i s s u e 005
U N S U N G
f e b 28 20 17
H E R O
Inter view with the GCC and West Asian Champion Faisal Ashkanani
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02 28 2017
the sports journal
F EAT U R ES
WARM-UP 03
interview
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of the month
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news
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Basketball Coach Farah Al Ammar answers our quick-fire questions
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Quote, Number, Comment, Top and Flop Chaos in Al Qadsia Club results in fans protesting and administration resigning and The Kuwait national team dominates in the West Asian Paragames held in the UAE
some history
Sameer Saeed: the picture of sportsmanship.
Front Cover, Above: Bryan Decker | 500px
i s s u e 005
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recap
After the resignation of Sheikh Salman Al Humood Al Sabah, a decree was issued appointing the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Khaled Al Rodhan, as the new Minister of Youth and Sport
unsung hero
GCC and West Asia champion Faisal Ashkanani talks about his journey representing Kuwait and the current status of fencing in Kuwait
RECOVERY 29
highlight
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university athletics
34
the event
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potential to inspire
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the gym
dalal al rowaished
Dalal Al Rowaished talks about her field experience in American college sports and future plans for Kuwait
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Faisal Al Shawa, sports scientist, offers tips on how to avoid “hitting a wall” Spring 2017 schedule of games RedBull Reign champions Wlad El Bahar and Flare Fitness Festival at GUST An initiative providing a platform for the extreme sports community Flare’s students have become masters
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THE INTERVIEW
Farah Al-Ammar Basketball Coach Farah Al Ammar talks about her deepest fear, her favorite cuisine, and her favorite holiday destination
In your opinion, who is the best basketball player in history? Michael Jordan
If you weren’t a basketball coach, what sport would you coach? Badminton and swimming
Most underrated basketball player in Kuwait? Without mentioning names. Some people are given chances and some aren’t. But in general, girls aren’t given many chances in Kuwait.
Which sport you dislike watching or playing? Tennis
Before every match, I listen to…? Nothing specific Who is the best player you’ve coached? Hessa Al-Azzaz What’s your favorite restaurant? Hardees and Ashaz
MH | Courtesy of Farah Al- Ammar
If you were a professor at university what subject would you like to teach? A professor specialized in sports Do you know how to cook? What can you cook best? I don’t even know where the kitchen is... Something you dream about but never happened? Thankfully, everything I wished for happened and now I am a basketball coach.
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What would you do if you were the President of the Kuwait Basketball Association for one day? One day is not enough to fix and change everything Most thing that used to scare you as a child? Injections, i still get scared of doctors and injections. Favorite movie? Indian movies Favorite country that you have visited Spain (Mallorca)
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OF THE MONTH
NUMBER OF THE MONTH
TWEET OF THE MONTH
38
Kuwait Club had to wait 38 years to finally win back the volleyball league title. Kuwait Club defeated Kazma 3-1 in the final and was crowned champions on the 14th of February 2017. Kuwait’s last league title triumph was in 1979.
@nawaf_i_k - “In
order to work in a professional manner in sports… we must respect the intelligence of the people working in the field whom may not have the social connections to make them successful, but have the intellligence.” Nawaf Ibrahim - 18/2/2017
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
“A nation without sports is a lazy and dead one.” Sports Lobby program on Al Adalah TV Eman Al Kout - 16/2/2017
TOP OF THE MONTH
FLOP OF THE MONTH
Kuwait’s Junior Team finished 3rd in the international “Jeem Cup” tournament in Qatar. Kuwait ’s juniors impressed the nation with their outstanding performances beating notorious nations such as Brazil, Russia, and title holder Sudan in the group stages.
The Kuwait Olympic Committee (KOC) has reversed the decision made by the KFA’s appeals committee awarding Al Arabi 3 points in their game against Kuwait Club. As a result Al Arabi and Al Qadsia have threatened to withdraw from the VIVA Premier League out of solidarity.
