For future college football stars Gym injuries and how to avoid them

Having the right amount of exercise is essential in contributing to a person’s well-being. However, doing one wrong move or exercising too much can cause injuries. Oftentimes, people shrug off these injuries, but when they happen repetitively, it could lead to more serious conditions. Here are some of the workout injuries gym goers should be careful of:

Image source: Honestlyfitness.com

Image source: Mensjournal.com

Knee injuries: Too much running on the treadmill and jumping while using a rope might lead to knee injuries especially if the person’s movement is rushed. A person who is also overweight might need to do these exercises slower to prevent unnecessary strain on this part of the body.

Shoulder injury: Most gym goers shrug off this injury thinking that painkillers and stretching exercises will make it go away. However, injuring the shoulders can be a serious matter. When the pain wouldn’t subside, it could mean a dislocated bone, fracture, torn ligaments, and even injuries to nerves.

Neck: Doing bench press and other upper body workouts with the wrong posture and movement could cause neck pain. When the lower back and the shoulders are not properly aligned, it could lead to strained neck muscles. When the upper body is not ready for the weight it will carry, the primary area that experiences the tension is the neck.

To prevent these common injuries, maintaining the right posture and positions are critical. Those working out should also never skip warm-up and cool-down exercises to prepare their body for all the intense activities. “No pain, no gain” may work as a motivational statement, but a gym goer must know when to listen to the body when it needs to take a break from all the exercising.

My name is Tom Colton, and I’m from the University of Notre Dame. I’ve always been a Fighting Irish at heart. Learn more about me and the things I’m passionate about by visiting this page.

 

How Notre Dame came to be known as the Fighting Irish

You may be wondering how Notre Dame athletics came to be known as the Fighting Irish. To know the reason behind it, we’d have to go back in time and look at the glorious past of the school and its sports tradition. We’d also have to look at some historical figures.

Image source: maxim.com

Image source: nd.edu

Firstly, the term “Fighting Irish” is most associated with Éamon de Valera, an Irish freedom fighter who arrived in the U.S. in 1919, soliciting aid for his national cause. De Valera was initially imprisoned and sentenced to death but was given amnesty before getting arrested anew by the English. He managed to escape and found himself on American shores.

The future president of Ireland was welcomed as a hero by the Irish-priest-founded Notre Dame, and the campus was quickly swayed into using the Fighting Irish moniker because of the said visit. But the naming would not be embraced by everyone in the university initially, with some alumni criticizing the fact that the school is not even based in Ireland.

By the 1920s, the phrase caught on, having been picked up by the press to refer, of course, not to the fact that the athletes need to be Irish, but due to the distinct never-say-die characteristic of Notre Dame’s sports teams. Come 1927, then-university-president Rev. Matthew Walsh finally decided that the term is the worthiest of all nicknames being given to the school’s varsity teams, and that the administration is agreeing to the ideals the term represents.

Hello, there. I’m Tom Colton and I’m currently pursuing my studies at the University of Notre Dame. I’m a huge fan of our Fighting Irish football team. For similar reads, visit this blog.

The legend of the Fighting Irish

Image source: Wikimedia.org

Image source: Indystar.com

Those who are fans of the University of Notre Dame’s sports teams are quite confused about the origin of the term “Fighting Irish.” After all, Notre Dame is originally a cathedral in France. Why turn Irish all of a sudden?

There are many legends about the origin of the “Fighting Irish.” Some people claim that the nickname was taken from Irish immigrant soldiers who fought in the Civil War with the Union’s Irish Brigade. On the other hand, some accounts say that the nickname was first used in 1909 when a player’s speech during a football halftime to his teammates of Irish descent led a reporter to call the team the “fighting Irishmen.”

Another version of the legend talks about using the term to stereotype against the Irish and Catholics, which makes up most of the university’s population. But despite associating the term with war and violence, the victory of the university’s football team starting giving the “Fighting Irish” a positive connotation. As the years went on, sportswriters began to use the name to describe the team until it stuck.

As Notre Dame sports teams began amassing fans from different parts of the country, university officials started to become more accepting of the nickname. Being called a “Fighting Irish” was no longer an insult but a testament to a player or a team’s willingness to win. In the world of sports, especially collegiate football, that is a sure way to hype the team and its fans. In the years that followed, Notre Dame grew stronger and went on to win several championships. Times have changed, but even up to this day, fans still cheer on the never-say-die “Fighting Irish.”

Hello, I’m Tom Colton, and I’m currently a student at the University of Notre Dame. For updates on the Fighting Irish, visit this page.

The Fighting Irish’ Opening Match Against Michigan Is a Must-Win

A lot is at stake in the Fighting Irish’s first match of the 2018 NCCA season, with the team taking on rival Michigan. Many experts predict that the outcome of this match will greatly affect the success of Notre Dame throughout the rest of the season.

The good news is that the Irish will have homecourt advantage in the September match. But that’s no reason for the Irish to be complacent. The Wolverines will come out in full force, especially as they look to have revenge for their embarrassing 31-0 defeat at the hands of the Irish in their last meeting in 2014.

Image source: irish.nbcsports.com

Moreover, Notre Dame simply cannot afford to start the season with a loss. College football history is not in favor of teams losing their initial matches: in fact, no team has gotten to the national championships after starting with a 0-1 record since the onset of the Bowl Coalition Era in 1992. And no such team has won the title since 1983.

The players to watch are transfer QB Shea Patterson, who is a hard-to-scout wild card, as well as Wolverines’ defensive line standout Rashan Gary. Also, many analysts think that despite Michigan’s tough schedule this season, the team is a likely 10-win team. And if Notre Dame is to really build a good momentum moving forward on its own challenging sked, it must not let the Wolverines claw their way into this opening game.

Image source: upi.com

Hello, my name’s Tom Colton, a student at the University of Notre Dame. I’m a huge fan of our Fighting Irish football team. For more Notre Dame football reads, visit this blog.

The Training Regimen Of Your Fighting Irish

The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame has always been a fan favorite. They’ve been around for over a century now and dozens, if not hundreds, of its players have been part of legends that people still talk about. Although much respect is given to the coaching staff that have over the years guided the team, the physical stress the players go through to get in peak condition for the games is quite the ordeal.

 

Image source: odk.org

Throughout the years, elements in football training have evolved (although some still stay the same). And for those of you who have dream of making it to the varsity squad, the reality of it is that you have to put in 100% of yourself 100% of the time during training.

American football is unlike any other sport in the country. There are hyper-explosive moments of game-play with minutes of strategic planning in between. This means that players have to be trained for short, intense bursts of action.

Image source: guardianlv.com

To get their bodies ready for this, extreme leg and body strengthening workouts are focused on over endurance. While there are still endurance drills, plyometrics and upper-body strengthening routines are given more attention. Agility and quickness is a huge part which is why sprinting drills and workouts that improve leg power is a must.

Do you think you can hack it?

Hey there, I’m Tom Colton from the University of Notre Dame. I’ve always been a Fighting Irish at heart. Learn more about me and the things I’m passionate about here.