A while back I had the opportunity to teach a new activity to a soccer team at practice that I thought would be of great benefit to them. I had seen this particular “practice game” work miracles for other teams both in terms of the individual technical skills it helped to develop in participating players and in the effective teamwork it tended to facilitate. This activity had … [Read more...]
Exercise and depression – new study
A landmark study led by King’s College London and the Black Dog Institute in Australia has revealed that regular exercise of any intensity can protect against depression - and just one hour can help. Published today in the American Journal of Psychiatry, the results show that even small amounts of exercise could prevent depression, with mental health benefits seen regardless … [Read more...]
When exercise, sport, spirituality and the environment come together – Socrates meets yoga guru Eoin Finn
One of the aspects of sport that gets very little attention either in the popular media or, for that matter, in animated sporty discussions around the local bar is spirituality. Few punters give any regard at all to whether the Cowboys have maintained a commitment to daily prayerfulness, whether Gary Ablett is on a path to ascending to a higher plane or whether the Matildas … [Read more...]
Charles Darwin and walking – the unique value of exercise-induced reverie in the life of a scholar and thinker
Excerpt from "How to think about exercise" by Damon Young Charles Darwin. The world's greatest naturalist. Collector of barnacles, orchids and beetles. Jane Austen fan. Stalker of foxes. And a dogged walker. Darwin's daily strolls played an important role in his life, but also in the development of his ideas. They reveal the unique intellectual value of reverie in … [Read more...]