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College Football Week 4 Recap: Dynasties Falter, Underdogs Thrive

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College Football Week 4 Recap: Dynasties Falter, Underdogs Thrive


College football Week 4 turned out to be the most dramatic stretch of the season yet. A few of the sport’s biggest brands lost, others almost lost, and a handful of games went right down to the wire. Six more ranked teams faltered this weekend, continuing a trend of ranked teams losing at historic rates: 25 in four weeks, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

 

Aside from the sport’s obvious two best teams, Alabama and Georgia, it has now become unusually difficult to figure out who’s good and who isn’t. But we’ll try anyway: Here’s an attempt to sort out whose stock rose and whose fell during a surprisingly prickly weekend of games.

Winner: Arkansas

The Razorbacks didn’t win an SEC game in 2018 or 2019—the two years they were coached by former SMU boss Chad Morris. When Arkansas hired Georgia offensive line coach Sam Pittman ahead of last season, they handed him the biggest rebuilding job in the SEC. Less than two years in, he’s delivered. Arkansas beat Texas A&M 20–10 on Saturday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX. The Hogs have beefed up considerably under Pittman, and their defense overwhelmed A&M QB Zach Calzada. Arkansas will probably lose to No. 2 Georgia next weekend, but that shouldn’t detract from the program’s rapid progress.

Loser: Jimbo Fisher

Fisher, A&M’s head coach, was on the losing end of that game. He’s a $9 million-a-year coach who built his career on a reputation as a good offensive schemer and someone who works effectively with quarterbacks. This year, after losing starter Kellen Mond to the NFL, A&M had a preseason battle between redshirt freshman Haynes King and redshirt sophomore Calzada for the starting job. King won, but he was injured in the Aggies’ second game. Since taking over, Calzada simply hasn’t been up to the job: He has a 52.8 percent completion rate, four touchdowns, three interceptions, and a dismal 5.7 yards per throw in parts of four games. A&M’s title hopes boiled down to Fisher finding a QB who could win with an elite defense. So far, he hasn’t been able to do that.

Winner: NC State

Few college football fan bases have known more consistent pain than the Wolfpack. The Pack have not even shared an ACC title since 1979, and the program has never once played in a New Year’s Six or BCS-level bowl game. NC State is usually pretty good but has perpetually failed to get over the hump, especially against Carolina rivals like Clemson. But the Wolfpack beat the Tigers 27–21 in overtime on Saturday for their most triumphant moment in years. Dave Doeren’s defense punished Clemson QB D.J. Uiagalelei all afternoon, and the offense scored a winning TD in overtime after kicker Christopher Dunn missed three field goals in regulation, including one that would’ve ended the game at the buzzer.

Loser: Clemson

The Tigers have two September losses and are out of the College Football Playoff race much earlier than usual. (Every year since 2015, Clemson has at least been in the mix until the end of the regular season.) Clemson has a ton of issues. Five-star QB Uiagalelei looks totally out of sorts and could only manage 111 yards on 26 attempts in Raleigh (a 4.3-yard average). Running back Will Shipley, who’s now one of several key Tigers dealing with potentially serious injuries, has not been able to get rolling behind a lousy offensive line. In addition, the offensive play-calling has looked stale this season. Clemson still plays great defense, but this is Dabo Swinney’s worst team in years, and there’s no clear answer for a turnaround.

Winner: The ACC

Clemson’s struggles leave the door wide open in a conference the Tigers have won each year since 2015. NC State might have both the defense and the QB (Devin Leary) to break through this fall. Boston College, under second-year coach Jeff Halfley, beat Missouri in overtime on Saturday and scored 41 points with a backup QB to move to 4–0. Wake Forest is also unbeaten under the always-solid Dave Clawson and pulverized a pretty decent Virginia team in Charlottesville on Friday by a score of 37–17. Syracuse beat Liberty (and their potential first-round NFL QB Malik Willis) and looks to have a vastly improved defense. Even Pitt, which lost to Western Michigan a week ago, is getting great QB play from Kenny Pickett and still looks like a contender in the league. The ACC has not had this much parity in a long time; it’ll be fun to watch it play out.

Loser: Iowa State

With Oklahoma still unbeaten but struggling badly (including nearly losing to West Virginia at home on Saturday), Iowa State has an opening to make a Big 12 title run this year. The Cyclones didn’t help their cause by losing in dramatic fashion at Baylor, 31–29, over the weekend. ISU QB Brock Purdy, thought to be one of the best players in the conference, has been one of the Big 12’s least effective passers through four games. He is eighth among qualified Big 12 passers in ESPN’s QBR, only ahead of KU’s Jason Bean. Things could be better in Ames.

Winner: UTSA

The Roadrunners, who are only in their 10th season as a major program, are tracking toward their best season ever. They came back from a 21–0 first-quarter deficit at Memphis on Saturday to beat the Tigers 31–28 thanks to a last-second field goal by Hunter Duplessis. Running back Sincere McCormick (three TDs) could be the best offensive player in Conference USA, and head coach Jeff Traylor has UTSA playing with fire on both sides of the ball.

Loser: USC

The Trojans fired Clay Helton, their chronically underachieving head coach, two weeks ago. It appears they still have a long way to go, because Oregon State destroyed them on Friday night, 45–27, in Los Angeles. That should never happen. The game wasn’t even as close as the 18-point margin indicated. OSU was up by that much in the third quarter.