Left: Instagram | Right: Al Qabas Newspaper
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NEWS
Kuwait wins several medals in West Asian Para-Games The first edition of the West Asian Para Games took place from February 8-24, 2017 in the United Arab Emirates. Five sports competed across Sharjah’s three East Coast Cities, Kalbaa, Khorfakkan and Dibba Alhosn. The sports - Athletics, Powerlifting, Goalball, Table Tennis and Wheelchair Basketball - have been chosen as the most widely practiced in the West Asian Sub Region. The Games were organised by the UAE Paralympic Committee, who are represented by the Khorfakkan Club for the Handicapped. All NPCs from the west Asian Sub Region were invited to attend. The Kuwaiti Disabled Sport Club earned eight gold, eight silver, and six bronze
Courtesy of Kuna
medals in the West Asian Para Games. The total number of medals put them in fourth place of the overall competition. Kuwait team participated in several games, such as track and field, discus, shot put, javelin, and table tennis. The team previously won four trophies during the first round of the championship held last week at Kaser Sea Beach in Abu Dhabi. In track and field, gold medals went to Abdullah Al-saleh and Rashed Al-Hassan. silver medals to Abdullah Al-Masoud and Mohammed Mejbel, with bronze medals to Nasser Al-Saleh, Mohammed Ben Jabal, Abdullah Al-Saif, and Dhari Bouti In table tennis, gold medals went to Nezar Ramadan and Yaqoub Al-Khalifa, while both Hussain
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"The achievement is coinciding with celebrations of the country's national and liberation days, so we were very h a p p y f o r t h i s ." Al-Bannai and Abdullah Al-Khaldi won bronze medals. Basma Najem also participated with them and won a bronze medal in Shot Put.
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NEWS
Al Qadsia Club in turmoil, again.
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n February 23 at the Kuwait Viva Premier League, Sulaibikhat beat Al-Qadsia club by two goals. The aftermath of the game was met with angry fans of Al-Qadsia club forming a large crowd outside the stadium in the parking lot, going so far as calling for board members Saud Bo Hamad and Mohammed Al Bannai to resign.
the board members accepted the fans demands submitted their resignation to the General Secretary of the club, Reza Marafie, the next day. This is not the first set of resignations that the club has witnessed, with Vice President Bassam Al Bassam and Assistant Secretary Nasser Al Sharhan resigning in December and October 2015 respectively.
Fans questioned the reasons behind the unstable performance of the team this season, specifically in reference to their loss in the semi-finals of the Amir cup against Al-Kuwait club. Other questions were raised about what had caused the change in the decision to resign after this game, and whether or not it had to do with a dispute between the two board members.
Some have argued that since Shaikh Khalid Al-Fahad joined the club as president, there has yet to be a new level of support. It seems that the future of the club seems to be up in the air as it will only take two more resignations for a new election to be held.
Such a dispute has been said to have an affect on the players performance in their recently tumultuous season. In the end,
Aljarida.com
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SOME HISTORY
Sameer Saeed 16 March 1984 “This is what it’s all about the compassion and brotherhood between the youth of the Gulf. The crowd is cheering for Samir Saeed and his sportsmanship as he carries Mansour Maftouh out of the field. He needs to be commended on his sportsmanship.” During the 1984 Gulf Cup match between Kuwait and Qatar, the late national team keeper Sameer Saeed carried the injured Qatari striker Mansour Muftah and took him outside the field to receive treatment as the referee of the match refused to pause the game for the injured player.
Jaridat.com www.almrsal.com
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THE MOMENT
al qadsiya club Mohammed Al Hamad Stadium, Hawalli, Kuwait. February 23rd, 2017. Reda Hani and Khaled Al Qahtani of Al Qadsia stunned by their defeat to Sulaibikhat 2-1 in the Kuwait VIVA Premier League. Sportsspirit
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RECAP
Kuwait’s Information and Youth Minister resigns after grilling over sports ban.
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heikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah steppeddown from the position of Minister of State for Youth Affairs earlier this month, two days before he was due to face a Parliamentary vote of no confidence. It came after 32 of the Gulf state’s 50 lawmakers had indicated they would vote against him. Commercial policies, including changes to media contacts, are thought to have played a decisive role in reducing his support, but opposition to his sporting policies was also a significant factor. A decree was issued appointing Minister of Commerce and Industry, Khaled Al-Roudan, as Minister of State for Youth Affairs. Al-Roudan is also the Minister of Commerce and Industry and has added sport to his portfolio of responsibilities since Sheikh Salman’s departure.
