Power Sport
Football
A highly charged game for its entire duration of 90 minutes, football is a sport that requires consistent and long-term endurance. Unlike many other sports, you don’t get long breaks in between the game and your body needs to be able to move with speed and agility throughout. It therefore becomes imperative to not only train, but also train right for the sport. Developing good motor skills with high stamina is key to improving performance in the game. The best way to do this is to ensure that you go in to each game with excellent mental and physical preparation.
Here are some tips to excel at your passion:Mental Preparation
The best thing you can do to prepare yourself mentally is to go in to every match with a defined goal and a positive attitude. For every athlete the goal is to find a balance between nerves and confidence. This balance can be achieved by preparing extensively before the game so that the mind is calm and assured when playing. Use this self-confidence to fuel your mind during the game for balanced play. Ultimately, continue working on training the mind to be calm by ensuring that you stay consistent with your training and your attitude.
Physical Preparation
Football as a sport requires reasonable endurance. Players need to be able to recover fast to carry through the duration of the game. It is therefore important to physically prepare your body with exercises that specifically help your game. For instance, soccer-specific endurance can be built through high intensity exercises that increase heart rate. Exercises that mimic the movement used in football such as sprinting, making quick cuts, moving from one side to another, etc. are crucial while training.
Right Eating Habit
For footballers, good nutrition habits take you the long way. This includes food and fluid intake according to the amount of training you are doing. In general, a diet that is rich in lean protein for muscle fuel and recovery, carbohydrates for stamina, and healthy fats is key. Carefully constructing a diet that contains foods and supplements with these nutrients is necessary to enhance your performance while training and more importantly while playing.
After Match Recovery
For quick and smooth recovery after your game focus on the three R’s. First Rehydrate- not just in with water but also with electrolytes, that replenish the salts and minerals lost in sweating. Second Re-energize- re-supply your body with carbohydrates, which are burned amply during the game.Sports drinks offer an easy and fast way to achieve this. Finally, Rebuild- by providing your body with proteins to synthesize muscle, mobility exercises to prevent injury and sleep to recover completely.
Tennis
A highly physical and exciting sport, tennis is a great way to stay in shape and improve overall fitness. The sport requires constant movement, and every muscle of the body is engaged when playing this game. Your endurance is also tested when playing the sport, and frequent tennis sessions help build your fitness in a way few other sports can. Tennis also offers the additional benefit of helping you clear your mind through the repetitive motions. It is a good way to release your stress by channelling your aggression on the ball.
Here are some tips to excel at your passion:Improve Fitness and Endurance
As a sport that requires constant fast paced movement, tennis demands that you work on improving your fitness and endurance. A combination of intensive and extensive continuous training helps build endurance. Intensive continuous training or high intensity interval training helps improve oxygen uptake and should be limited to twice a week. Extensive training in the form of running, cycling or other continuous but low intensity workouts helps you play for longer durations. These exercises also help burn fat to fuel energy required for the game.
Increase Mobility and Flexibility
Mobility, or your ability to move along the court has a direct impact on your game. To maintain quick movement and have healthy mobility range, you need to include mobility exercises as part of your tennis practice routine. These exercises include thoracic rotations, hip flexor rotations, shoulder and other joints mobility etc. It also includes foot drills and sprint exercises. Flexibility is equally important in tennis and can be achieved through static stretches and dynamic stretches such as butt kicks, jogging in place, active stretches etc.
Improve Core Stability and Balance
To control the ball and hit it exactly where you want to requires stability. This can be achieved through core stability exercises such as crunches, different variations of planks, bicycle and oblique twists. Balance can be achieved by improving your posture (slightly bent knees), your stance (feet wider apart) and endurance (so you can reach the ball faster and stabilize yourself before hitting).
Prevent Injuries and Pain
Injuries can happen when you are not training correctly and over-exerting your muscles, or when your technique is incorrect. To avoid this it is important to train properly by building your fitness through strength and conditioning exercises. Additionally, you should work on increasing your intensity slowly to prevent stress fractures and muscle strains. Finally, a proper warm up routine can ensure your body is ready when it hits the court and isn’t shocked by the pace or movements of the game.
