croquet Archives | Sports Unlimited Blog

Good American Workout Guide to Excellence and Prosperity

I thought I’d do you the kind favor, the patriotic duty of a blogger, of creating for you the Good American Workout Guide to Excellence and Prosperity.

In preparation for July 4th festivities, I have been on a torrid streak of working out for the past two weeks doing approximately 30 minutes of soul-crushing, teary-eyed workouts that leave me clinging to the ground afterward. I do these workouts on my backyard patio and usually end up with cement creases in my face from the inability to gather myself after my muscles retire. All of this so that when I put on my American flag bandana and Philadelphia Phillies tank-top, I look like the good ol’ American boy that everybody loves.

After all of the sweating, I thought I’d do you the kind favor, the patriotic duty of a blogger, of creating for you the Good American Workout Guide to Excellence and Prosperity. Now, settle down, we’re all excited to begin, but you must make sure to never compromise form because safety in athletics is paramount. The use of this program is not solely restricted to the 4th day of July this year 2013 or any other.

Equipment Needed:

One of the following

1. The George Washington

The first exercise of the program is dedicated to the first President of the United States of America. A tremendous commander, both physically imposing and intellectually astounding, the 6’2″ leader of colonial forces was called the “best horseman of his age” by none other than Thomas Jefferson. In honor of the great strength and ability of Washington, grab your wiffle ball bat or equivalent and with it between your legs, gallop 5 times around the lawn. Remember, form over speed!

Once you have completed the 5 galloped-laps, you will surely be tired and hungry. Take a ten minute break and have a peanut butter sandwich to re-energize your body. Drinking one cup of water is recommended along with the sandwich. No stretching is required at this point.

2. The Tom Brady

Once you’ve cooled down from the gallop and had your lunch, make sure your teeth are clear of leftover bits because it’s time to take pictures with family and friends. Hopefully you are already dressed patriotically, but if you aren’t, go put on some Old Glory Red and Blue. Do your best Tom Brady and look as beautiful as possible. This task should not be difficult because you will be absolutely glowing from The George Washington. If friends and family are not available, take a selfie.

3. The Miles Davis

Now that you’ve got your muscles warmed up and ready to work, we move into the next stage of the workout. The Miles Davis once again makes use of the lightweight stick/bat/mallet you’re using. This exercise contains some tricky maneuvers, but just remember, form over speed.

Depending on the object you’re using, bring one end of the Wiffle Ball Bat or equivalent close to your mouth, but make sure it does not touch your lips because often times Wiffle Ball Bats get dirty. With the barrel of the bat initially straight out and parallel to the ground, begin to slowly tilt the bat upward so that the end of the bat is high in the air and the handle is still close to your lips. Next, make a few funky jazz moves. This is much of an improvisation exercise and really works your core as you balance and use muscle confusion to maintain contraction throughout the abdominal area.

Some people have a tendency to over-perform during this task and I would like to remind you to stay safe and do not overexert.

4. The Annie Oakley

You’re probably drenched in sweat already, but there are just a couple more exercises in the circuit and remember, You Can Do This! The Annie Oakley requires only a bit of space and is essentially an innovative way to achieve greater success than running in place. Begin by closing your eyes and imagining the world’s greatest markswoman standing in front of you. Now you better start running in place because she’s taking aim at your feet! Keep ‘em moving! This should bring your heart-rate up a good bit. Remember to use controlled motions and proper technique to avoid Annie’s bullets.

5. The Bald Eagle

Now that we’ve made it to the final exercise, you would be remiss to not read on and complete the journey. The bald eagle is a magnificent creature and is symbol of many things that are great about the USA. That is why we conclude our workout with our imitation of this great animal. Either crouching or sitting in a chair, straighten your back as if you were a bald eagle perched on a branch. Slowly gaze out into the distance of where you are. Keep breathing, Eagle. Perch for three minutes silently.

How do you feel? Excellent and prosperous?

Happy Independence Day.

By Isaac ClarkIsaac is a Fitness/Sandwich Monster at SportsUnlimited.com

Best Summer Games – A Top Five List

What better allows you to be a friend, teammate, competitor, host, and inspirer of happiness than summer lawn games? Well, there probably are other things that lend better to those roles, but heck, summer games are fun and can bring together a family and friends! I remember, in my younger summers, sitting in a low, striped polyester beach chair in the back yard, holding a glass of iced lemonade to my nape and watching my cousins blow bubbles in the sun. That child, hot and bored, wished for something a bit more exciting and fifteen years later, I happily present to you, the top five backyard games for this summer.

5. Badminton

An Odd Garden Variant of Tennis

If you haven’t seen the game of badminton before, you’re missing something extraordinary. Reminiscent of 19^th century England, the game consists of lightweight racquets, a net, and the illustrious shuttlecock. The (usually nylon) feathers of the shuttlecock provide drag so that it decelerates much quicker than a ball, which means, no out-of-the-park home runs for any over-excited players. Hit the shuttlecock in the air over the net until it hits the ground! Easy to set up in the back yard or in a park, lightweight, and affordable, badminton is a great way to involve anyone and everyone. Cheerio!