Courtesy of Kuna
Sheikh Salman, a cousin of Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and Association of National Olympic Committees, President Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, was responsible for a controversial 2015 law which intervened in the Kuwait Olympic Committee and other National Federations. The country was suspended by the IOC in October of that year for Government interference. FIFA and numerous other International Federations have also suspended them. Al-Roudan promised to take the necessary action to lift the suspension of Kuwait’s participation in international sports events. He and others have called on the IOC to lift the suspension and claim they are in the process of reforming the sports laws. He has been head of the Organising Committee
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of the Al-Roudan Tournament since 2007, an indoor event which has featured dozens of global stars including Zinedine Zidane, Alessandro Del Piero and Diego Costa. According to a biography published on the website of the Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority, Al-Roudan is also an “honor member” of teams including Atlético Madrid, Barcelona and Inter Milan. He is currently a leading figure in the move to privatise football clubs away from the control of the Kuwait Football Association and other sporting authorities. This includes lobbying for Government funding to help clubs recruit players, although this has been made harder since the FIFA ban because Kuwait is now excluded from the global transfer monitoring system.
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UNSUNG HERO
UNSUNG HERO T h e G CC a n d We s t A s i a n C h a m p i o n o n h i s j o u r n e y r e p r e s e n t i n g K u w a i t a n d the current status of fencing in the country. An inter view with Faisal Ashkanani
“W
hen I was around 12 years old, I went to Al Qadsia Club wanting to play handball. Back then, my father worked in public relations at the club and had encouraged me to explore the different sports available there. It was by coincidence that one of the fencing administrators, Mr. Abbas Ashkanani, saw me and asked me to try fencing instead of handball. They had a training camp at the club and he persuaded me to give it a shot for a couple of
Left: Adnan Kamal
days. When I got there, I was surprised to find everyone playing football - I joined right away! I still didn’t know what fencing was, but at that point, I didn’t care; I enjoyed playing football with the boys. Later on, the coach, Mr. Kazem Malallah, took me aside and started teaching me the basics of fencing. It was there that my journey began. Coach Malallah has coached and supported me throughout my career with both the club and national team, so I owe a lot of my success to him.
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In my first year of fencing, I didn’t accomplish or win anything, but I was still learning. It was after that, from my second year with Al Qadsia club onwards, I was finally earning medals trophies. This eventually led to a call asking me to join Kuwait’s junior national team, something I would never have imagined just a few years earlier.
other fencers from all over the world. After the two weeks in Germany, we were ready to head to the GCC tournament in Bahrain, with 4 players representing the Kuwait national team. I was able to win silver in the individuals’ competition and gold in the teams’. This was the second time I won the silver medal at the GCC tournament.
G C C To u r n a m e n t
Career with the national team
In preparation for the GCC tournament, the national team went on a two-week training camp in Germany at the best fencing training facility in the world. I found it extremely beneficial for me because it really puts your preparation to the test, playing against
Dawn Uhalley
One of my greatest accomplishments with the national team was winning two gold medals during the 2013 West Asian Championship in Jordan. The championship had over 7 nations competing and it was a special time
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“It was happening all over again, I was one touch away from losing in the quarterfinals, everyone thought I had lost, but I ended up winning t h e t o u r n a m e n t .” fourteen
“Through fencing, I have learned how to be patient and e x a m i n e l i f e f r o m m u l t i p l e d i m e n s i o n s w i t h o u t h a s t i n e s s .”
for me because I won both the individuals’ and teams’ competition during my first year playing for the senior national team. I still remember my quarter match final - I was losing 14-10 and my opponent from Jordan needed one more touch to win the game. At that point, everyone thought I had lost, even my coach and teammates left me because they thought for sure I would lose the match. I was one touch away from crashing out of the tournament and I had nothing to lose. I went on the offensive and managed to get one touch after another, turning the tables and winning the match with the Jordanian player cracking under pressure! I qualified for the semi-finals and faced off against a
Dawn Uhalley
player from Kuwait, moving on to play against a fencer from the Emirates in the final. It was a miracle! It was happening all over again, I was one touch away from losing in the quarterfinals, everyone thought I had lost, but I ended up qualifying and winning the tournament.
I m p r ov i n g Fe n c i n g i n Kuwait
Scouting. We need to pay more attention to finding young talent in Kuwait and encouraging kids to join fencing from a young age. Coaches need to go to schools and approach kids about joining clubs. Kuwait has many talented athletes that can succeed in any sport, we should be encouraging
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them! Today, in Al Qadsia, our training gym is empty. Our coach always shows up but barely has anyone to train. When I was younger we would have around 20 players practicing in the gym and we need to bring that back. Other clubs don’t necessarily face that problem, for example, Al-Arabi club has many players with a range of ages. Also, despite fencing statistically being one of the most successful sports in Kuwait, we don’t receive much media coverage as a sport. Thus, people don’t know much about fencing. There are rare occasions when media will cover and highlight players, such as Tareq Al Qallaf.
