Have you ever watched a professional athlete in action and been in awe of their performance on the field? Since many of us pursue a sport recreationally for general fitness, there are multiple benefits of training like a professional athlete. Incorporating some aspects of athletic training into your workout routine can have numerous benefits for the weekend warriors. Here is a quick introduction to the life of an athlete:
Improved cardiovascular health –
Cardiovascular exercise is any type of activity that raises your heart rate and gets your blood flowing. It can include activities like running, cycling, swimming, or even dancing and zumba. Regular cardiovascular exercise is associated with a variety of health benefits, including improved heart health, lower blood pressure, and reduced risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes.
When you train like an athlete, you’ll likely incorporate a lot of cardio into your workout routine. Athletes often engage in endurance training, which involves sustained periods of moderate to high-intensity exercise. This type of training can improve your cardiovascular fitness and endurance, allowing you to perform physical activities with lesser effort. Additionally, cardiovascular exercise releases endorphins, which can improve your mood and reduce stress. This will help you perform your daily activities with much more ease.
Increased strength and muscle mass –
Strength training involves lifting weights or engaging in resistance exercises to build muscle and increase strength. Athletes need to be strong to perform at their best, and they often engage in strength training to build and maintain their muscle mass.
It is important for general population to incorporate some form of resistance training into their routine. This can help you build stronger muscles, increase your metabolism, and improve your overall physical performance and appearance. Additionally, strength training has been shown to improve bone density, reduce the risk of injury, and improve overall physical functioning.
Improved flexibility and mobility –
Athletes need to be flexible and mobile to perform at the best of their abilities. Activities like gymnastics, dance, and martial arts require a high degree of flexibility and mobility, and athletes in other sports often engage in stretching and mobility exercises to maintain their flexibility and reduce the risk of injury.
General population should ideally incorporate some form of stretching and mobility exercises. These exercises can improve your range of motion, reduce muscle tension, and improve your overall movements. Additionally, stretching and mobility exercises can reduce your risk of injury, especially if you engage in activities like yoga and pilates that require a lot of movement and flexibility.
Reduced risk of injury –
Athletes are at a high risk of injury due to the nature and of their sport. However, they also have access to top-notch coaches and trainers who can help them prevent injuries and recover quickly if they do get injured. But the demands of the sport to perform on field at their best level always remain high.
When you train like an athlete, you learn proper form and technique of all the exercises, which can reduce your risk of injury. Additionally, incorporating mobility and stretching exercises can further reduce your risk of injury by improving your flexibility and reducing muscle tension. Incorporating major movements like squatting, lifting, pulling, pushing, hinging, crunching, etc. make you more and more mobile and movement friendly to perform your daily activities with minimal effort and ease.
Improved mental health –
Exercise is known to have numerous mental health benefits, including reducing anxiety and depression and improving overall mood. For athletes, the mental benefits of exercise are especially important, as they need to be mentally strong to perform at their peak in crunch situations.
Training like an athlete can improve your mental health and overall well-being. Cardiovascular exercise releases endorphins, which can improve your mood and reduce stress. Additionally, engaging in physical activity can boost your self-confidence, and provide a sense of accomplishment. With a sound mental health, you can excel in your routine activities and can help you perform better in your professional life as well.
In this 6-part series consisting of a general introduction and 5 major aspects, we will take you deeper into the training part and will attempt to provide you the tools and the know how’s on training like an athlete.
Stay tuned!