Basketball
Basketball is a sport that builds and grows communities. A highly energetic and competitive team sport, basketball requires a commitment to the team in a way few other sports do. The fast pace of the game necessitate skill, concentration, self-confidence and quick judgment. Moreover, basketball is an excellent sport to build strength, agility, coordination and endurance. Depending on the level of play, you can choose to make the game moderate to high intensity. This game not only helps you become fitter, but also makes for an extremely fun sport to play with your team.
Here are some tips to excel at your passion:Play to your strengths
As a sport, basketball requires different players to be good at different things. For instance, some players may be required to be better shooters whereas others may need to be good at defence. Depending on the position you are playing, build your training routine in a way that helps you be good at all aspects of the game (ball handling, passing, penetrating, three point shots, jump shots, defence, rebounding), but the best in what is required of your position. By focusing and developing on that one skill, you can contribute to the team in far superior ways.
Get yourself kitted
Aside from the shooting equipment (the ball, basket, backboard and shot clock), basketball requires a few basic gears. This includes uniforms or jerseys of different colours for the two teams, so that you are able to identify and engage with your teammate quickly and effectively. It also includes high-tripped shoes that offer additional comfort, making your game as flawless as it can be. Finally, socks that reduce the friction between your feet and shoes are also ideal, reducing distractions so that your entire focus is on your game.
Get in shape
A well-designed workout plan can take you a really long way in basketball. Drills that improve your endurance, coordination, and motor skills and shot precision are key. Stretches before each workout, including those that help loosen the glutes and hips are immensely beneficial. Strength and core training are also very important in preventing and rehabilitating injuries. Owning your strengths and challenging your weaknesses through a well-built training plan can take you far in the game.
Eat Right Food
It is important to stay well fuelled before, during and after the game. Foods and supplements rich in carbohydrates as well as fluids are advisable pre-game as they prevent you from getting hungry during the game. Nutrition during a game should be focused around hydration, which can be consumed through electrolyte drinks. Post-game nutrition is critical to repair and recovery and should include a well-balanced carbohydrate, protein and fat diet.
Badminton
Badminton is the fastest professional racquet sport that requires the participant to have solid athletic ability and quick reactions. It is also inclusive with adapted rules for those with disabilities or on wheelchairs. This major game of power and speed requires the player to be agile and fast and is one of the best HIIT workouts. It is perfect for burning fat and building muscle since it engages your aerobic and anaerobic systems. The dynamic sport also helps you to better your gameplay and interact, meet or socialize with people.
Here are some tips to excel at your passion:Strong Psychological Approach
When you play badminton, the psychological aspect of the sport plays an essential role. To ace the game, you need your mind to be focused and prepared. Control your emotions, have a goal, be motivated, negate self-doubt, control your breathing, create a match strategy, be committed, and improve your concentration and composure. Your mental attitude towards the sport can make you better in every way.
Sports Diet
When you play sports, what you eat mirrors your performance. Even if you are a beginner or an intermediate while playing badminton, you must know what you should eat before the match. It is advised that your meal intake should be 2 to 3 hours before a match or training session. Meals should majorly comprise carbohydrates. An all-fruit diet containing oranges, banana, watermelon, grapes, and papaya will also do since it will give you the nutrition youneed and help you perform your best.
Practice, Practice, Practice
If you want to become a better badminton player, badminton drills are the best to improve your skills. Major badminton drills include a wall rally where you hit an old shuttlecock against the wall; you hit it straight, forward, backward, and diagonal so that you perfect yourself in strokes. To enhance your movement while playing, practice shadow badminton so that you can hit the shuttlecock in a better way. Physical exercises like running, skipping, burpee, jumping jacks, squats, lunges, mountain climber, wall chair, and more can help you out.
Right Equipment
While playing badminton, it is essential to have the right equipment. While buying a badminton racket, go to a shop rather than buying it online so that you can swing the racket and know its grip and weight. While purchasing a shuttlecock, consider a plastic one if you are a beginner; since they are heavier, it helps you build good strength. To gain a better grip and traction, wear special badminton shoes because they are lightweight and have good cushioning to absorb the impact when you jump. It is also essential to have the proper attire like shorts, a dry-fit t-shirt or wrist bands, and ankle guards.