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Kuwait’s strongest point
We have some of the finest fencing arenas in the region, even on international standards. On top of our facilities, we also have some of the best coaches out there, coaches that come from the top schools of fencing in countries like Romania and Hungary. This allows us to get the best training possible and learn from the different schools of fencing.
Va l u a b l e l e s s o n
Through fencing, I have learned how to be patient and examine life from multiple dimensions without hastiness. Some people worry a lot about the future and don’t appreciate the present. You must take every chance you get in life when it presents itself to you, doing so without stressing over the future. I have seen players worry and stress over an upcoming tournament and without even noticing, their form begins to drop and they end up losing in the tournament.
Wishful thinking
This would require serious financing, but my dream is to establish a fencing academy for kids and become a talent feeder for clubs. I would scout, train, and develop talents for clubs to recruit. The academy would be open to both genders and I am positive that the junior national team would benefit from this idea.
Advice
Fencing is not as hard as people may think, is just takes practice and determination. The feeling of wearing the jacket and helmet and looking at your opponent, knowing you can beat them, is one you can’t find in any other sport. Fencing has given me a lot and I am very thankful for that. Through fencing, I was able to represent Kuwait both regionally and internationally and make my family and country proud. It’s indescribable really, to be able to represent your country and watch your flag raised while standing on the podium holding a gold medal.”
Adnan Kamal
“I was able to represent Kuwait both regionally and internationally and make my family and country proud. I t ’ s i n d e s c r i b a b l e r e a l l y, t o b e a b l e to represent your country and watch your flag raised while standing on the p o d i u m h o l d i n g a g o l d m e d a l .”
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THE MOMENT
Mohammed Hajeyah PHUKET THAILAND-NOVEMBER 16: Mohammed Hajeyah of Kuwait in action during the Beach Soccer match between Kuwait and Thailand in the 2014 Asian Beach Games at Saphan Hin in Thailand. Mooinblack
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DALAL ROWAISHED
Athletic Trainer A member of a various medical teams in American college sports talks about her on field experience and future plans for Kuwait An inter view with Dalal Al Rowaished
D
a l a l g ra d u a t e d f r o m California State University Northridge with a degree in Athletic Training. The Athletic training program encompasses injury prevention, emergency care, clinical diagnosis, therapeutic intervention and rehabilitation of emergency, acute and chronic medical conditions involving impairment, functional limitations and disabilities.
Courtesy of Dalal Al Ruwaished
The program requires students to complete observational hours at high schools, community colleges, universities and physical therapy clinics before obtaining their degree. w h at m a d e yo u d e c i d e to p u rs u e t h i s c a r e e r pat h ? I chose this career because growing up in Kuwait as a female athlete, I quickly
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noticed the lack of care and attention that female athletes received. I played soccer at school and at tournaments, and there never was an athletic trainer on site. Athletes that would get injured on the field would have to be transported to a hospital for acute injuries that could have been managed on the field if an Athletic trainer, such as myself, was present. As a young adult, when I thought of
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how I could combine my love of sports and medicine into a career, the first thing that came to mind was athletic training. Not only would I love what I do on a day-to-day basis, but I could also change the care that our female athletes receive in Kuwait. being a member of t h e m e d i ca l t e a m i n college sports must c o m e w it h a lot o f responsibility. In this profession, you learn very quickly how critical your presence is during practices, games and big events such as the Dew Tour. The Dew
Tour is a contest that brings together the world’s best skateboarders, snowboarders, and skiers, and I was fortunate enough to cover two events last year as part of the WMI global medical team. During the first couple of days before the events, the WMI medical team would practice how to safely assist and transport an athlete off a venue should an injury occur. The medical team would go over what to expect in detail and learn how to handle each and every situation that could possible occur. You are responsible for making sure athletes are safe, and in the event
of an injury you must determine if they are safe enough to go back out on the field. I’ve dealt with many injuries such as concussions, dislocations, fractures and minor sprains and strains. It is my responsibility to make clinical decisions to ensure the wellbeing of my athletes, as well as contacting athletes’ parents, when necessary, if they are minors. w h at l e s s o n s h av e yo u l e a r n e d f r o m c s u n at h l e t i c training program? I’ve learned a lot from CSUN ATP, specifically about what it takes to be an athletic trainer. Time, dedication, and a strong work ethics are some of the basic characteristics an athletic trainer must possess to be successful. My work ethics were enhanced throughout the two years I was part of the program. I learned the importance of teamwork, and as healthcare providers, we have a responsibility to ensure the safety of all our athletes. I have learned that a good education is key to success and even after graduation, we continue to base our knowledge off of evidence-based practice to provide better care. d o yo u c o n s i d e r t h e r e to b e a n y b i g c h a l l e n g e s t h at a n at h l e t i c t r a i n e r fa c e s d ay t o d ay ? The title athletic trainer usually gives the impression that we are personal trainers. There is a big difference between athletic trainers and personal trainers. Athletic trainers must have a bachelor’s degree in athletic training; where as personal trainers may or may not have a degree in health sciences. Athletic trainers must pass a comprehensive exam by the boards of certifications to earn the ATC credentials; personal trainers may or may not be required to obtain certification. Athletic trainers must participate in continuing education, however, personal trainers may or may not and still be certified personal trainers. While the daily duties of athletic trainers and personal trainers differ greatly, there
