The Zumba craze hit in a big way, but if you are still unsure whether it is for you then Frost Magazine sourced a free video. It is slightly advanced, but I had only done Zumba once and have managed to pick it up. It is a good, fun workout. Enjoy!
Category Archives: Sport & Fitness
Jessica Ennis | People
Jessica Ennis is 9 stone of steely determination and today she has made Britain incredibly proud. The 26-year-old broke the British record in the 100m hurdles and won heptathlon gold for Team GB.
Down-to-earth and wonderfully normal for someone so gifted, Jessica has a fiance, Andy, who works in construction. She has been with Andy for seven years and he is three years older than her. They met in a night out in Sheffield even though they went to the same school.
She’s outspoken “When things don’t go well, I’m always really irrational and thinking, ‘Oh, my world is crumbling around me.'” and honest, saying before a game: “I get really anxious”.
Her ambition is obvious “The silver is a position I just don’t want to be in again. I’ve tasted that and I don’t like it.”
She missed out on the 2008 Olympics because of a stress fracture in her foot. Before the Olympics 2012 Marie Claire magazine asked her how it would feel if she didn’t get it, she said: “I don’t like to think about the negative or the possibility of things going wrong, because that’s just a really bad way of viewing it. It gets in your head.”
Jessica says she visualises every event going well, but not winning as there is “so much to come before that, and so much that can go wrong”.
She trains at the Sheffield’s English Institute of Sport and is the face of Olay Essentials range. She come across as a girl’s girl and says “I don’t even walk the dog without make-up. I’ve always been like that”.
Her beauty icon is Jennifer Aniston and she loves Bobbi Brown make-up. Her beauty routine is low-key, “I train twice a day so I’m always sweating, which is actually quite good for your skin. But I always wash, cleanse and moisturise so my pores won’t clog.”
Some idiot may have called her fat, but the world was outraged and she brushed it off. Jessica has a lot of pressure on those toned shoulders of hers, but she is handling it all with grace and beauty.
Peter Wilson Wins GOLD for Team GB in Olympic Double Trap
Peter Wilson won an incredible gold in the men’s Olympic Double Trap shooting event. Wilson qualified in first position after shooting extremely well in the three qualifying rounds. He finished on 143/150 giving him a significant three point lead going into the final.
The final was incredibly tense and difficult to watch let alone compete in. Wilson started well before dropping a shot in his final shot of the first end.
Having done a bit of clay shooting (although never this discipline) this looked incredibly hard. This being trap shooting the targets fly away from the competitors two at a time at great speed. Any hesitation or the slightest error in judgement and the target would be missed.
Another miss from Wilson in the middle of the competition and his lead was down to just one point. I don’t know how on earth he was able to hold his nerve the pressure was huge. At least in most sports you can just get on with it but in shooting you have to wait and watch as your opponents hit their targets and pile the pressure on you. Wilson was by far the youngest shooter in the competition being 13 years younger than the next finalist.
A few mistakes from the other competitor and Wilson managed to extend his lead back up to four shots with just ten shots remaining.
Surely the gold would be his now. But No! A double miss at the beginning of the final end and his lead was cut to just two! If he did it again the gold medal would be gone. My heart was pounding at this stage goodness knows what Peter was feeling.
Somehow Peter composed himself and nailed the last six shots, but so did the Swede Hakan Dahlby leaving Peter needing to hit one of his last two remaining clays. He didn’t disappoint and smashed the final two clays to become Britain’s 4th Gold medal winner at London 2012 and the first British shooter to win a medal since Richard Faulds won in Sydney in 2000. Brilliant! Well done Peter!
Peter Wilson 188 – Great Britain
Hakan Dahlby 186 – Sweden
Vasily Mosin 185 – Russia
see more on shooting at www.positiveshooting.com
Stunning Shock Win for Team GB’s Women Footballers
I was lucky enough to be at Wembley last night to watch Team GBs final group game against Brazil. The stadium was packed with almost 70,000 people and the atmosphere was incredible.
Brazil’s team was led by the best female player in the world Martha and they were strong favourites going into the match. Martha is the Lionel Messi of the women’s game with a better than a goal a game ratio. Both teams had won their first two games in the tournament. Brazil thrashing Cameroon 5-0.
Although both teams had already qualified the match was still very important. The loser would have to face a very difficult match in the quarter finals against world champions Japan.
It was an incredible start as Karen Carney did brilliantly to slip away from two Brazilian defenders and played a ball through to Steph Houghton who collected the ball and managed to dink it past the goalkeeper. She smashed the ball into the net from what seemed an impossible angle right in front of us. Incredibly it was the third goal of the tournament for left back Houghton.
As expected the Brazilians responded with some good possession and skill but GB largely restricted them to long range shots which never really threatened. However Brazil did hit the post with a header late in the first half.
