Sports Science

Archive for the ‘Outdoor Sports’ Category

Artificial outdoor sports surfaces are becoming quite a trend at sports facilities – be it at club school or professional level. With international sports associations like FIFA and UEFA approving artificial sports pitches, the sports facilities – both big and small around the world are opting for artificial or synthetic surfaces for playing a wide range of sports.

Outdoor sports surfaces could include football, rugby or hockey pitches, athletics tracks, tennis, basketball or netball courts etc. In some cases, the same surface could be used for a variety of sports. Such a sports pitch is known as a Multi-use Games Area (MUGA). These are quite common in clubs and schools.

Artificial turf, is being increasingly used as outdoor sports surface for a variety of sports, including football or soccer, basketball, netball, hockey, and many more. Also known as synthetic turf, these are man-made surfaces that are made to give the same look and feel as that of natural grass. Artificial turf is made of synthetic fibres with varying pile height. There are usually three varieties- unfilled, sand-dressed and sand-filled, available. And any one of these can be chosen depending on the requirements of the games to be played on them and of course, the cost involved. For instance, unfilled pitches are ideal for hockey, as they are not filled with sand or rubber, and hence protect players from injury by minimising the abrasive effect caused by sand. These artificial outdoor sports surfaces are also known as water-based pitches, as they require wetting at regular intervals.

Many sports facilities install artificial turf that is sand-dressed. These surfaces are not only cost-effective, but also give the same look as that of an unfilled pitch. In this case, the turf pile is filled with fine sand, but only up to 5-8mm from the tips of the fibres. Sand-filled outdoor sports surfaces are rough and harder compared to the other two types. The pile, in this case, is completely filled with sand.

The length of the fibres and the degree of sand-fill can be altered to meet the specifications and requirements of different sports. For instance, hockey pitches are made up of shorter fibres when compared to football pitches. Shorter pitches with lesser sand-fill offer more speed to the movement of the ball.

Whatever be the type of the artificial turf chosen, it offers the best playing conditions for the players. Besides offering firm grip, it may feature a “shock pad” that protects the players from serious injuries when they fall. Low in maintenance, these artificial outdoor sports surfaces can be used in all weather conditions. So, no more worries in long dry summers, frozen winters, or heavy rainfall. The pitch will be ready for the play as well as practice sessions all year round.

Do you remember the frustration and anger when your favourite football or hockey match got cancelled due to muddy or frozen fields? This was a common phenomenon years ago as most of the outdoor sports were played on natural grass surfaces. It is a known fact that natural grass sports surfaces cannot withstand extreme weather conditions.  Due to its delicate and fragile nature, natural grass surfaces also require extensive sports surface maintenance and care. As a result, outdoor sports facilities providers have switched to artificial playing surfaces.

Artificial sports surfaces are fabricated from synthetic materials, such as artificial grass with sand or rubber in-fill. Such surfaces were first developed in 1965. Since, these sports surfaces have been in popular use, outdoor sports facilities located worldwide prefer them over natural grass. Not only this, outdoor sports facilities providers opt for artificial sports surfaces because they are more economical in the long run. Even after heavy rains, drainage of the surface water is a matter of only minutes on synthetic outdoor sports surfaces.

Different sports have different requirements and the artificial sports surfaces can be so designed as to exhibit different playing characteristics. Here are some of the unique characteristics of different synthetic sports pitches:

In-filled artificial turf made of polypropylene: It is the most common type of synthetic sports surface. It is built by lubricating polypropylene ‘grass’ fibres of about 5 cm long with silicon which are tufted into a primary cloth.  The back of the cloth is given a latex coating. The entire thing is then in-filled with about 4 cm layer of sand to keep the fibres upright. Such a surface is used for playing football.

In-filled artificial turf made of polyethylene: This in-filled artificial turf is made of a foamy material called polyethylene. In this case, the pitch possesses a base of expanded polyethylene which acts as an effective shock absorber. It is because the lubricated polyethylene grass fibres are shorter and more densely packed than polypropylene fibres. In addition, the turf is also filled with rubber granules up to 8mm from the tip of the fibres.

Sand-dressed artificial turf: This artificial turf is lightly in-filled with sand only up to 5-8 mm from the tip of the fibres.

Unfilled artificial turf: Some outdoor sports facilities providers opt for unfilled artificial turf. Such pitches offer greater protection to the players by reducing the abrasive effect caused by sand infill. These water-based synthetic ports surfaces are used as elite level field hockey pitches.

In-filled artificial sports surfaces can cater to a wide variety of sports. This is made possible by varying the length and the density of the synthetic grass fibres. Fibres of different length and density help in changing the playing characteristics altogether. This is the reason why artificial outdoor sports surfaces are becoming quite popular at sports facilities – be it at club, school or professional level. Even international sports associations like FIFA and UEFA have approved the use of artificial sports pitches.

There are many different kinds of sporting events that take place outside. These outdoor sports events are attended by many people and looking good in what you wear can be just as enjoyable as winning the game you’re playing. Whether you engage in a particular outdoor sport or you simply want to look fashionably sporty, there are some good looking choices on the market today.

Some of the more popular outdoor sports include hiking, rock climbing, trail running, surfing, skiing, fly fishing and camping. The list of various types of sports clothing for these enjoyable events is a lengthy one at the least. Wetsuits, board shorts and swimwear for men and women are designed from hot colors and spectacular fashion creations that allow you to catch the attention of the crowd with excellent sportsmanship and great looking clothing.

When you’re climbing the rocks, whether it’s a rock wall or an actual mountain side, you can find many ways to look good in shells, insulation, trekking shorts, trekking shirts and climbing jackets. Durable sports clothing is necessary to ensure you’re wearing the right clothing for the sport. Choosing clothing that looks good as well shows people your flare for fashion as well as your sensitive to being dressed appropriate.

Choosing good looking outdoor sports clothing also ensures your safety as you enjoy the sport. Did you know that you can also dress in good looking clothing that’s environmentally friendly? Many people are interesting in finding ways to preserve the planet. Some manufacturers of many of the best looking designs in outdoor sports clothing are answering the call for environmentally friendly clothing by making their garments from recycled fabrics such as recycled fleece, merino wool and hemp. These manufacturers are also donating some of their proceeds to organizations that work to preserve the earth.

The Internet is one of the best places to start your search for clothing that you can choose to create a fashion statement that is appropriate for the sport you’re about to engage in. With so many websites that have their outdoor sports clothing available for viewing in 360 degree pictures, you can see the various designs in vivid color and detail before you order.

Wearing the proper clothing for the outdoor sports event you are participating provides you with the best way to engage in the sport safely. The wrong type of clothes can pose a safety hazard that may result in an injury to yourself or others. Thanks to the many fashionable designs on the market today, you can wear the proper clothing and look stylish at the same time.

Whether you’re getting ready to head down the ski slopes of Aspen, plan to surf the waters in Hawaii, or some other sporting event, you need to wear the right clothing. Take the time to research the various manufacturers for good looking sporting clothing. You’ll most likely be delighted to find that you can find clothing and shoes to coordinate a complete outfit and come out a winner in the sport and with how you look.