Exercise has certainly seen many trends, fads, and movements over the last several decades in the United States. The 1920s saw the rise of physical education in schools. Later, in the 1940s and 50s, aerobics, bodybuilding, and home fitness were all the rage for fitness enthusiasts. The 60s and 70s were witnesses to jogging and Jane Fonda. Step aerobics, HIIT, Crossfit, Yoga, and Pilates have all come on the scene in more recent years. However, there’s one kind of training that has emerged as a wholly effective and specifically targeted style of workout: sports performance training. Sports performance training is a comprehensive approach to helping athletes get to their peak performance levels—both physically and mentally—in their chosen sport. This kind of training goes beyond just improving fitness levels for athletes. Read on to learn 9 things you should know about sports performance training.
- It’s more than just weight lifting. Sports performance training includes strength training that helps to build strength that can help athletes to have explosive movements. Strength training can also help with injury prevention. In addition to the use of weights and body weight exercises, sports performance training also can also include speed and agility training, which can enhance an athlete’s ability to change direction quickly. With sports performance training, you’ll also incorporate cardiovascular training into your regimen, which will help to improve endurance and stamina.
- Jump in. Plyometrics involves rapid and repeated stretching and contracting of the muscles, and it’s a form of exercise that’s designed to increase strength. Using plyometric training as a part of sports performance training helps athletes to capitalize on their explosive power, making them better at specific sport skills such as jumping and sprinting.
- A customized experience. One of the best things about sports performance training is that it is specifically tailored to your sport. Whether your focus is agility, endurance, power, or precision, a program of prescribed exercises can be designed just for you, to address the demands of your sport.
- An ounce of prevention. Getting sidelined by an injury can be one of the toughest things an athlete can face in his or her career. Sports performance training not only enhances player performance, but it can help with injury prevention. The focus on building strength, performing with proper technique, and having better body awareness can all help to keep athletes safer and injury free during competition.
- Get your head in the game. You can be in the best shape of your life, but if you haven’t built up your mental toughness, you won’t be at your full potential as an athlete. Sports can be just as mentally demanding as they are physically demanding. Sports performance training can help athletes to work on their focus, resilience, and toughness for competition.
- Play the long game. When it comes to sports performance training, just a few sessions might not be the right amount to really achieve solid results. This kind of training is a journey that requires time, consistency, and dedication in order to improve.
- Reach your peak. It can be easy to hit a plateau as an athlete, but sports performance training pushes athletes through difficult times. By focusing on this training, you can work past any training ruts you may experience and reach higher levels of performance. Make a commitment to stay with it on your journey to becoming a better athlete.
- Aim high. Sports performance training aims to challenge athletes to get stronger, faster, more skilled, and even more confident. While some training regimens may be tough, they can lead to athletes pushing their limits and seeing great improvements. Making major goals for performance is a key part of training as well.
- You’re #1. When you begin to implement sports performance training, you are investing in your health and your athletic future. Training is key to success as an athlete.
Commit to excellence. At ROI, sports performance training is about more than just winning in your sport. It can help you to become a better version of yourself on and off the field. The programs at ROI Physical Therapy and Sports Performance are customized to athletes based on their different goals or needs. ROI even offers Performance Pods, which provide semi-private group training with some personal attention for clients who are seeking tailored exercises to help them reach their optimal fitness levels. ROI also offers 1-on-1 personal coaching sessions that guide you on your personal performance journey.
ROI Coaches are experts, and they help to lead athletes through tailored progressions of exercise. The team at ROI can provide athletes with tools to enhance their overall athletic performance. You can become a better athlete with the right training. Learn more online, or call ROI at 512-962-5141.