After the break Team GB were by far the best team. After a lovely move Eniola Aluko broke clear and looked certain to score until she was cynically taken down by a Brazilian defender in the penalty area. The Brazilian escaped with a yellow card. Smith’s penalty was brilliantly saved by Brazilian goalkeeper Anderia and GB’s lead remained at 1-0.
Through the rest of the second half Team GB were the better team. Scottish star Kim Little was particularly good. Brazil had a few chances on the break but Team GB’s defence was fantastic in the 2nd half and they snuffed out any potential threats.
In frustration the Brazilian players lashed out and there were some bad challenges in what was a physical contest.
When the final whistle went a huge cheer went up around Wembley. It had been an incredible performance and the crowd were ecstatic. I was so glad to have been able to experience it. This was by far the highest quality women’s football match I have ever seen. Let’s hope Team GB can keep it up in the next round against Canada.
Sky’s The Limit. Cavendish And Wiggins | Book Review
This book has come out at the perfect time: sports-mad, Olympic time in London. Mark Cavendish may have failed to get a medal for Great Britain, but this book is a well-researched, insider view of Team Sky. Author Richard Moore has been given unprecedented access to the inner workers and all of the main players, an esteemed author and cycle blogger, he really knows what he is talking about.
Incredibly well researched Moore’s book takes you through the journey of last year’s debut season. The book has exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes access. It is neither official nor unauthorised, which gives Moore lots of freedom. Sky’s the Limit follows the management and riders from training to their debut at the Tour Down Under in January 2010, and then their debut at the Tour de France in July 2010.
Sky’s The Limit
‘This is new. It’s something people haven’t seen before. We’re setting out to create an epic story – an epic British success story. Now it’s down to business: to find out what it’s going to take to win the Tour de France with a clean British rider.’
Dave Brailsford
Brailsford is the mastermind behind the phenomenal success of the British track cycling team which dominated the Beijing Olympics in 2008, winning seven gold medals. But road cycling is a very different ball game. It has the lion’s share of the sport’s history and legends; it has the bulk of the fans, television and media interest; and it has, far and away, the biggest pot of money.
It is a sport that is rooted in mainland Europe – a land that is, in so many literal, metaphorical and cultural ways, foreign to Great Britain. British victories in the Tour can be counted on the fingers of a mitten. The closest anyone has ever come is Robert Millar and Bradley Wiggins, who were fourth in 1984 and 2009 respectively, but no Briton has seriously challenged for the maillot jaune – the yellow jersey of overall winner.
Sky’s the Limit follows the gestation and birth of a brand new road racing team, which is the first British team to compete in the Tour de France since 1987. Team Sky, as it is known, since it is to be backed by the satellite broadcaster Sky, set out on the road to Tour de France glory in January 2010.
With exclusive behind-the-scenes access and interviews, Sky’s the Limit will follow the management and riders as they embark on their journey – witnessing their first training camp and team presentation in December 2009, their debut at the Tour Down Under in January 2010, and their debut at the Tour de France in July 2010 – and as they then set out to write their ‘epic story’.
Sky’s the Limit: Wiggins and Cavendish: The Quest to Conquer the Tour de France
Deep Heat | Health Review
Muscle tension is common in everyday life. After a hectic week my muscles usually feel tired. Did the Deep Heat I got sent to review help? Yes, but I wishes I had read the instructions first! The first time I applied I put on too much. If you read the instructions it tells you to put on a little and build up to your personal tolerance level. Luckily I was just a little hot for a while.
I love both these products. They really help your muscles and they are reasonably priced. I love how the Neck and Shoulder Cream has the option of a sponge applicator. It is very easy and convenient. These products are also natural and smell great. They get the Frost thumbs up! Sian Lloyd also used and loves them.
Deep Heat Muscle Rescue Neck and Shoulder Cream RRP: £5.99
A warming cream designed to help ease tension in stressed muscles. It contains a unique combination of vanilla and rosemary to give gentle but soothing warmth,[1] with a pleasant herbal aroma. It has a soft sponge applicator to facilitate massage and so provides soothing, comforting warmth. In addition, it is in a convenient 50g pack so you can travel with it and fit into a coat pocket, handbag, sports bag or brief case. The applicator provides a soothing massage and means no messy cream on the hands.
Deep Heat Muscle Rescue Bath Soak RRP: £5.49
Is a bath additive specially formulated to ease daily stress, aches and muscular tension. Key ingredients include electrolyte minerals and essential oils of rosemary, patchouli and orange. Electrolyte minerals are a combination of atomised sea water, minerals and trace elements, including magnesium, sodium, calcium, potassium, iron, zinc, copper, iodine and chloride, which help to hydrate the body and help to prevent cramp.