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10 Best Porters to Drink Right Now

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A bottle of Deschutes Black Butte Porter




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Best Time-Under-Tension Workout for Total-Body Strength

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Barbell Back Squat


The key to 360-degree muscle: 90-degree eccentric isometrics. It might seem like we’re throwing a lot of geometry at you, but the concept behind time under tension (TUT) is simple, says Joel Seedman, PhD, owner of Advanced Human Performance: “Perform the lowering phase of a movement in a slow, controlled fashion, usually 3 to 5 seconds; pause in the stretched position, typically around 90 degrees; then perform the lifting phase in a powerful yet controlled fashion.” Believe us, a time-under-tension workout can humble even seasoned lifters…Eccentric isometrics are like the pressure cooker of training.

“Rather than mindlessly performing slow-tempo reps, you’re using the increased time under tension as a means to fine-tune your body mechanics and alignment, which requires more mental engagement and focus,” Seedman adds.

If you want to forge functional muscle mass and strength while simultaneously bulletproofing the joints and connective tissue, give this 10-move, full-body eccentric isometrics workout a go.

Directions

Perform the following moves as 90-degree eccentric isometrics following the above protocol. Use heavy weight, but not at the detriment of proper form. Rest 60 to 90 seconds between sets and 2 minutes between circuits. Perform once every 2 to 4 days for optimal results.

Best Time-Under-Tension Workout for Total-Body Strength

Circuit 1

Marius Bugge

A. Barbell Back Squat

Set a squat rack up with heavy weight, then grasp bar and step under it. Squeeze shoulder blades together, then stand to unrack bar and step back with feet shoulder-width apart. Inhale, hinge at hips and slowly bend knees to 90 degrees. Pause, keeping natural arch in low back, then extend through hips to powerfully stand. 3 x 4-6 reps

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts renegade row
Marius Bugge

B. Renegade Row

Start in the top position of a pushup with hands shoulder-width apart on moderate-to-heavy dumbbells (shown). Explosively drive right elbow back to row dumbbell toward ribs while balancing on opposite hand and feet. Pause, then slowly lower weight, stopping a few inches above floor. Switch sides after all reps are done. 3 x 5 reps each side

Circuit 2

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing renegade row Dumbbell Bentover Row in gym
Marius Bugge

A. Dumbbell Bentover Row

Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding two moderate-to-heavy dumbbells in front of thighs, palms facing you. Push hips back and hinge torso forward so it’s nearly parallel to floor, soft bend in knees. Dumbbells should be near shins. Drive elbows back to row weights toward ribs. Pause, then slowly lower down for 3 to 5 seconds. 3 x 4-5 reps

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing Incline Dumbbell Chest Press with Legs Raised 
Marius Bugge

B. Incline Dumbbell Chest Press with Legs Raised 

Set an adjustable bench to a 30- to 45-degree angle and lie back with dumbbells in either hand. Engage core and lift legs off floor, flexing feet. Press weights overhead, palms in. Slowly lower to 90 degrees, staying tight and compact. Pause, then drive weights up directly over chest. 3 x 4-5 reps

Circuit 3

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing Dumbbell Bulgarian Squat
Marius Bugge

A. Dumbbell Bulgarian Squat

Stand lunge-length in front of a flat bench, holding heavy dumbbells in each hand by your sides, palms facing in. Rest the ball on top (shoe’s laces) of your right foot behind you on the bench. Slowly lower your body until your front thigh is parallel to the floor. Pause, then drive through your heel to stand. Switch sides after all reps are complete. 2 x 3-4 reps each side

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing Single-leg Romanian Deadlift
Marius Bugge

B. Single-leg Romanian Deadlift

Stand with feet hip-width apart holding dumbbells or kettlebells. Drive right leg up, foot flexed, knee aligned with hip, making a 90-degree angle. Hinge at hips as you slowly lever your torso toward floor, lowering weights and driving right leg back for counterbalance. Hold, then squeeze glutes to reverse. 2 x 3-4 reps each side

Circuit 4

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing pullup
Marius Bugge

A. Pullup

Hang from a pullup bar using an overhand grip with legs extended and feet flexed. Engage lats and draw shoulders down your back, then pull yourself up until chin is higher than hands. Pause at the top, then slowly lower. Pause at bottom, then reset before your next rep. 2-3 x 4-5 reps

Athletic man wearing gray T-shirt and maroon shorts doing Kneeling Overhead Barbell Press
Marius Bugge

B. Kneeling Overhead Barbell Press

Hold a bar with moderate-to-heavy load at shoulder level with forearms perpendicular to floor. Kneel at end of bench with feet flexed to grip edge for support. Inhale, engage your core and glutes, then press the bar overhead, pushing your head forward so it passes your face, exhaling at the top.
Slowly lower until elbows are at 90 degrees, then hold to maintain tension. Begin your next rep from here. 2-3 x 4-5 reps

Circuit 5

A. Dumbbell Pushup

Place hands on dumbbells (this provides greater range of motion) at shoulder width and feet wider than shoulder width with just toes touching the ground. Keep head neutral and hips high to increase tension on core, chest and tris and reduce stress on spine. Slowly lower to the floor. Stop
once elbows hit 90 degrees, pause, then push up to start. 1-2 x 6-8 reps

B. Biceps Curl

Stand with feet hip-width apart with moderate-to-heavy dumbbells in each hand hanging by sides. Engage biceps to curl the weights up, keeping upper arms still. Pause at the top, then lower slowly. Don’t let arms drop all the way down to keep greater time under tension on biceps. 1-2 x 6-8 reps


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The Best Jump Ropes for a Killer Cardio Workout

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The Best Jump Ropes for a Killer Cardio Workout




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