Try the Franklin Elite Series 4 Player Badminton Set

4. Volleyball

Sick Dig Bro!

Another net game, volleyball is an incredibly fun way to get some exercise. Setting and spiking competitively or leisurely tossing the ball back and forth, this game works for everyone. Learning this game also can have advantages when you come across a game of indoor volleyball, beach volleyball, or even water volleyball. Make some memories this summer with family games of backyard ball in the sun.

Recommended volley ball set – Park & Sun Spectrum Classic

3. Toss Games

Did You Say Cornhole?

At my desk, there isn’t much in this world more enticing than being outside with some buddies, baseball game on the radio, and tossing a bean bag with a cold beverage in my free hand. I don’t know about you, but I’m a fan of relaxing and taking advantage of the warmer months. Sometimes referred to as tailgate games, toss games are simple and require little set up. Usually in the form of a bean bag, players toss the object underhanded at a target. Rules depend on the game being played, but the simplicity and the game-day feel of toss games definitely put them on the top five summer games list.

Fun bean bag game for the family – Corn Toss by Sport Design

2. Croquet

Through the Wickets and into the Stake, Old Sport!

With origins dating back 400 years, croquet can transport you through time. Well, no. But it is exciting, classic, and perfect for some backyard Saturday fun. Whether you’re sporting knickers and argyle socks or some under armour shorts, any day with reasonable weather is a perfect day for croquet. I had fun playing this ball and mallet game as a kid at my grandparents’ house in Maine and this summer I will be definitely getting into some croquet mischief, putting on an English accent, creating new rules, and competing feverishly with my young nephews. Undoubtedly a winner, croquet is perfect for backyard hangouts.

Best seller – North Meadow Scottsdale 6-Player Croquet Set

1. Horseshoes

Summer Just Got a Bit Luckier

Albeit strange, pitching oversized shoes of a horse is cool. Ancient Grecians tossed them when they couldn’t afford a discus. Soldiers threw mule shoes in Union Camps during the Civil War. Abounded in history, horseshoes is a game everyone knows and playing it is easier than ever today. All you need is two stakes and some horseshoes to pitch. The skillful pitch of the shoe is not something that demands tremendous physical ability, which makes it perfect for players of all ages. Backyard or in the sand, horseshoes defines the summer as the epitome of relaxing, fun, and memorable!

One of the best horseshoe sets around – WD Horseshoe Co. Glory Set

Now, where’s my lemonade?

By Isaac Clark

Isaac is a Lemonade Lover at Sports Unlimited.

Product spotlight: Croquet anyone?

Let’s face it, there probably hasn’t been a time in your life when you’ve thought, “What I really wish I had right now was a nice croquet set.”

But there are some thoughts we have all the time – especially as summer approaches.

“How am I going to take advantage of this nice weather?”

“What am I going to do with the people coming to my barbecue this weekend?”

“Someone get these kids out of my house for an hour.”

“I hope I don’t run out of ketchup.”

OK, you’re on your own with that last one. But the answer to some of your other summer dilemmas may be something as simple as a croquet set. And one of the most popular items we carry at Sports Unlimited is the North Meadow Scottsdale 6-player set.

While many of us have played the game at a grandparent’s house or seen a set stashed in the corner of a garage, croquet is probably not at the top of your summer activity list. Maybe it’s time to change that.

Think about it. The rules are simple, it takes little time to set up, you can play anywhere and you can easily talk, eat and drink while playing.

sportsunlimited_2258_1922588516 — The North Meadow Scottsdale 6-player Croquet Set is made in the USA.

Other than the fact that its made in the USA, what makes the North Meadow Scottsdale set so appealing is its quality. One of our best-selling items, this set is built to stand the test of time. And if you’re going to be using this to entertain guests, your kids or your kids’ kids, you want something that’s sturdy and won’t need replacing.

That’s the biggest advantage to choosing a quality set like this over a cheaper version. It won’t start breaking and bending after a few games and years later, you’ll still have a usable set. The mallets are made of hard maple wood, which looks great and ages well.

Also – and very importantly – this set comes with a rule book. Without that, many of us wouldn’t even know where to start. But a quick scan of the rules will easily get you on your way. Then you can start setting up the two 24-inch goal stakes and the nine square poly-coated steel wickets that come in their own storage sack.

After that, you can roll out the six colorful 3 5/16-inch balls and start whacking them with any of the six 30-inch mallets with 8 1/2-inch heads.

After a game or two, pack it all up in the nylon carrying bag and get back to manning the grill or taking an afternoon nap.

Odds are you’ve barely broken a sweat and accomplished your goal of getting outside for a little bit.

By Lou Rusnock
Lou is a writer at Sports Unlimited.