produced the Great One, Sid the Kid, the Rocket, and so many more. However, this tradition may soon be diminished, as leagues across Canada have begun to intercede in game play in the name of safety. Following an increasing trend, the Pacific Coast Amateur Hockey Association (PCAHA) made the decision to ban body checking in every tier for ages 5-19 outside of the representative—highest—league.
Pumped Up Health Kick: Pressing on with your plan
Hopefully by this point you haven’t packed it in yet. And if you haven’t dropped out, then you’re probably thinking about it. “What have I gotten myself into? Maybe I’m just going to hurt myself. Am I ready for this kind of commitment?” Fretting about it will get you nowhere. Well, it will get you back on the couch in a hurry. But that wasn’t the goal you originally set out to do (right? If so, you have some weird and inefficient goals). Luckily there are some motivational strategies that can stave off these negative thoughts, some of them being as simple as changing your social circle. And now is the time to start implementing these special tactics: before you can stop yourself from achieving your own goals.
Super Bowl XLVI preview
The Patriots and Giants meet once again at Super Bowl XLVI in similar fashion to that of 2007; the Patriots are the number one seed and the Giants made it to the big game despite being a wild card. However, in 2007 the Patriots defeated the Giants in the regular season. This past season the Giants defeated the Patriots on a game-winning touchdown.
Heat fall prey to young Canucks
The Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Center (AESC) was buzzing with media and fans of the Canucks hoping to catch a glimpse of the talent of the future. For the Abbotsford Heat, on the other hand, it was the perfect chance to showcase to those who would normally never attend a Heat game just how entertaining the Heat games can be. The Heat have averaged 3314 in attendance this year, while the Wolves brought in well over 5000 on both nights. Unfortunately for the Heat organization, the plan to show an extra 2000 people just what the Heat are all about was undermined by two lackluster games.
Canuck prospects light up Abbotsford
AHL hockey, at times, seems startlingly close to NHL calibre, and that was the case in a two-games-in-two-nights doubleheader between the Abbotsford Heat and the Chicago Wolves.
Cascades and Spartans collide under the big top
This past Saturday, the AESC held one of the most anticipated basketball matches of the Canada West season: both the men and women of UFV took on their cross-town rivals, the Spartans of Trinity Western University (TWU)
Huge dreams and small crowds: Building a tradition at the AESC
When I talked to UFV Athletics marketing director David Kent last June when the Abbotsford Entertainment and Sports Centre (AESC) doubleheader was announced, the one question I couldn’t bring myself to ask was this: How do you expect the Cascades, who pull 300 spectators on a good night at the Envision Athletic Centre, to fill a 7000 seat arena? Why are you doing this? Who is paying for this? And will there be mini-donuts at the concession?
Oh, to be a Canucks fan
It’s probably not the most obvious time to look back at the year that was, but with The Cascade running a best of 2011 list for almost every category on the planet, it feels fitting to take a moment to look back at what the year meant for Canucks fans.
Whatever happened to…?
Welcome to the first installment of a series we are calling What ever happened to…? We will take you back to the glory days of years gone by, highlighting the (some times humourous) decline of famous athletes.
Sports you’ve never heard of: Extreme ironing
Essentially, if a person wants to take part in the sport of Extreme Ironing (EI) all they need are a few key pieces of equipment. For starters, you need something to iron, an ironing board, an iron, a camera and perhaps someone to take a picture of you in the act. From here, Extreme Ironing allows for the imagination to run wild. Whether you are taking part in the sport on your own, or you chose to elect an entire team, how extreme you choose to be is up to your comfort level. In the past, participants have been known to climb to the top of mountains to iron, dive deep into the ocean and eradicate wrinkles or scale buildings in order to steam-rid their creases and crinkles.
Getting started: equipment and your first week
With your goals and potential exercises in mind, the next step is to actually go do them. This is where most people get hung up. They’ll start to run a few times a week, develop a sore hip after two days, and then never run again. My goal is to not let that happen to you, assumedly avid reader. Let’s talk about what can be done.
How to follow through: New Years fitness resolutions
New Years has come and gone, and with its passing comes another installment of resolutions that are needlessly doomed to failure. Goals involving health and fitness often gets buried behind a number of seemingly more important tasks, like studying for a final, or watching Grey’s Anatomy. But don’t despair! You’ve come to the right place for the tools you need to start your health and fitness goals, whatever they may be. And, most importantly, what you need to know to see them through.
NFL playoffs: from four down to two
The divisional round of the playoffs, perhaps the most exciting weekend of the NFL playoffs next to the Super Bowl, wrapped up on Sunday January 15, as four teams saw their season come to an end and another four got one step closer to playing for the Lombardi Trophy.
NHL All-Star weekend preview
The NHL All-Star Game is a tradition that’s been upheld since the 1930s. For the past while, the starting line-up has been decided upon by fan voting. This year, it is being held in Ottawa, which perhaps is the reason behind four Ottawa Senators getting voted in. The Canucks are the only other team with four candidates named.
All-Star game supports millionaires’ pension funds
One of the most frustrating (and overlooked) parts of the All Star hoopla is where the profits go. It doesn’t go to a charity. It doesn’t go to upgrading arenas. It doesn’t get spent in honour of tragedies, such as those of last summer. No, it goes to the player pension fund. That’s right. The proceeds from the All Star game go to ensure that these players making millions per year have a comfortable retirement.
Four remain in the hunt for Lombardi Trophy
The divisional round of the playoffs, perhaps the most exciting weekend of the NFL playoffs next to the Super Bowl, wrapped up Sunday afternoon as four teams saw their season come to an end and another four got one step closer to playing for the Lombardi Trophy.
To crease or not to crease
Given the current style of play and what it would take to allow more contact to goalies, it’s clear: goalies need to be left alone. Further, they need to leave everyone else alone too.
NHL Rookie Profile: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
Nugent-Hopkins’ success in the NHL is a motivating story for all junior centers that lack the “normal” size to be a centre in the NHL.
Young blood on the court
Aside from the officiating fireworks, Saturday’s game featured some fine moments from one of the Cascades’ rising stars: Jordan Blackman. Recruited from Yale Secondary in Abbotsford, Blackman is in his first year with UFV, and his considerable talent is translating into some big minutes and bigger plays.
