GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --
Here’s an interesting tidbit. Croquet was an Olympic sport just one time all the way back in 1900. Three people signed up for the event and one person purchased a ticket. After that croquet never returned. Honestly, where can you learn this type of interesting minutia? The Monthly Safety Message!
Personally my workout regimen is supplemented by an occasional rousing game of American Double Diamond Nine Wicket Croquet, or ground billiards for you purists. Honestly, who doesn’t have the desire to occasionally pull out the mallet, balls, wickets and center peg to play Nine Wicket until they’re totally gassed? What everyone needs to keep in mind though is that prior to and after this valuable recreational activity you must warm up and cool down properly to avoid injury. Now I’m really not an exercise expert, far from it, but the following are some valuable tips which could help you minimize the risk of injury and make your pall-mall matches less perilous:
- Know how your body feels. If you’re exercising and something doesn’t feel right or hurts, stop immediately and seek medical advice.
- Warm up and cool down. Elementary but vital. Start with slow stretches, go through the motions of your activity before starting and cool down again after the exercise session with slow stretching.
- Pace yourself, have at least one day a week to rest and recover.
- Mix it up, try other sports and exercises as this can reduce boredom and the risk of overtraining.
- Hydrate. You lose fluids during exercise; drink water before, during and after a session.
- It gets hot in West Texas, wear clothing and sunscreen to protect yourself from the elements.
- Check the fit of your gear including shoes and equipment; the right fit is key to comfort and safety.
- Do your exercise correctly, this ensures you are using your muscles correctly.
- Be on guard, especially at night or in secluded areas. Work out with a buddy, train in well-lit areas and wear bright or light-reflective clothing so drivers can see you.
- Bonus suggestion: If a joint is injury prone, consider strapping or taping it before exercising. Better yet, see an exercise physiologist or physiotherapist to assist you with strengthening that injured area and get advice on proper taping techniques.
These tips can be beneficial to other types of sports enthusiasts as well who participate in sports such as Chess Boxing, Cheese Rolling, Extreme Ironing, Underwater Hockey and Sepak Takraw.
17 TRW Wing Safety – “Stay safe my friends”