Archive for the Sport Category

Finding A Gym

It seems that picking a gym is just as hard as getting motivated to go to one! We recently moved house which means trying to find a new place to exercise, and there are no shortage of options around. The problem is that there seems to be now reliable way of choosing the best gym in the area without visiting them all first.

So how do you choose a gym? The first thing I always look for is the number of cardio machines they have, because these seem to be the first to get filled up during peak times. I tend to go to the gym in the morning anyway so this isn’t a massive problem for me, but it’s always good to know that the gym has lots of options.

I also look for whether the gym has good parking facilities. I hate it when you have to park miles away from a gym, so the larger the car park is the less likely it is that I’ll have to find alternative parking. There are a few gyms within walking distance of my new house so they might be good options.

There are lots of other things that make the difference between a good and bad gym. Helpful staff is essential, especially if you plan on using the classes that sometimes come with the package. If the gym has a swimming pool built into the membership then this is a bonus, although I don’t use pools that often. A cafe is both a good and bad thing – but as long as you can keep away from the unhealthy snacks (such as chips) then it’s nice to be able to get a cup of coffee after a workout.

My Predictions For The Ashes 2010

The Ashes are almost upon us, and with that comes all the excitement and hype that goes along with any high profile sporting event. The only difference with the Ashes is that (unlike the World Cup) it usually lives up to expectations!  I can’t say that I’ll be up every night watching every ball throughout the series (the days play starts at 11:30pm UK time) but I’ll certainly be watching some of it. Here are my predictions for the coming series.

England Will Win 3-1

Yes I honestly believe that the England team can win this time! They’ve looked strong in the warm ups – which are partly meaningless I know – and have played well enough over the last year or so to prove they are a good team. The strength in depth is something we’ve not seen from an England squad in some time as well.

Not only do England look good, but Australia look poor. The batters are all out of form, and the bowlers are very inconsistent. In fact, you could say that the bowlers play like typical England players! They are certainly good enough to cause the England team some trouble, but I don’t think they can do it on a consistent enough basis.

Swann Will Be The Hero

I’d be very surprised if Swann doesn’t make a big impact on the series. Everyone is talking up his chances of being the most important player for England, and I completely agree. He’s got that little bit extra that can make all the difference in a tight session. If he can keep up his habit of taking wickets in his first over then that would be handy too!

You can never write off the Australians though, and I’m sure that the series will be a lot closer than many people imagine. I still think England will win though, and will do it in style. It might all come down to how they perform in the first test though.

The Ashes are almost upon us, and with that comes all the excitement and hype that goes along with any high profile sporting event. The only difference with the Ashes is that (unlike the World Cup) it usually lives up to expectations! I can’t say that I’ll be up every night watching every ball throughout the series (the days play starts at 11:30pm UK time) but I’ll certainly be watching some of it. Here are my predictions for the coming series.

England Will Win 3-1

Yes I honestly believe that the England team can win this time! They’ve looked strong in the warm ups – which are partly meaningless I know – and have played well enough over the last year or so to prove they are a good team. The strength in depth is something we’ve not seen from an England squad in some time as well.

Not only do England look good, but Australia look poor. The batters are all out of form, and the bowlers are very inconsistent. In fact, you could say that the bowlers play like typical England players! They are certainly good enough to cause the England team some trouble, but I don’t think they can do it on a consistent enough basis.

Swann Will Be The Hero

I’d be very surprised if Swann doesn’t make a big impact on the series. Everyone is talking up his chances of being the most important player for England, and I completely agree. He’s got that little bit extra that can make all the difference in a tight session. If he can keep up his habit of taking wickets in his first over then that would be handy too!

You can never write off the Australians though, and I’m sure that the series will be a lot closer than many people imagine. I still think England will win though, and will do it in style. It might all come down to how they perform in the first test though.