Sports Writing

Us lazy, nonathletic couch potatoes can finally be happy, athletes suffer from health problems too and their health problems might just be worse.

Aside from the rigid diet that overloads their system with high levels of protein that can hurt the liver, the heart is effected by the levels of stress, the release of high levels of electrolytes without replenishment, low potassium levels, and an imbalance of sugars can lead to diabetes and heart failure, not to mention the stress and strain put on joints and muscles.

One of the main reasons an athlete can suffer from physical ailments is by having poor form when lifting heavy weight and some injuries take time to become noticeable, and by then the damage has been done. But there is no time to heal, a true athlete must push through the pain or use alternate muscles to move the stress to another point of their body, where eventually that pinpointed pressure will result in another injury.

In some more gruesome cases, when an athletes form is really off, the weightlifter can lose balance and it may cost them a ligament.

Panida Khamsrri of Thailand drops the weights with an injured elbow in Women’s 48KG

Yoga + Cross-fit Training

Since yoga has hit the workout scene, yoga mats, bags and all types of yoga gear have been flying off the shelves especially among women consumers/gym rats. But with the new craze of cross-fit and eager women who flock to sign up, yoga has taken a back seat for a bit.

Cross-fit is not your average workout fad, but since it has become more accessible and marketable because of the Reebok cross-fit games and the growing popularity of women’s Olympic weightlifting; some cross-fit gyms have been accommodating women by creating classes just for them.

But what does that mean for yoga? Are we not going to see yoga mats tied to the backs of gym rats anymore? Not necessarily. Its more than likely that once newbie cross-fitters start to truly understand the benefits of adding yoga to their workout, yoga will stick around longer and even grow stronger because of the benefits that add to cross-fit training.

For instance, a typical cross-fit work out does not contain a long period of stretches; cross-fitters just jump right into a “warm-up” that is normally the average person’s workout, ie; jump-roping at high intensity for 15 minutes. So stretching is not necessarily a fundamental part of the work-out.

However, yoga offers 90 minutes of stretching, muscle relaxation and strengthening and  breathing techniques to improve blood circulation. Yoga thus improving cross-fit workouts that may put stress on muscles that need the extra care which may probably prove that it will never die and has lived beyond its “fad” years.

Yoga + Cross-fit Training

Since yoga has hit the workout scene, yoga mats, bags and all types of yoga gear have been flying off the shelves especially among women consumers/gym rats. But with the new craze of cross-fit and eager women who flock to sign up, yoga has taken a back seat for a bit.

Cross-fit is not your average workout fad, but since it has become more accessible and marketable because of the Reebok cross-fit games and the growing popularity of women’s Olympic weightlifting; some cross-fit gyms have been accommodating women by creating classes just for them.

But what does that mean for yoga? Are we not going to see yoga mats tied to the backs of gym rats anymore? Not necessarily. Its more than likely that once newbie cross-fitters start to truly understand the benefits of adding yoga to their workout, yoga will stick around longer and even grow stronger because of the benefits that add to cross-fit training.

For instance, a typical cross-fit work out does not contain a long period of stretches; cross-fitters just jump right into a “warm-up” that is normally the average person’s workout, ie; jump-roping at high intensity for 15 minutes. So stretching is not necessarily a fundamental part of the work-out.

However, yoga offers 90 minutes of stretching, muscle relaxation and strengthening and  breathing techniques to improve blood circulation. Yoga thus improving cross-fit workouts that may put stress on muscles that need the extra care which may probably prove that it will never die and has lived beyond its “fad” years.

North Korea’s Jong Sim Rim competes on the women’s 69Kg

If I was a weightlifter, an Olympic weightlifter at that; a female olympic weightlifter who is being watched by millions of people around the world while I squat and try to lift 300 lbs over my head, I would want to look cute, not just for myself or the few million male admirers but for endorsement deals as well because you know that female athletes are judged based on their looks more than their male counterparts.

Holley Mangold’s “struggle face”

I would also be self-conscious about the faces that I make. But that is certainly not the case for these courageous women who are not interested in how they look; they are strictly focused on lifting. From the looks of these shots, there may not be many mainstream endorsement deal offers for these ladies. It’s unfortunate.

Luisa Peters holding her breath

Armenia’s Meline Daluzyan competes on the women’s 69Kg.

North Korea’s Jong Sim Rim competes on the women’s 69Kg

If I was a weightlifter, an Olympic weightlifter at that; a female olympic weightlifter who is being watched by millions of people around the world while I squat and try to lift 300 lbs over my head, I would want to look cute, not just for myself or the few million male admirers but for endorsement deals as well because you know that female athletes are judged based on their looks more than their male counterparts.

Holley Mangold’s “struggle face”

I would also be self-conscious about the faces that I make. But that is certainly not the case for these courageous women who are not interested in how they look; they are strictly focused on lifting. From the looks of these shots, there may not be many mainstream endorsement deal offers for these ladies. It’s unfortunate.

Luisa Peters holding her breath

Armenia’s Meline Daluzyan competes on the women’s 69Kg.