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Athletes at all levels are constantly searching for how to improve athletic performance. This exploration goes beyond mere physical training and encompasses a holistic approach to honing one's abilities on the field or track. This article will pinpoint the causes of low-performance issue and offer advice and techniques to overcome them. There are some effective methods to assist your body's inherent calorie-burning mechanisms and enhance your metabolism.
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What is Athletic Performance?
Before learning how to improve athletic performance, we must understand the term’s definition. So what does that mean? Indeed, an athlete's efforts to meet particular performance goals throughout time are referred to as their athletic performance. The degree of performance will depend on the athlete's innate ability or level of fitness. In the end, each athlete evaluates performance according to his or her own standards.
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9 Practices Peak-Level Athletics Do to Improve Performance
You can utilize these 9 important strategies on how to improve your athletic performance and challenge yourself to the fullest:
1. Consume proper nutrition
2. Recover muscle adequately
3. Prioritize proper hydration
4. Use proper supplements
5. Train mental health
6. Take functional training
7. Take strength training
8. Keep track of fitness performance
9. Prioritize sleep
Let’s divide into detailed!
1. Consume Proper Nutrition
Proper nutrition plays a crucial role in enhancing athletic performance. Let's explore the specific nutritional needs of athletes across different macronutrients and hydration requirements.
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- Carbohydrate needs: According to the American Dietetic Association, athletes require 6-10 grams of carbohydrates per kg of body weight daily. This amount varies based on gender, total daily energy expenditure, and environmental conditions. Carbohydrates are essential for maintaining blood glucose levels during exercise and replenishing muscle glycogen stores.
- Protein needs: Athletes have slightly higher protein requirements than average people. Endurance athletes need 1.2-1.4 g/kg of body weight, while strength training athletes may require up to 1.6-1.7 g/kg. Extra protein is necessary for building and repairing muscles during and after exercise.
- Fat needs: Fat intake for athletes is similar to non-athletes, with 20-25% of daily calories recommended to come from fat. This nutrient provides energy and aids in the metabolism of fat-soluble vitamins. Diets with less than 15% fat content have little scientific evidence supporting enhanced athletic performance.
- Fluid needs: Proper hydration is crucial for athletes, as fluids are lost through perspiration and respiration during exercise. The American Dietetic Association recommends 14-22 ounces before exercise, 6-12 ounces every 15-20 minutes during exercise, and 16-24 ounces for every 0.5 pounds lost after exercise. For activities lasting longer than 90 minutes, sports beverages may be beneficial for electrolyte replacement.
2. Recover Muscle Adequately
This aspect is crucial when talking about how to improve your athleticism performance. Incorporating various recovery strategies into your routine can enhance muscle repair, reduce soreness, and improve your body's ability to adapt to training demands.
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Here are some effective recovery strategies:
- Active recovery: Engaging in low-intensity exercise after strenuous activity helps signal your body that it's time to recover. This can involve light cardio, such as jogging or cycling, or gentle movements like walking or yoga. Active recovery aids in metabolic waste removal and promotes blood flow to the muscles, facilitating faster healing.
- Static stretching: Holding stretches for 15-20 seconds after exercise can help relax muscles and increase range of motion. This can alleviate muscle tightness and reduce the risk of injury. Static stretching is best performed when the body is at rest, allowing for deeper stretches and greater flexibility gains.
- Compression garments: Wearing compression leggings or tops can aid in muscle recovery by reducing soreness and swelling. The compression helps improve blood circulation, expediting the removal of metabolic waste products and delivering oxygen and nutrients to the muscles more efficiently.
- Hydrotherapy: Water-based therapies can be effective in reducing muscle soreness and promoting recovery. Techniques such as contrast water therapy and cold water immersion can help alleviate inflammation and enhance muscle repair.
- Contrast water therapy: Alternating between hot and cold water immersion can stimulate blood flow and reduce muscle soreness. This involves spending one minute in a hot tub or spa (around 100°F) and one minute in a cold plunge pool (around 55°F). Repeating this cycle for a total of five minutes can be beneficial for recovery.
- Cold water immersion: Immersing the body in cold water (around 55°F) for short periods can help reduce inflammation and muscle soreness. This technique is particularly useful after intense weightlifting or during the acute phases of muscle injury. Gradually increasing the duration of cold water immersion by up to five minutes can be beneficial.
3. Prioritize Proper Hydration
Staying hydrated helps regulate body temperature, transport nutrients, and prevent fatigue. According to the NATA, athletes should start a training session to be well hydrated by drinking about 500-600 ml of water or sports drink 2-3 hours before training session and an additional 200-300 ml for 10 to 20 min before exercise. Some hydration tips that athletes should keep in mind are:
- Before a workout: Start drinking water or a sports drink 2-3 hours before your exercise session. Then, have a small amount of water or a sports drink again for 10-20 minutes before exercising to maintain hydration.
- During a workout: You should drink fluids consistently throughout your workout and not wait until you feel thirsty to do so. A good rule to follow is to drink 150-350 milliliters of fluid every 15-20 minutes to maintain optimal hydration levels.
