This Article Caught My Eye

Which article is this you ask? Well, following section below caught my eye.

"Some people would perceive the addition to be minimal, probably no more than an ounce and the distribution is spread evenly across the head. However, even a small change comes with a risk."

Rafael Nadal in his quest to serve better (as he noticed his service speed had dropped in 2011 compared to 2010) added some weight to his racquet head. This is as he realized the number of aces per match he served last season was less than half of what Andy Murray & Roger Federer managed.

Elite athletes are extremely sensitive when it comes to equipment change. Because of the repetitive movements/ stroke etc, a small change can wreak havoc and create biomechanical changes and cause injuries. True enough, Rafa started having shoulder pain in while playing in a tournament in Doha last week and lost his semi-final.

Myself included. After a bike accident that damaged my bike back in 2001, I changed bike frames (of a different brand) but set up everything else exactly the same. Just 3 days after the bike changed, I started having pain down my right hamstring. Every time after I finished the bike leg in a triathlon, I had pain in my right hamstrings every single time that whole season.

What's more surprising, 2 days after I managed to get a brand new frame similar to my previous damaged one cleared the problem almost straight away.

So as the new season beckons for all of you, make sure you don't introduce drastic changes to your training and/ or your equipment.

*Article "Nadal, creature of habit, forced to adapt to stay on top" from The Times, London republished in the Straits Times on Monday, 090112 on page B13

Sunday Times Article ST 010112

Here's a good start for the new year, our Sports Solutions staff mentioned in Dr (Prof) Lee Wei Ling's article in today's Sunday Times under the Think section on page 37 on how she received help for her rehabilitation after her operations.

Today's Lianhe Zaobao

Featured in today's Lianhe Zaobao, (Gino) riding his bike to work rain or shine. It's in the zbnow section, cover page and page 5. I took photos of the papers.

Aized
camera-Lumix GF1

Running Talk/ Workshop @TTSH For SPA

Sports Solutions did an evidenced-based review on barefoot running versus running with shoes for the Singapore Physiotherapy Association at TTSH today followed by a running practical.

Here are some pictures from the talk and the practical.

Getting ready

Physiotherapists all ears

y'all ready to run?

Try this

Group picture

ST 071211 Safety Tips For Runners

After yesterday's newspaper article, Sports Solutions quoted again in today's Straits Times on page B10 under the Sports section. Have a look.

Wrong To Equate Exercise With Danger ST 061211

Sports Solutions is quoted in today's Straits Times article under the Sports section on page B8 on whether running marathons are dangerous. Go take a look.

Oakley Fast Jacket

Polarized lenses

Lenses for my rainy days ride

Well, I received my Christmas present early from Oakley this year, the Oakley Fast Jacket. And my first impressions?
You know it's been raining a lot in Singapore the past few days but I've been riding still and here are my first thoughts on the Fast Jackets.

The Fast Jacket has the same SwitchLock lens change system which was first used in the Jawbone & Split Jacket so changing lenses are a changing lenses are a breeze.

One observation is that if you tend go down on your drops (or aerobars) on your bike, the Fast Jacket's frame (on top) tends to reduce your line of sight a little. It also feels slightly heavier than my current favourite model which is of course the Jawbone.

What is good is that the Fast Jacket does not have a rim at the lenses's lower border which means your lower field of vision is unobstructed and the peripheral vision is great (and extremely useful when you turn around to check traffic while riding).

Ride safe, y'all.