There’s less than six weeks to go till the Unibet EuroHockey Championships in London and the question everyone is asking each other right now is can England upset the Deutsche and Dutch?

Since the 2012 Olympic games in London when the ladies won bronze our national hockey teams have been enjoying some great success with the ladies winning sliver in the 2014 commonwealth and the men winning bronze in the same competition.

So this years Euro Hockey Championship is sure to be worth watching, especially since there are still other countries such as Spain men and women, Ireland men and Belgium women trying to qualify for the upcoming Olympics in Rio for 2016.

So you can see just how important this Championship is.

Now I’ve been spending quite a bit of time in London of late and I’m actually going to back to London for a few days during the tournament which will give me the chance to watch England Ladies play Russia at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

COME ON GIRLS!

I’ll even get to cheer on my good friend and England Defender Sally Walton.

Now the last time I was in London I stayed at the HI Kensington Forum, which is located within South Kensington and just 2 minutes walk from Gloucester Road tube station. In fact it’s only a stone throw away from the Natural History Museum, Royal Albert Hall, Hyde Park and Kensington Palace, being totally honest it was great being located here as I was able to just jump on the tube and get to other main attractions within the city quick and very direct.

The EuroHockey 2015 will be a great family friendly environment and the perfect place to watch some world-class sport, so I’d recommend staying at the Holiday Inn Kensington Forum if you’re interested in watching it.

Naturally I’ll be supporting England but for the neutral amongst us here are the teams to watch out for;

The Netherlands women seem to be unstoppable right now but to be fair they are Olympic Champions and World Cup holders. Ellen Hoog is the FIH Player or the Year and their Goalkeeper Joyce Sombroek is Goalkeeper of the year!

The Spanish women are looking sharper and fitter than in pervious months and are more importantly looking to capitalise on recent matches after beating several higher ranked teams, as they are chasing that all important place for Rio in 2016.

On the men’s side the German men come into the tournament as current Olympic champions and winners of the Champions Trophy, however their neighbours Belgium are also strong contenders that could ruin the Germans party but don’t write off England Men either.

Interestingly enough Germany and the Netherlands have won the respective men’s and women’s events eight times apiece since 1970.

Other outside contenders in the men’s game are Ireland who after a fifth place finish at the Hockey World League Semi-Final would love to cause a major upset in London. Watch out for their goalkeeper Davey Harte who is their stand out world-class player.

So if you fancy watching some world-class sport over August get yourself and the family down to London to watch the 2015 EuroHockey Championships.

If you can remember, I talked about the Edinburgh Marathon Festival in a post from May. In less than two weeks time, Scotland will again welcome thousands of athletes and spectators as Glasgow hosts the Commonwealth Games 2014.

I’ve never been to the Commonwealth Games personally but I know people who have and they say it was an amazing experience. The Commonwealth Games were first held in 1930 and have taken place every four years ever since. The games are described as the third largest multi-sport event in the world, after the Olympic Games and the Asian Games.

The Commonwealth Games are overseen by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), which also controls the programme and selects the host cities. A host city is selected (Glasgow) for each edition and 18 cities in seven countries have hosted the event.

The Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2014 will be the third Games to be held in Scotland. A highly sporting nation, there is always a buzz of genuine support and enthusiasm among the spectators. Glasgow will also welcome visitors from all over the world and over 6000 athletes from the 71 competing nations. Not only do the Games promise to be very special, but the city and surrounding area also have so much to offer.

If you’re after a place to stay while you’re watching the games, then look no further than the Holiday Inn Edinburgh – City West and the Holiday Inn Glasgow Airport. Both come highly recommended by the 4Ever Fitness team because they have great locations. The City West in particular is located only 1.5 miles from the City Centre and only 2 miles from Edinburgh Castle.

Some of the biggest names in sport such as Bradley Wiggins, Michael Jamieson, Mo Farah and Nicola Adams are preparing to go for gold at the Glasgow Games 2014. Here’s a video I found on YouTube to get you pumped:

Thanks for reading,

Swimming

Speedo’s new Powerflash Thinstrap Muscleback suit is reasonably priced and comes in a range of candy colour-inspired colourways. Our personal favourite is the mid blue with the pale aqua and black details. The suit is made from super durable material that will allow you to get full daily use out of the Powerflash for a long time.

Football

Nike’s newest innovation in football boots are the Hypervenom model. Created in striking orange and black, the aesthetics of the boot reflect the agility and adaptability of the shoe, allowing the player to make extremely quick reactions on the pitch.  The boot is priced around £100 and is available from all major high street sporting goods retailers.

Tennis

Fred Perry racerback tennis dress from John Lewis. This item is the perfect ‘fashion’ look for a day on the court channelling Jordan from The Great Gatsby. The pleats create a fantastic retro 1920s look. A very classic outfit if you’re going somewhere special to relax and play some tennis.

Yoga

From the H&M sportswear range, we recommend their sports tops for affordable yoga wear. These lightweight items in fashionable neutrals and neon are perfect for stashing in your work bag ready for your class at the end of the day. H&M’s sportswear line has won rave reviews from plenty of fitness bloggers for style and affordability.

Dance

Bloch Crossover Fleece from MoveDancewear.com is a very handy and stylish addition to have in your dance wardrobe rotation.  It’s cropped style allows the item to be worn over a number of different shirts and leotards, which makes for a great cover up when the temperature gets a little chilly.

Climbing

Charko chalkbags are made in Barcelona from organic cotton. They come in a range of fun prints from camo, to grass, to newsprint. They come with drawstring closer and a brush holder. They’re also very reasonably priced, at just under £20.  Perfect for keeping your climbing essentials stowed away safely.

Running

Although you should find an expert running shoe retailer to find the perfect shoe for your feet and running style, the Saucony Progrid Mirage is new and claims to be able to give you a cushioning effect combined with a lightweight running shoe experience.

If you make an investment in your workout clothes, they should need replacing less often. Spending money on good quality brands can often be the more economical choice. Think about items in terms of cost-per-wear, so sometimes you might find it’s better to spend more. However, there are tons of great online resources which will give you honest reviews of the product you are interested in. Gather the best advice you can and remember – everyone is different, and everyone’s needs from workout wear differ accordingly.

Thanks for reading,