Muscle tension affects millions of people in the UK everyday. Modern life often means dealing with a host of mental and physical stress triggers, all too often leaving us tired, with tense and stressed muscles after a long day.
Our muscles are faced with numerous attacks and challenges on a daily basis, from bad posture and physical activity to emotional stress and simply getting older. Work, commuting, looking after children, sports injuries and crouching over a computer can all take their toll on our bodies, leaving us feeling mentally and physically drained and our muscles knotted and uncomfortable. Muscle Rescue has been created to help!
New Research:
• Half a million people suffer from work-related stress (Health and Safety Executive 2010/2011)
• A new study by Deep Heat Muscle Rescue (One Poll 2012) found that half of us get stressed because we are overworked
• Nearly 80 per cent of people suffer anguish from a stiff neck and two-thirds suffer from tense shoulders (One Poll 2012)
• A third of people know they are stressed when they suffer from tense muscles, which stops nearly half from sleeping comfortably and 35 per cent from relaxing (One Poll 2012)
[1]In Home User Trials; Ayton Global Independent Research; Data on file, 2012
Fuel | Food Review
I am one of those people who faint if they don’t have breakfast, so I take it quite seriously. Some ‘energy cereal’ landed on Frost’s doorstep and we put it to the test.
Most important thing first: taste. It tastes great. Really good. Like muesli, but better. Fuel is made for sport and fitness enthusiasts. It based on the 10k hours principle (see below) and has been developed for those interested in marathons and triathlons to sustain them through training and the race. This isn’t me, but my life is busy and I exercise most days.
It comes in two flavours: Real Fruit and Chocolate Chunks. Both flavours taste great. Does it give me more energy? Yes. It is a good healthy breakfast that gets you through the day. I would buy Fuel. There is £1 off the normal RSP of £3.29 at Sainsbury from now until August 14th.
Barney Mauleverer, 37, is one of the creators of FUEL and a devotee of extreme sporting challenges having completed the gruelling Marathon des Sables across the Sahara Desert, the Himalayan Marathon and, most recently, the Jungle Marathon in the Amazon.
Barney said: “We have created FUEL because we were bored with what was on offer in the cereals category and specifically to meet the needs of today’s active people taking part in marathons, triathlons, mountain climbing as well as more traditional pastimes such as rugby, tennis and squash.
“An energy-packed cereal like FUEL will help give them the edge in their training regimes and in competition.”
Containing only natural ingredients, FUEL is rich in Vitamin B and E, high in fibre and contains guarana extract. It is a blend of both slow release and fast release energy providing an ideal start to the day.
FUEL is available in 400g packs and has a retail price of £3.29.
The 10,000 hours rule was developed by psychologist Anders Ericsson of Florida State University and made famous by Malcolm Gladwell in Outliers. Basically, Ericsson’s theory suggests that sufficient practice in a particular skill can take anyone to the level of proficiency equivalent to that heard on the playing of a top concert pianist. Gladwell took this theory further and said it could apply to the best sports people, business leaders and performers. He cited the 10,00 hours spent programming by Bill Gates at the age of 13 – long before the majority of his peers knew what a computer was. 10,000 hour works out at 90 minutes of practice ever day for 20 years.
Olympics Day 1 – Team GB Round Up
It was a fairly disappointing opening day as Britain failed to win any medals but it is still very early days. Over a million people turned out to support Mark Cavendish and the rest of the British team in the men’s road race but they struggled and failed to win a medal. The British team did very well in the early rounds of the rowing and there was a promising start in the boxing, gymnastics, football and table tennis. There were no medals for team GB in the swimming but the best prospects are still to come.
There was no medal for Mark Cavendish in the men’s road race.
Andy and Jamie Murray lost in the first round although Elena Baltacha is through in the singles.
The men’s archery team lost in the first round
British middleweight boxer Anthony Ogogo beats Junior Castillo Martinez of the Dominican Republic 13-6 and is into the last 16
Mary King is ranked third in individual eventing after the dressage
Sophie Troiano was beaten 12-9 by Great Britain team-mate Natalia Sheppard in the round of 64
Great Britain women seal their place in the quarter-finals of London 2012 as they beat Cameroon 3-0
In the gymnastics Great Britain’s men are second after the first of three men’s qualifying sessions with 272.420 marks, behind the United States on 275.342 Louis Smith will challenge for pommel horse gold after scoring 15.800 in a superb qualifying routine
Ashley McKenzie is out of the Men’s 60kg judo
All the rowers qualified in their opening heats with a particularly strong performance from Helen Glover and Helen Stanning who qualified in an Olympic record time.
In the swimming there were no medals. Britain’s 4x100m freestyle women’s team finished 5th as did Hanah Miley who will be disappointed not to do better after winning her heat.
Britain did well in the table tennis as both Paul Drinkhall and Joanna Parker qualified for the second round.