By Peter Dunn
Have you already decided to start playing a sport, but you’re not sure what type of training to go for? Perhaps you wish to do it just as a hobby, or you might decide to eventually do it professionally. Whatever your choice is, it is important to know exactly what it is you want, and how to go about it correctly.
There are different fields within the sports world where you might wish to prove yourself. Below, we’ll walk you through some of the things you can do to make sure you achieve success quickly and effectively.
- Cardio exercises
The cardio program will not improve any particular field of sport, but it is a basic training for whichever sport you choose. If you are a beginner, start with moderate intensity exercises every day. Cardio exercises don’t have to be done for a long time each and every day if you want to gain the condition for serious training gradually. The recommendation for time spent in moderate cardio exercise is two and a half to five hours a week. And when you feel ready to switch to vigorous-intensity activities, make sure you do it only after you have reached a certain level of conditioning and endurance.
- Running
If you wish to gain conditioning quickly and to develop lower-body strength, balance and power, running is the way to go. Once you have good endurance and condition, you will focus on other sports activities more naturally, and without losing your breath. Running also helps you improve vertical speed, because it strengthens the lower part of your body. If athletics is your passion, running is essential for your success. Additionally, increased strength of muscles will give you an advantage in running, jumping higher, and will improve your overall performance in any sport you can think of.
- Agility training
Well-trained agility is a key for success in any sport. In sports like football and basketball, you have to run, stop in a fraction of a second, jump, turn, then run back… and well-developed speed is not enough for that. In these sports, it is crucial to recognize the importance of changing speeds and acceleration. Agility training includes many different exercises that will improve your change of direction while running, as well as other actions you need. Remember, in sports, not everything is about speed.
- The Athletic Mindset
Not everything is about physical strength, either. If you are serious about the sport, you have to switch your mindset to an athletic one. Training your mental abilities is different than training a physical skill, but there is one thing they have in common: consistency. If you want to be a great athlete, there is one fundamental rule: take it seriously. That includes everything from nutrition to warm-ups, skill work, conditioning, weight room, stretching and games. If you are serious about every aspect related to your sport, you can be really successful. Another common advice would be increasing your knowledge of athletics in general, by studying something like a Master of Arts in Coaching & Athletics Administration.
- Age and sport
Today, many parents encourage children to seek a career in sports, and they start at a very early age. When done so, children get all mentioned points of training as a game. As time goes by, and their training gets more serious, so does their sport. They don’t need to switch their mindset; they have been programmed since the beginning. However, if you start at a later age and wish to gain success and be great in any sport, you will have to learn a lot. You will have to be disciplined and consistent, and do it all by yourself. One of the best ways to succeed is to actually study sports, and take it as seriously as you would any other profession. Many universities offer programs to help you excel in sports, like a Master of Science in Coaching & Exercise Sciences.
If you feel overwhelmed with all the facts about sports you learned by now, relax. If you take it one step at a time, success will come eventually. And if you feel insecure about your progress, or you think you are not capable of doing it all by yourself, consult an expert. Who knows, if you are serious enough, you might choose the sport as your full-time occupation, and spend the rest of your life doing what you love!