Courtesy of Dalal Al Ruwaished
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“The daily duties of athletic trainers and personal trainers differ but there is very little awareness about those differences. ” is very little awareness about such differences. are there differences between yo u r p r a c t i c e i n t h e s tat e s a n d i n k u wa it ? In the states, all schools that have sports programs have at least one athletic trainer available for the athletes before, during, and after practice. Schools have athletic training clinics where athletes come in to do their rehabilitation, follow up with the athletic trainer, and keep track of their
Courtesy of Dalal Al Ruwaished
progress. In Kuwait, we have nurses at schools but their expertise in acute injuries are not as well rounded as athletic trainers. During sports events in Kuwait, we would have Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) available to assist athletes during life threatening events but they may not have the expertise of managing injuries. For example, during football games in the states, if an athlete goes down on the field with a cervical spine injury, an athletic trainer is trained to read the signs and symptoms and can identify the severity of the injury right then and there. The athletic trainer would
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make the call to 911, can stabilize the athlete’s spine, and transport them safely to the emergency room. The athletic trainers are equipped to safely remove the athlete’s equipment to clear the athlete’s airway when necessary. Whereas in Kuwait, if an athlete goes down and an MD wasn’t around, if it was just athletes and coaches on the field, it would be difficult to manage and assist the athlete. d o yo u h av e p l a n s t o r e t u r n to k u wa it ? I plan on returning to Kuwait after completing my doctorate in physical
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“I will be honest and admit it’s not easy, but at the end it will all be worth it. ” therapy or chiropractic studies. I hope to be able to establish and manage a facility that will help prevent and rehabilitate injuries while making athletes feel welcomed and cared for. I hope to also be the physical therapist/ certified athletic trainer for our women’s national soccer team. I would like to bring back my knowledge and experiences to share them with our future healthcare providers in the field of sports medicine. I have had the privilege of working with many great mentors such as Scott Blatt, DC, ATC Ethan Ezaki DPT, Rick Bahr founder of WMI global whom have taught me what it takes to be a focused, dedicated, and driven Athletic trainer, and hopefully
Courtesy of Dalal Al Ruwaished
soon, what it takes to be a doctor. They have taught me how to lead a team, how to manage a team, and most importantly, how to be a team player. a n y pa r t i n g a dv i c e t o s o m e o n e interested in becoming a certified at h l e t i c t r a i n e r ? I would jokingly tell them to know very well in advance what they are getting themselves into. I remember the first question I was asked during my interview for the program was “Are you willing to give up your social life and dedicate your time to this program”?
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It truly is a full-time dedication. I will be honest and admit it’s not easy, but at the end it will all be worth it. During the athletic training program students are required to complete 225 clinical hours per semester, attend all classes and maintain a high GPA. Athletic trainers are the first people at the athletic training clinics as students and as ATC and the last people out. Athletic trainers are at events ensuring the safety of the athletes, the spectators and sometimes the referees also! If anyone loves sports, medicine, rehabilitation, interacting with the athletes then athletic training would be a great fit.
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THE MOMENT
kuwait national american football team Kuwait national American Football team versus Neuchatel of Switzerland in a friendly match on the 17th of January 2014 in preparations for the Asian qualifications of the 2015 World Cup in Sweden. 17/1/2014, Shuwaikh, Kuwait. Sportsspirit
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HIGHLIGHT
Pressmaster | ShutterStock
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‘HITTING THE WALL’ How to avoid ‘hitting the wall’ with your training program Written by Faisal Al Shawa | Founder of Believe Nutrition
‘B
onking’, ‘hitting the wall’, ‘plateau’ – these words are used interchangeably to describe the period in time when no further exercise gains are experienced. Often times, we reach periods throughout our fitness journey where we no longer notice results from our exercise. Everything seems to level off. Indeed, this is a normal scenario and nothing to fret about. Sometimes it’s important we go through such a phase to be able to bounce back stronger and fitter. As someone who has experienced this first hand, I figured to provide you with tips on how to overcome an exercise plateau to get back on track and successfully work towards your training goals:
1.
