Grip Hockey Stick

Enjoy hockey round the year with an Artificial Hockey Pitch

If you go to cheer for your favourite hockey team, do not be surprised to find players playing on an artificial hockey pitch. Artificial turf has secured a prominent place in various other sports too, not just hockey. International sports associations and governing bodies have approved the use of artificial surfaces for sports like football and hockey and others, which were originally played on natural grass sports pitches.

The most commonly used artificial hockey pitch is manufactured from synthetic materials like polypropylene or polyethylene. Made to look like grass, the artificial hockey pitch has become a popular choice for hockey pitches.

The introduction of synthetic sports pitches has changed the game of field hockey significantly. The use of shorter fibres in artificial sports surfaces has increased the speed of the ball across the surface; owing to which, the game has become much faster. Artificial surfaces have also brought about a change in the shape of the hockey sticks to allow for different techniques, such as trapping, reverse stick, and hitting.

Basically, there are three different categories of artificial turf: unfilled, sand dressed, and sand filled. Most of the renowned hockey associations generally opt for unfilled or “water-based” artificial turf for playing hockey. Unfilled or water based sports pitches are perfect for playing hockey as they minimise the abrasive effect of the ‘grass’ fibres. The shock pad underneath the top layer of the artificial turf offers enough cushioning to the players and they no longer have to worry about injuries whilst sliding and falling. Such an artificial hockey pitch however, requires wetting at regular intervals. Sometimes, depending on the condition of the weather, showering can be done even during the half-time of the play.

Some artificial sports pitches may also be sand-dressed. Sand-dressed pitches comprise pile that is filled with fine sand. The sand is filled within 5-8mm of the tips of the fibre. The third type, the sand-filled artificial turf is not generally used as a hockey pitch. In this case, the carpet pile is filled with sand almost to the top. This makes the pitch rough and harder.

Whatever be the type of artificial hockey turf you opt for, uniform playing characteristics, predictable ball behaviour, and optimal grip are some of the benefits that a player can enjoy on an artificial turf. Besides, artificial sports surfaces can be used all year round irrespective of weather conditions.

About the Author

Synthetic sports pitches has changed the game of field hockey significantly. The use of shorter fibres in Artificial sports surfaces has increased the speed of the ball across the surface; owing to which, the game has become much faster. Synthetic Athletic Surfaces have also brought about a change in the shape of the hockey sticks to allow for different techniques, such as trapping, reverse stick, and hitting.

Arm-pump-aholic Anonymous Compares Stick With Weight to Gripstik for Wrist Exercise

Fast By Design Product Review: Canadian Motocross Company

'Welcome to Fast by Design's first AA meeting (Armpumpaholic Anonymous). My name is Smitty and I am an Armpumpaholic. They say the first step to rehabilitation is admitting you have the problem. Well since I am the only one here I will now stand up and say "I GET ARM PUMP".

Whew! Now with that over, lets diagnose the scenario. If you are like me and have a daytime gig, you probably practice around twice a week and race on the weekends. Although you do everything you can during your motos, breath steady and avoid "Death Grip", you still have the Arm Pump monkey on your back. Well friends I have great news! The FbD test department received an interesting little package about a month ago from Gripstik. Inside was a curious looking apparatus that resembled two motocross grips glued together at their ends. I know what you are thinking, "Another wonder product that will fall short of what I need to help me kick the arm pump habit".

The first step to dropping arm pump is to ride as much as possible. If you don't put in some track time during the week, arm pump is inevitable. If you don't get it you are: A) not pushing hard enough. or B) a freak of nature. Once you are able to ride at least twice a week you will probably notice a reduction in arm pump. The next step is to work on the forearms during the other days.

Freddie Spencer, a multi-time road racing champion and dirt bike rider, suggests a broomstick handle, a piece of string and a 5 pound weight. You attach the weight to one end of the string and the broomstick to the other. Holding the broomstick you wind the string up raising and lowering the weight. This technique works great and from personal experience I found it helped reduce arm pump more than any other single exercise. Gripstik has taken the winding with resistance motion but removed the string and weight. Thus creating the unit we described earlier, the two grips actually twist against each other with variable force. The resistance can be adjusted by simply rotating one grip closer to or farther away from the other grip.

The Gripstik unit is very compact, in fact small enough to fit in the glove compartment of you vehicle, where mine is most commonly found. The reason for this is I usually use mine a couple times through the day. When driving to work in the morning I hit allot of stop lights, so instead of just sitting at the light staring ahead at the car in font of me, I do a one minute moto in my van. With about ten sets of lights on my daily commute I get a pretty good forearm work out. The second use is before I practice. After getting into my gear I like to stretch a bit before jumping on the bike. Between stretches I will do about 50 reps of the Gripstik to warm up the forearms.

I can honestly say that I have gotten the arm pump problem down to a manageable level. Between weekly riding and the daily use of the Gripstik I can run a 20 min moto flat out at most of my local tracks, something that was just a pipe dream last year.'

Here is a list of some satisfied customers who use the Gripstik Wrist Exerciser:

-Bill Collins: 5 time World Arm Wrestling Champion and Captain of TEAM USA Arm Wrestling

Read up on Bill’s tips to Arm Wrestling Training at http://www.gripstik.com/arm-wrestling.html.

-Brandi Profitt: Nationally Ranked Professional Rock Climber

Read Brandi’s review of Gripstik at http://www.gripstik.com/rock-climbing.html

- Larry Eastman: MN State Racquetball champion in Singles and Doubles

Read Larry’s Top 10 Racquetball Training Tips at http://www.gripstik.com/racquetball-equipment.html

-Joe Day and Curtis Brown: NHL Players

Read Frank Burggraf’s (Burggraf Skating and Skills On and Off Ice Training Centers) Article on Training for Hockey Success at http://www.gripstik.com/ice-hockey-training-equipment.html

- Joe Stansberry: USGA Champion and PGA Champions Tour Player

Read Joe’s review on how the gripstik helped him when he was ailing from carpal tunnel syndrome at http://www.gripstik.com/therapy-carpal-tunnel.html

For more reviews and testimonials go to http://www.gripstik.com/Strength_Training_Home_Exercise_Equipment_testimonials.html

About the Author

aryan@resonancetech.net