| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Rapid |
Posted - 07/30/2018 : 07:34:04
Physical preparation is one of the most important ingredients in the recipe for a successful season. It is what allows good players to become great, and it often separates the elite by fractions of seconds. Most people know how important training is, but aren’t quite sure about how to implement it. It can be a challenging thing to schedule while juggling some of life’s other responsibilities. It must however be viewed as a priority for anyone who wants to be great. Here are a few things to keep in mind in order to get the most out of your training.
1. Train. Consistency is everything. The goal of training should be to create a physiological adaptation within the body (i.e., increase in muscle tissue). Unfortunately, the brain doesn’t easily make the call to signal growth or to work harder. Training is what forces the issue. With a consistent stimulus, the brain is forced to adapt in order to accommodate the demand. Without a stimulus, the best program in the world would have little effect. If you take the time and develop the skill to become consistent, strength and speed training can take you to the next level. Training is a process and performance gradually increases over time.
2. Effort. This is one of the simplest, yet most important things an athlete must do to maximize results. Too often young athletes think that just by showing up and being in the gym they are doing enough. Working out is supposed to be hard! A sub optimal program done with great effort beats a great program done with average effort. Push yourself and embrace the hard work. It will pay off!
3. Take care of your body. Do the mobility drills, or stretching, your trainer wants you to do. They don’t prescribe them to bore you; they are designed to help you. Low level walking is a great way to recover from a tough workout, and is a great way to keep the metabolism working. I always tell young athletes to take the dog on a walk in the sun for 15-20 minutes. Eat for your goals whether it is for weight gain or for weight loss. In either situation you must eat for recovery, and this usually means protein and vegetables. The micronutrients in fruits and vegetables are critical for reducing inflammation and keeping the body functioning optimally.
4. Sleep! A full night’s sleep is unfortunately becoming a rare commodity because of our fast paced, screen-dominant world. Sleep is where the body goes into recovery mode and where the adaptations from training occur. In fact sleeping is a very anabolic (growth) time, and it must be a priority. Sleep loss is also associated with weight gain, fatigue, and reduced performance. Set a bedtime and try to hold yourself accountable within 30 minutes or so. One less game of Fortnite won’t hurt anybody. Place an importance on sleep and watch your grades and performance increase!
We hope this is helpful! Have a great week, and as always feel free to comment with questions or topic requests!
All the best,
The Rapid Team
www.go-rapid.com
Andrew Gordon, MS, CSCS
Andrew.Gordon@go-rapid.com
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