- After a workout: Replenish fluids lost during exercise by drinking water or a sports drink, and include electrolytes in your post-workout drink to help replace sodium lost through sweat. Continue to drink fluids throughout the day to maintain hydration.
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4. Use Proper Supplements
Athletes can include vitamin D, B vitamins (especially B12), magnesium, and omega-3 fatty acids in their diet or supplement intake for optimal athletic performance. When used in conjunction with other strategies like maintaining a balanced diet and engaging in regular physical activity, these supplements can significantly improve your performance.
Consider integrating the OMEGA, ULTRABRN, or SLM+ supplements offered by STAAR LABS into your routine. These are evidence-based supplements that enhance athletic performance.
- OMEGA-3 fatty acids can help reduce inflammation and the risk of heart disease, as well as brain support and ocular health.
- ULTRABRN by STAAR LABS is a meticulously designed product containing a unique blend of ingredients. It is proven to be the most effective weight management supplement for both men and women. Additionally, it helps improve workout performance.
- The one that also deserves to be on this list is SLM+ (Staar Labs Max) — a premium natural supplement designed to enhance athlete performance. With a powerful blend that includes top-quality berberine HCl, bitter melon fruit extract, and banaba leaf extract, SLM+ is committed to delivering outstanding results for athletes looking to push their limits.
5. Train Mental Health
Whether amateur or professional athletes, they often experience various stressors such as performance expectations, injury recovery, media scrutiny, and pressure to excel constantly, all of which can impact their performance.
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Therefore, athletes should prioritize their mental health in addition to their physical well-being. They can use practical coping mechanisms like mindfulness, deep breathing, and meditation to build resilience when facing challenges. Learning how to cope and prevent unnecessary stress can empower them to develop a positive mindset when dealing with setbacks.
6. Take Functional Training
Functional training can really benefit athletes because it helps with the movements and muscle coordination needed for sports. Whether you run, swim, or play basketball, functional exercises can improve your performance by boosting your power, agility, and endurance.
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You don't need special equipment or a gym membership to add functional training to your routine. To get better at natural movements like squatting or sprinting, you just need to bring functional strength training into your fitness routine.
Examples of functional exercises that you can do anywhere include squats, lunges, push-ups, planks, deadlifts, and more.
7. Take Strength Training
Strength training helps athletes build power for explosive movements like sprinting, jumping, throwing, and tackling, directly improving performance in sports that require quick and forceful actions. So, which exercises can coaches, parents, and trainers use to measure and improve athletic strength? We suggest push-ups, chin-ups, med-ball throws, deadlifts, and Bulgarian split squats.
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8. Keep Track of Fitness Performance
By tracking your performance, you can see tangible improvements over time, which encourages you to stick with your routine and spend your time efficiently. It also helps you identify areas that need more attention and allows you to adjust your workout plan accordingly. Here are several ways to keep track of your fitness performance:
- Keep a fitness journal
- Use a fitness tracker or app
- Take progress pictures
- Monitor how your clothes fit
- Weigh yourself regularly
- Take body measurements
- Perform the squat test
- Check your blood pressure
- Challenge your body with specific exercises
- Count active minutes
9. Prioritize Sleep
Sleep is crucial for recovery and performance after intense workouts or competitions. Proper rest allows your body to repair tissues, consolidate memory, and adapt to training stimuli. However, several factors can disrupt sleep following strenuous exercise:
- Hormonal changes (cortisol, norepinephrine, adrenaline)
- Elevated core body temperature
- Dehydration
- Stimulant consumption (e.g., caffeine)
- Heightened nervous system arousal
- Disruption of normal circadian rhythms
- Post-exercise muscle soreness or discomfort
- Mental excitement or anxiety from competition
To help athletes improve their sleep quality and quantity – a key factor in how to improve athletes performance, one can jot down these useful tips:
- Aim for 8-8.5 hours of sleep per night.
- Keep your bedroom temperature between 65-67 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Maintain a consistent sleep schedule, even on weekends.
- Avoid large meals close to bedtime; allow 2-3 hours for digestion before sleep.
- If you can't fall asleep after 20 minutes, get up and read in dim lighting before returning to bed.
- Create a personalized sleep routine to prepare for bed.
- Put your phone away at least 30 minutes before bedtime.
- Consider activities like showering, light snacking, and brushing your teeth as part of your sleep routine.
- Develop strategies for nights when falling asleep is difficult, such as focusing on breathing techniques.
- Write down worries or use a worry journal to avoid reflecting on your day when trying to fall asleep.
Reach The Peak Performance with STAAR LABS
Overall, we should know how to improve athletic performance by integrating strategies such as maintaining a balanced diet, engaging in consistent exercise, ensuring ample sleep, and properly executing training programs. Remember, the key to success lies in consistency in these healthful habits.
To help you reach your fitness objectives, the FASST Training Program offers individualized training plans that prioritize functional movement. To see the life-changing effects for yourself, begin including functional exercise into your regimen right now. Our program is built to employ cutting-edge methods and high-quality goods to maximize your performance, expedite your outcomes, and enhance your general health and well-being.
