Hilton Head Sports

Frank BabelImmediately after relocating to Hilton Head Island, Frank Babel began looking for a cause.

“(Professionally), I traveled all the time, so it was hard to do community service,” said Babel. “When I retired here, I wanted to make a difference.” It didn’t take long to find that calling. An avid bicyclist, Babel has become one of the island’s foremost advocates for bicycling safety and awareness. He founded an advocacy group with local bike shop owners, has been elected to a statewide cycling coalition and works with numerous local government agencies on bikerelated projects. But his vision continues to grow.

horseback ridingIf you who grew up watching John Wayne or Clint Eastwood movies, some of your fondest memories are probably the final scene as the hero rides off into the sunset atop his horse. For those interested in trying horseback riding, don’t expect the same kind of grandeur, but instead, plenty of hard work, exercise and direction. The rewards, though, are even more satisfying than clearing a town full of bandits.

Many natives and visitors to Hilton Head Island, with its beautiful beaches and sea life, wouldn’t think of the Lowcountry as popular area for horseback riding. But numerous stables are available for both one-time visits and continuous lessons.

Lawton Stables, located within Sea Pines Plantation, offers hour-long Western style riding to the individual without previous riding experience. With some basic instructions, riders than take a tour through the trails in Sea Pines, cruising on a leisurely stroll atop their horses and taking in the scenery.

Banish workout boredomTired of the treadmill? Bored with your fitness routine? If you’re looking for a different way to get in shape, check out these “out of the box” workout offerings:

Not-Your-Average Boot Camp

If the words “boot camp” make you cringe, then personal trainer Jakkie Pidanick’s personalized workouts will be a pleasant surprise. She works with small groups and bases her programs on ability, rather than a set idea of what a boot camp “should” be. Pidanick incorporates sandbags, free weights, and even PVC pipes filled with water, and she doesn’t force her boot campers to follow an outline that doesn’t fit them. “People tend to give up on boot camps and other training programs because they struggle to keep up and get frustrated,” said Pidanick. “I make anything and everything work, so no one has to feel excluded.” For information, visit www.JakkiePidanick.com or call 338-5305.

Local kiteboarder Joe Vicars sets out to catch some windLocal kiteboarder Joe Vicars sets out to catch some wind

On Oct. 3, 2008, Frenchman Sebastian Cattelan became the first sailor to break the 50 knot barrier by reaching 50.26 knots or almost 60 mph of wind-powered speed across the water. This record was previously held by sailboats, but Cattelan set the new record on a board with just a kite.

Speed is just one of the thrills that attract people to kiteboarding, an extreme water sport that is a hybrid of kiting, surfing and wakeboarding. There is no other sport in which you can achieve such speed or heights.

Water Sports Injury Prevention

Surfing

  • Bow bumpers or rounded front ends may prevent head and eye impact injuries.
  • Use caution in the shore break (small but powerful waves close to shore).
  • Chronic low back and shoulder pain are common. Cross training, flexibility and core strength help with these problems.
  • A leash can prevent your board from hitting others should you fall.

Gray Golf and Progressive Health and Fitness invites the public to a Golf Swing Analysis Party at 6 p.m. July 22 at Progressive Health and Fitness on Hilton Head Island.

Swing specialists from Gray Golf will be discussing how you can improve movement association proficiency, add more power, increase accuracy, develop consistency and fine-tune your short game.

Wake up your workout routine with triathlonsTodd Reiger was 33 years old when he had his first heart attack. Within three years, he had a second and then a third.

“I had a pretty hectic schedule,” Reiger said. “I wasn’t exercising and I wasn’t eating right. After the third heart attack, my cardiologist told me if I didn’t start taking care of myself, I was going to run out of lives, even if I had nine of them.”

Encouraged by his wife, he joined a health club and began working out regularly. But it wasn’t long before he became bored with the routine. When a trainer at the gym suggested he participate in a local triathlon, Reiger decided to give it a shot.

I have come to believe that the majority of modern day golf instruction is based primarily around instructor style preference. Jim Hardy has his own swing style, the One-Plane Swing, as do Bennett and Plummer with their Stack and Tilt. These teachers and others have studied the swing and come up with their own interpretation of how it should look, yet too much of the information peddled today is form-based rather than function-based.

In studying the top golfers of all time, no two swings are alike. Who is to say that Ben Hogan’s flat plane is better than Jack Nicklaus’ vertical arm move? Who is to say that Sam Snead’s slight over-the-top move was better than Nick Price’s drop-down transition?

Golf

Recreation

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