Try new exercises
Having had the time to reflect on my training program, I realized I was performing more or less the same exercises on a weekly basis. I got trapped in training in my comfort zone and with time it backfired as I noticed no further results.
2.
Hence, varying the exercises you do is absolutely key to continue seeing gains. Performing different exercises will place different stresses on the muscle. The new, added stress is essentially what helps the muscle grow and get stronger. That said, be creative with your workouts and challenge yourself by trying different exercises.
Increase the weight
For me, this had the greatest effect on my results. I can’t stress enough the importance of adding more weight to the exercises you perform. Obviously, it’s smart to start with low weights. However, as your body adapts to the training stimulus, it is crucial you add further weight to continually stress the muscle and allow for further adaptations to occur. Add weight at your own pace. If you feel that you’ve performed the exercise and completed a certain number of reps with minimal difficulty, then you should take that as a sign to increase the weight in
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the subsequent set or session. Listen to your body and make the necessary changes.
3.
Exercise specifically towards your goal
Think about your training goal even before commencing your exercise program, or at least revisit the goal midway through. Is it to gain muscle size? Muscle strength? Or are you trying to shred while staying toned and ripped? In all cases, work appropriately towards your goal! Appropriately manipulating variables such as the sets, reps, weight and even the rest time in between exercises, will help you achieve your goals.
As a final piece of advice, I urge you to take a notebook to the gym. Trust me on this one – writing down the sets, reps, and weights you’ve completed per exercise will help you monitor your progress while also acting as a motivational tool to help you perform better than you did in the previous session. This way you can keep challenging yourself and lower the risk of ‘hitting the wall’.
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UAAK
SCHEDULE 13-Mar
UAAK WOMEN’S FOOTBALL
AUK
7:00PM
ACK AOU 8:00PM
13-Mar
ACM AUK 9:00PM
2
ACK ACM
AUM
7:00PM
20-Mar
AOU GUST 8:00PM
20-Mar
AUM AUK 9:00PM
27-Mar
3
AOU ACM
AUK
7:00PM
27-Mar
AUM ACK 8:00PM
27-Mar
GUST AUK 9:00PM
3-Apr
4
ACM GUST
AUM
7:00PM
3-Apr
AUK ACK 8:00PM
3-Apr
AOU AUM 9:00PM
10-Apr
5
AUK AOU
10-Apr
GUST ACK 8:00PM
TBD ROUND
Courtesy of AUK
GUST AUM
13-Mar 20-Mar
UAAK MEN'S FUTSAL LEAGUE
1
2017
14-Mar
1
AUM
7:00PM
ACM AUM TBD OPPONENTS
VENUE
GUST AUM
TBD
TIME
7:00PM
ACK AOU 8:00PM 21-Mar
2
AOU GUST
TBD
7:00PM
AUM AUK 8:00PM 28-Mar
3
AUM ACK
TBD
7:00PM
GUST AUK 8:00PM 4-Apr
4
AUK ACK
TBD
7:00PM
AOU AUM 8:00PM 11-Apr
5
AUK AOU
TBD
7:00PM
GUST ACK 8:00PM
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MEN'S
12-Mar
1
15-Mar 19-Mar
2
22-Mar
UAAK MEN’S AND WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL LEAGUE
26-Mar
3
ACK
AOU
WOMEN'S
GUST 8:30PM 7:00PM
AUM ACM AUM 8:30PM 7:00PM AOU GUST GUST 8:30PM 7:00PM ACK ACM
AUM 8:30PM 7:00PM
AOU ACM AUM 8:30PM 7:00PM
29-Mar
AUM AUK TBD 8:30PM 7:00PM
2-Apr
ACM AUK
4
TBD 8:30PM 7:00PM
5-Apr
AUM ACK AUM 8:30PM 7:00PM
5
GUST AUK TBD 8:30PM 7:00PM
9-Apr
12-Apr ACM GUST 16-Apr
6
19-Apr
TBD 8:30PM 7:00PM
AUK ACK AUK 8:30PM 7:00PM AOU AUM AUM 8:30PM 7:00PM
9-May
7
GUST ACK
12-May
AUK AOU AUK 8:30PM 7:00PM
16-May
GUST AUM TBD 8:30PM 7:00PM
TBD
1st 4th
8
GUST 8:30PM 7:00PM
TBD 8:30PM 7:00PM
TBD
2nd 3rd 8:30PM 7:00PM
TBD
3rd/4th Place
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TBD ROUND
TBD 8:30PM 7:00PM
FINALS 8:30PM 7:00PM OPPONENTS
VENUE
32
TIME
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THE EVENT
(SPONSORED)
Wlad El Bahr Win Red Bull Reign
T
Friday was not just a normal day for all the participants who amassed at Marina World’s Basketball courts after enduring a series of tough qualifying games on the previous day – it was the final 3-on-3 round out of which one team would qualify to the World Final.