Sprinting
Also known as Dash in the athletic jargon, Sprinting is a footrace done over a short distance where the runner runs with a burst of speed. The distance covered in sprinting is usually from 100 metersto 440 yards. You must have operational agility in this sport, and speed is the main requirement forbest performance. Sprinting is also a major explosive exercise because it’s a complete body workout that aims to chisel lean and long muscles.
Here are some tips to excel at your passion:HIIT Workout
HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) is a compilation of vigorous yet short cardio exercises concluded by rest. The rest time is equal to the exercise time or is longer than the exercise time. The HIIT workout includes sprinting for either 30 seconds or 60 seconds and then a minute of slow jogging or walking. Repeat this workout cycle for 10 minutes. HIIT is known to improve cardiorespiratory fitness.
Wear Right Shoes
Runners who want to sprint always wear light shoes since sprinting involves getting from one point to another swiftly. The sprinter can wear a lightweight training shoe, track spike, or racing flat to uplift the running performance. The track spike has a lot of pins underneath the forefoot, which makes it the fastest footwear. Racing flats amplifies the racing capabilities of the sprinter since the shoes are lightweight. Wearing the right shoe helps your calves not get beat up while sprinting.
Time for Warm-Ups
For an exercise routine or a sport, warming up is essential because it warms and loosens up the muscles and minimizes the risk of injury. Since sprinting is a rapid race, proper drills and stretches are necessary to ensure your muscles are refined and moving. For warming up while sprinting, you can jog in place for 10 minutes, do high-knee marching, side and front lunges, heel-toe drills, and lastly, you can practice accelerations.
Improve Your Body Position
Sprinting of high-speed all depends on biomechanics and control. An almost perfect sprinting technique is achieved with correct body positions, i.e., head, shoulder, hip, knee, feet, and arm positions. When these body techniques are set right, there can be harmony and relief in your body’s motion, aiming to move forward rapidly. Improving the sprinting form can also improve sprinting performance and prevent serious injuries.
Here are the tips PROATHLIX recommends you to excel at your passion.
Heal Up Before the training adventure begins, it’s very important to address the issues of nagging injuries and acknowledge its implications on the athletic performance. You wouldn’t like to ignore your injuries, however little it may be, and allow it to get something big. So, nothing is better time than “now” to address these issues.
Flexibility and Mobility An active warm-up and dynamic stretch prior to your workout and static stretching for afterwards is always advised to prevent the body from any possible sort of injuries of strain & spasm. Remember, stretching is not just for the hamstrings (although that’s what 90 percent of folks focus on). Remain careful to do appropriate movements to improve flexibility, mobility, and posture in your shoulders, core, IT band, groin, low back, and Achilles.
ConditioningTo put up a great athletic performance one has to have excellent overall fitness. It is recommended to do interval type work as opposed to slow and steady. Go hard for 20-30 seconds, then go slow for 30-40 seconds and repeat that for 10-15 reps. One can also mix in some cross training (biking, pool, Stairmaster, jump rope, etc.) to keep things fresh, fun & interesting.
Rest and RecoveryNever neglect the fact that rest and recovery plays extremely essential role in maximizing your performance. When going for intense training program, you need to ensure that you are allowing your body to get a proper eight hours of sleep each night to rejuvenate the body in full vigor & energy. If possible, sneak in a quick 20-30 minute power nap in day time. Take a day off as rest days are critical for body strengthening and enhanced performance. You should also ice the ailing areas after every workout (especially knees and low back) as well as use foam rollers and massage.
Self-Evaluation Critical assessment, on regular basis, to evaluate every aspect of the game is immensely essential to get clear picture about your strengths and weaknesses. Focusing on the qualities of strength, explosiveness, agility, flexibility, reaction, and power is an important aspect to prioritize your training. Knowing accurately about your strengths and weaknesses helps in prioritizing what component of your workout needs to be emphasized by how much, which in turn helps you address all areas of performance.
Hybrid Exercises A squat with an added overhead press, jumping pull-ups, and lunges with biceps curls are all great hybrid exercises to get in full body workout: exercises that combine two basic movements in such a way that you can work more muscles at once; giving you more effectiveness and efficiency in less time. Multiple muscles working at once in a movement stimulates your heart muscles, which in turn improves your stamina.