How Are You Preparing For Your Workouts?

When it comes to getting the most out of your workouts, it all comes down to how you are preparing yourself, not only physically, but mentally as well. Every workout is an opportunity to get better. Another chance to improve yourself and strive towards your goals. But without proper preparation, athletes can easily just “go through the motions.” Not preparing for your training can make it harder for you to reach the goals you have set. At Warren Academy, we offer a variety of athlete training programs to help improve athleticism, strength, speed and fundamentals. We are here to help every young athlete execute their goals and meet their full potential. Preparation is key to everything in sports, including training! Here are some ways all athletes can better prepare for everyday workouts.  Stretching is key Stretching is one of the most important things all athletes should do to help prepare them for workouts, practices and games. However, stretching should not only be done right before exercise. In fact, stretching after exercise, and even at home, will help your body recover quicker, reduce your chances of injury, and ultimately keep you prepared each and every day.  Stay hydrated We cannot stress enough how important hydration is for performance. Staying hydrated is vital for optimal performance. When an athlete is properly hydrated, they are able to perform to their max capacity.  Water is involved in many chemical reactions involved in athletic performance, which is why it’s important that athletes are staying hydrated before, during and after exercise. Young athletes should try to drink at least ½ ounce of water per their body weight each day to stay properly hydrated.  Eat right To get the most out of yourself physically and mentally requires you to fuel yourself properly. What we eat has a huge effect on our energy levels, allowing us to exert more energy during exercise as well as stay focused.  Some good foods to eat before a workout that will give you energy and improve performance are fruits such as bananas and berries, oats and greek yogurt! Get more sleep Lastly, the best way an athlete can stay prepared for daily training and workouts is by getting an ample amount of sleep each night. Quality sleep is what helps athletes recover quicker and it allows us to perform better both physically and mentally. A lack of sleep can make athletes become fatigued quicker, run slower, have decreased reaction time, increase the risk for injury and more.  To get the most out of your physical and mental ability, preparation is key. And although there are things athletes can do hours or minutes before exercise to better prepare themselves, there are also many other healthy habits that athletes can do each day to help themselves stay prepared always. Focusing on daily stretching, staying hydrated, fueling your body properly and getting enough sleep every night will help boost your sports performance every day.  Come train with us! Interested in taking your game and athletic performance to the next level? Visit our website to learn more about our sports performance training programs!