One of the questions on everyone’s lips during Euro 2024 was, why were Jude Bellingham, Kyle Walker and Bukayo Saka cutting holes in the back of their socks. Chris Hattersley from The Football Physio, who works with Premier League players, says it’s because top-level footballers are given a new pair of socks for every game, which are often very tight and can feel even tighter during a match due to increased blood flow: “It can lead to cramp or numbness, and holes can relieve a bit of pressure.”
The position of the holes is down to player preference. “Some cut three big ones at the back, others loads of little ones,” Hattersley says. But he suggests it’s not really necessary for the average footballer: they won’t be putting on a new pair of socks every game, so they will naturally become looser with wear.
Hattersley says non-professionals can learn another lesson from the pros, though, which is never wear a full football sock: “Players cut off the foot bit and wear an anti-slip grip sock underneath, then just use the calf section to keep the shin pads in place.” It helps stop the football socks bunching up in the boots and causing blisters. “There’s an obvious performance benefit with that.”
The table tennis hand wipe
Olympic table tennis enthusiasts may have spotted players wiping their hands on the table near the net (where the ball is unlikely to land) between points this summer. Gavin Evans, performance director for Team GB table tennis, says: “It’s one of the fastest games in the world. For an athlete, the average heart rate in a match is about 155 bpm.” Things get pretty sweaty, including the player’s palms. Their bat would slip if they didn’t wipe them. But players are only allowed to towel down every six points. Wiping hands on their clothes doesn’t help as they’re usually sweaty, too. “The only thing that remains dry is the table,” says Evans. So would wiping help a non-pro up their game? “I think it would. Even at a recreational level, most table tennis players get very hot.”
The weightlifting support belt
Have you ever wondered why Olympic weightlifters wear those huge belts? “They’re generally reserved for the heavier lifts, and predominantly used for back support,” says Jenny Tong, GB weightlifter. “When we take a breath, we brace ourselves [a technique that expands the torso] and the belt gives the core muscles something to brace against as the abdominal wall expands. It creates more tension through the trunk and core, which allows you to be more stable.”
For Olympic weightlifters, a belt is essential, but they can also be useful for the normal gym-goer, depending how much weight they are lifting. “The purpose of lifting weights is to get stronger. You don’t want to create a reliance on the belt, because you won’t give your intra-core muscles the opportunity to develop,” says Tong. She suggests using one only when you’re working at more than 85% of the maximum weight you can lift.
The tennis pre-serve ritual
Whether it’s at Wimbledon or the Olympics, top tennis players always inspect the ball before they serve – but what are they looking for? “The colour and fuzziness,” says Casey Ratzlaff, a professional wheelchair tennis player on Team USA, who is competing at the Paris Paralympics. “I’ll choose a ball that’s brighter and less fuzzy. It will travel through the air a bit faster and be a bit crisper on the bounce, because it’s a little newer.” With use, tennis balls lose pressure and become less elastic.
Obviously us normies don’t get the advantage of new balls every few service games, but inspecting and bouncing the ball several times, à la Rafael Nadal, can be useful for amateurs too. “It gives you an opportunity to take a few breaths to figure out what you want to do for the next point,” Ratzlaff says. “It’s something that players at all levels can benefit from.”
The diving shammy
A must-have accessory for an Olympic diver is a tiny towel called a shammy. “We use it to wipe water off our bodies so that when we’re doing complicated dives, we don’t slip out of our shapes,” says Eden Cheng, who represented Team GB at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. “If I didn’t use a shammy before attempting a double somersault, there might still be water on my shins when I grab them, and my hand could slip.”
Removing excess water from the skin also helps athletes keep warm between dives. “When I’m competing and I feel cold, my body tricks my brain into thinking I am extra nervous and I start shaking,” says Cheng.
If you just have the odd go on a diving board, taking a shammy might be a bit over the top, but Cheng says there’s no reason not to try it. “I don’t think a shammy would greatly benefit the average person but if you want to feel like a pro, go for it.”
The cycling cooling vest
In hot summer races such as the Tour de France and the Olympics, cyclists have to find ways to stay cool. One technique is putting on an ice vest before and after a race. Alex Dowsett, a former professional road racer and founder of coaching company Thighs Club, says: “For every degree increase in body temperature, there’s a percentage of performance loss.” Overheating can also affect decision-making, cognitive function more mood.
Ice vests are not necessary for non-elite cyclists, however. Instead, Dowsett suggests putting your water bottles in the freezer. And if things get really hot, try pouring water over yourself – “air flow on to a wet surface is really good at conducting heat away from the body.”
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The gymnastics tape
Gymnasts use two types of tape, says Ruddy Farquharson, strength, conditioning and rehabilitation practitioner for British Gymnastics: “One, kinesiology tape, allows a range of movement.” It stimulates receptors in the muscles, which give feedback to the brain about the position of their joints in any given movement. “The other is rigid tape, which helps protect ankles or wrists during high-force landings.”
It’s common for gymnasts to tape their ankles to help deal with the impact when landing jumps and somersaults. “It stops the joints being forced into a position where they might get injured,” Farquharson says. Taping isn’t just for pros, though. No matter what sport you do, taping may help prevent injury. But don’t just stick it on and hope for the best. Farquharson says you should “seek medical advice and make sure you get the right type of taping”.
The running sleeve
At this year’s Olympics, US sprinters Kaylyn Brown and Brittany Brown sported arm sleeves as part of their kit. The reason? For aerodynamics, but they’re most commonly used by endurance runners to stay cool and regulate their temperature, says Chris Jones, a British Athletics endurance coach:
“In extreme heat, the arm sleeve can help the cooling process by wicking moisture away from the body. And if it’s cold, you don’t want your extremities to get cold. Arm sleeves are really good for that.”
For the average runner, Jones says they are most useful for keeping warm during longer runs such as marathons and half marathons: “If you’re running the London marathon on a cold April morning, for example, you might start with them on and take them off as the body warms up.”
The swimming slap
One talking point of this years’ Olympic was the swimmers thwacking themselves on the back before a race. Oliver Hynd, a six-time Team GB Paralympic medallist who competed at London 2012 and Rio 2016, says this kind of routine helps get the adrenaline going and lets your body know you’re about to get in the pool: “It’s trying to wake yourself up a bit. You’re more likely to see sprinters doing it than the longer-distance swimmers.”
Hynd says it’s probably not hugely beneficial for normal swimmers, “but if it helps you get ready for your training session, it won’t do any harm”.
The cricket ball rub
It’s common to see fast bowlers polishing the leather cricket ball on their shirt or trousers, which leaves a red patch on their pristine whites. Neil Killeen, men’s elite pace bowling coach for the England and Wales Cricket Board, says this is all about keeping the ball in good condition, which will help swing it in the direction the bowler wants it to go.
“It helps the air flow across the ball in a cleaner way,” says Killeen. “Try to keep both sides of the ball as smooth as possible for as long as possible, which will give it more chance of swinging, and for longer. If one side deteriorates quicker than the other, focus on keeping only the smoother side pristine.”
Pro teams usually have a “ball manager” (a team member who takes charge of shining it), but it’s something both spin and fast amateur bowlers should do. “As a bowler, being able to swing and manage a ball is really important,” says Killeen.