The winning team played with harmony and skill all day long until they scored the final bucket and grasped the trophy and the boarding pass to Washington, where the Red Bull Reign’s World Final will take place.
The local final witnessed surprising showers right before the games were scheduled. The teams lined up at the entrance waiting for the sky to clear with eagerness to compete with one another. Sooner than expected, the rain stopped and the first whistle announced the beginning of 75 hard games of fouls, missed buckets, dunks and unexpected cold wind.
h e m a i d e n Re d B u l l Reign 3-on-3 basketball tournament in Kuwait utterly pushed participating teams to their sheer physical and mental limits, mostly during the final game between Wlad El Bahr who overcame a tough battle against LA, by outscoring them 5-4.
Courtesy of Red Bull
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“We did not expect to win this great championship, but we did expect to advance towards the semifinals at least,” said Kareem Jaber, Wlad El Bahr team member. He continued: “ The toughest game we played was the final; it was physically and mentally draining but absolutely worth it. We would like to tell the teams qualifying from other countries to watch out!” Wlad El Bahr’s Kareem Jaber, Ahmad Yassin, Essam Abdulsatar and Abdullah Khedr will compete in the World Final held in September at the Goodman League in Washignton, DC.
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THE EVENT
(SPONSORED)
T H E D E TA I L S OF THE COMPETITION:
FITNESS COMPETITION:
Two divisions one for male
and the other for female, each category will compete against each other individually. Capacity: 60M and 20F students Starting time: 3pm Ending time: 7:30pm
UNIVERSITY OBSTACLE RACE:
Two divisions one for male
and the other for female, each category will compete against each other individually. Capacity: 50 students Starting time: 2pm Ending time: 3pm
Flare Fitness Festival
INDIVIDUAL OBSTACLE RACE:
Two divisions one for male
and the other for female, each category will compete against each other individually. Capacity: 240 students
F
ollowing the success of the first two Flare Fitness Festivals, Flare is back hosting the 3rd annual festival! Flare fitness Festival is the first fitness competition for students in Kuwait. This is the third annual competition; the first one was held in February 2014. The purpose of the festival is to engage college students in healthy workouts and increase everyone’s awareness on the importance of being fit. University Students from across the country will compete against each other in the real test and test their fitness. The competing universities are Gulf University of Science and Technology (GUST), American
Courtesy of Flare Fitness
University of Kuwait (AUK), Australian College in Kuwait (ACK), American University of the Middle East (AUM), Kuwait University (KU) and Kuwait International Law School (KILAW). LOCATION: GUST
DATE : 16 March, 2017 th
Starting time: 4pm Ending time: 8pm
THE EXPO:
There will be an area with activities and games, also some food trucks for the audience to visit by and entertain themselves through these activities along with the competition which running with it.
University students, put your pens down, close your books and head over to GUST for the most exciting fitness challenge of the year! We look forward to seeing you all there!
