Whether you play soccer, basketball, tennis, or any other sport doesn’t matter. It’s only natural that you want to unlock your full potential.
While training drills focused on your chosen discipline play a key role, you must not ignore the influence of outside activities. Here are five that you should incorporate into your life to see the biggest improvements.
Flexibility Exercises
From yoga to pilates, exercises that aid flexibility and core strength will translate to sporting upgrades. The exercises engage muscles that often get overlooked but improve your athletic performance. Whether it’s getting a little extra bend during a movement or an extra inch when reaching for a catch, you will become a better player in your sport.
Crucially, you’ll gain greater muscle control of your back, which ultimately makes every movement a little easier. Aside from sports, the rewards can be noticed in daily life.
Low-Impact Exercises
After a tough workout or gameday, you need to reduce the strain on your body. However, it’s still important to stay active and maintain your fitness levels. Therefor becoming a better cyclist could be your secret weapon to sporting success. It will avoid putting pressure on your shins and ankles while also building your aerobic base.
Swimming is another fantastic choice that, like cycling, engages different muscle groups. Whether used on recovery days or simply to mix things up, your future self will thank you.
Sleep
The human body needs time to rest and recuperate, especially if you’re an athlete. After putting the body through physical exertion, a good night’s sleep is vital. It allows muscle fibers to repair while also regulating stress hormones. Naturally, feeling refreshed and reenergized will support the following day’s activities too.
For the best results, though, sleep must be incorporated into a healthy overall lifestyle. Nutrition and hydration will play equally integral roles. Consistency is key to success.
Strength Training
If you take your sport seriously, it’s likely that you already enjoy some gym routines and exercises. In most sports, opting for lean muscle growth will allow you to do better on the court or field. Crucially, though, you should also incorporate plyometrics. This can increase speed and jump height, along with other key athletic actions.
A stronger version of you will gain a competitive edge over your opponents. When combined with your sporting skills, incredible progress should follow. You’ll also feel more confident.
Warm Ups & Cool Downs
Finally, it’s important to prepare your body ahead of a sporting match or training session. Suitable warm-ups to engage the muscles and gently raise your heart rate are vital. Arm circles, hamstring stretches, leg swings, and inchworms are some examples. It’s key to preventing strains but also helps your body through various athletic movements.
Cooling down is also vital, supporting blood flow regulation and heart rate recovery. By preventing onset muscle soreness, you can get back to training far sooner too.
The Final Word
When you want to be a better sportsperson, it’s important to become a better overall athlete. Use the above steps to build your base and the results of your sporting endeavors will become even greater.
