There are a number of ways that athletes can improve their physical strength and endurance throughout the course of a season. This not only makes it possible for them to improve their performance in various sporting activities, but it also allows them to carry heavier objects which is needed in the game of football. Although strength and endurance training are slightly different, they can still be combined to get the best of both worlds.
Physical strength, for example, will affect how much weight an athlete can lift. Endurance, on the other hand, affects how long the athlete can lift the weight, or how long they can do a physical task. So, how do athletes improve their fitness for the upcoming season? If you’re an athlete looking to improve your abilities, here are some tips to consider:
- Combine Strength Days with Cardio Days
Believe it or not, this is a simple equation: mix up your exercises. The more muscles you can get involved in your workout, the more it will challenge your heart and cardiovascular system. Instead of focusing on cardio workouts only, make sure to weave strength days into your training. Most people who work out (athletes included) typically reserve one day for strength and another day for cardio.
How can you combine the two?
Try using the bench press, immediately followed by pull-ups, then run at least one mile as fast as you can and repeat the workout. Another good workout: Try using a jump rope for a minute, followed by squats, and sit-ups. Once you’re done, repeat the process all over again. These are just a few workouts that involve both the strength and cardio.
- Have a Healthy Diet
Determining how many calories you should consume daily is perhaps the most effective way to improve your fitness. The sports industry can be stressful, and while many athletes yearn to be leaner and lighter, some athletes, in fact, have to be leaner and lighter. If you compete in a sport with weight classes (i.e. wrestling), you’ll likely put pressure on yourself to achieve a weight that might defy your body’s physique. Some athletes can achieve this demand in a healthy way; others, however, might struggle.
- Cutting Weight the Right Way
Small changes such as eating grapes instead of saturated fat or drinking water over soda can make a huge difference in an athlete’s life physically; and with over 60 percent of working adults reporting weight discrimination in the workforce, it can impact your life financially as well.
Drink at least 10-16 ounces of water before eating a meal or snack. This will help make your stomach fuller, meaning you won’t as much. A balanced diet is extremely important when it comes to improving your fitness and maintaining it. It’s also important to remember that exercising without food is just as bad. Why?
Well, when athletes are exercising on an empty stomach, the body holds onto the bad fat. This means that while athletes are working out, the bad fat stays in their body. Following a good diet can improve an athlete’s fitness and lifestyle.
- Use Compound Movements Over Isolation
Relying on compound movements that require using more than one joint — like squats, sit-ups, step-ups, pull-ups, and pushups — will without a doubt improve your endurance more so than exercising in isolation. Power walking is another exercise that requires compound movements and it’s easy to do. Exercises like bicep curls and leg lifts aren’t going to stimulate the body enough to increase stamina.
- Avoid Repeating the Same Routine Workouts
As modern life gets more sedentary, people are starting to realize that there is a need to get up and get moving towards fitness. That being said, finding an exercise routine that you like doing and that you’re able to do, may take a lot more time and dedication. However, switching up your workout is an essential part of building endurance and stamina. In the beginning, you might notice that you’re building muscle and the exercise routine is paying off, but after a few months, you might start to notice that your body hasn’t changed much. The reason for this is simple: with the repetition of the same type of workout, your body will get used to the exercise routine and therefore, will consume less energy.
If you change up your exercise routine, your body will be continuously challenged and it will work harder, resulting in a more successful routine. In addition, you can avoid repetition and boredom.