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Capacity: 240 students Starting time: 12pm Ending time: 10pm
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A D F EAT U R E
POTENTIAL TO INSPIRE S P O RT S F O R A C AU S E
A
n idea in the minds of Zaynalabdeen Al-Naqib and Mohammed Al Sultan manifested into a promising and exciting initiative called “Potential to Inspire” (PTI). With the goal of promoting the extreme sports world, PTI hosts local sporting events, organizes team & community adventures, participates in athletic management, and publishes footage of the PTI team practicing their different sports. The PTI team hopes to build an active and engaged community through such activities, one centered around extreme sports. The initiative is split into two branches: the PTI Pro team and the
Courtesy of PTI
PTI community. The PTI Pro Team is made up of 10 diverse and talented athletes well known in their respective sports. The team is comprised of Zain Al Naqeeb (founder, wakeboarding), Mohammed Al Sultan (co-founder, wakeboarding), Khaled Al Awadhi (Wakeboarding), Shaikhah Al Nouri (wakeboarding & snowboarding), Abdullah Al Ameeri (wakeboarding) Hesham Abdulhameed (managing director), Sara Al Sharhan (volleyball & project manager), Abdulrahman Al Omar (jet skiing), Aysha Al Quood (horseback riding), Zahra Turki (marathon runner- head of PTI Bahrain), Abdulrahman Al-Mushaweh (surfinghead of PTI California). These select 10 athletes go out on regular adventures
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that vary from skiing, scuba diving, motocross, sky diving, mountain climbing /hiking, off-roading, and more. Zaynalabdeen, speaking on behalf of the PTI Pro Team, says that “our passion for sports has motivated and pushed us to create something bigger than ourselves. We want to include everyone, because extreme sports & life outdoors is a self-growing and challenge, while also very fun.” The PTI Community on the other hand, is open to anyone that has a background in extreme sports and believes in the initiative. Explaining the idea behind the PTI community, Zain describes how they “want to create a huge extreme sports community that supports, guides, and produces
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talents.” Mohammed Al Sultan added, in agreement with Zain, that “so many people in Kuwait don’t know where to go to practice these sports. I always have people telling me “Mohammed we would love to wakeboard, but we don’t know where to go.” The PTI Pro team is also dedicated to serving the community by creating awareness campaigns and extreme sports events that reach out to all segments of the community. Expanding on his vision to promote extreme sports to people with disabilities, Mohammed Al Sultan questions “why people with disabilities are not encouraged to come out and try wakeboarding or any sports. Families are too
Courtesy of PTI
afraid and always keep their (disabled) children at home.” He continued the discussion saying that through PTI he “wants to change that.” Meanwhile, equally determined Shaikha Al Nouri hopes to gain more female athletes in wakeboarding and other sports. She points out that “as people have probably noticed, most athletes in Kuwait are men and we lack female athletes. I really hope to attract more and more women through Potential to Inspire.” PTI spreads their influence beyond Kuwait’s borders and reaches out to all GCC countries and more. They have branches in Bahrain and in California, with members of their community posting about and holding extreme sports events. Moreover, you can pick
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any extreme sport that you would like to try, even one that it is not available in Kuwait, and PTI will create an adventure for you - they will make it happen! The athletes that comprise the team are the very model of successful and driven athletes in Kuwait, as they regularly participate in local and international competitions. Whether its wakeboarding in Taiwan, horseback riding in Doha, or Jet Skiing in the United States PTI athletes are out to conquer the world. Check out their Instagram account (@potentialtoinspire), join their community, and become a part of the exhilarating adventure.
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THE GYM
(SPONSORED)
FLARE FITNESS Flare offer three members a golden opportunity.
Flare Fitness has developed and empowered 3 of their members to begin instructing classes in their gym. The students have become the masters! Once upon a time, Fawaz Al Dakheel, Abdullah Al Oraifan, and Abdulwahab Al Abduljader may have been your practicing with you in some of the crossfit classes or some of the endurance classes, today they lead them. Abdulwahab Al Abduljader and Fawaz Al Dakheel spoke to Fourteen about their experience instructing classes. Abdulwahab thanked Flare saying “I started training CrossFit three years before joining Flare but when I joined Flare they gave me the chance to train based on what I love. I am thankful that I got train in what I love and now get a chance to teach what I love.” Abdulwahab has begun instructing endurance classes at Flare and has described his experience as exciting, very well organized, and very comfortable. Moreover, Fawaz talked about his described his experience “It was weird at first having everyone in the class listening to you, looking at you, it felt strange.” He added “I could see it in their faces they were asking themselves “who’s this guy?!” or “Isn’t he a member at the gym? Why is he coaching?” 15 minutes into the class it hit me, I should be pushing the guys to the limits. So, I started yelling, shouting, and motivating them to work harder. At the end of the class, everyone came up and thanked me, after that I was thankful Flare quickly gave me the opportunity to instruct and showed me a new aspect in sports and in fitness.” Ultimatelty, we would like to humbly raise our hands to Flare Fitness for empowering the youth of Kuwait.
Courtesy of Flare Fitness
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EAT C R G EPIC AD
DO S
N
DRIN GO O
TURE
COMING SOON... #FINDTHEWILD.
EE FF
ON E OD O
KAN ME G V O
@WILD.KWT