Athletes at all levels of competition share one thing in common and that is they all need to practice. Here at Abacus we really focus on providing the best products that reduce injury and fatigue to athletes during training and conditioning. Practice is what helps the individual build the skills, strength, endurance, and mental focus to compete in competitive sports. The thing about practice though is it poses just as much of a risk to injury as actual competitive play. It is important to take the right precautions when training and to adequately warm up as you prepare for the best workout.
Here are 5 tips on how to prepare your body for the grueling training sessions you put yourself through in the pursuit of greatness.
1 – Foam Rolling –
When Foam rolling came onto the athletic training scene is was used a lot for rehabilitating injured muscles, but now it is recognized as a key part of any athlete’s warm up and cool down routine. It is essential to break up adhesion in your fascia, which is the tissue surrounding the muscle. It builds up from strenuous activity like running, weightlifting, or competitive play in almost any sport. Here is a quick video from Shape about getting started foam rolling.
2 – Stretching –
Now most athletes will already have this one drilled into their heads after hearing coach after coach across all sports preach the importance of stretching. Stretching helps break up the lactic acid build up from exercise and competitive play and warm the muscles for activity. There are hundreds upon thousands of different variations of stretches, so find something that works for you and keep at it! For some help, here is a pretty extensive stretching routine from Sports Science that goes into detail about each stretch. You don’t have to do the whole 25-minute routine, but it should give you some insight on what will work for you.
3 – Staying Hydrated –
Most athletes would think that they need to RE-hydrate post workout because they sweat a whole bunch during the activity. Most of us thought go into a workout with not enough water in our systems to perform at optimal capacity. You may not be passing out, but little things like a dry mouth or light headache may all be causes of acute dehydration. Make sure to have a couple glasses before you hit the weights or the track to prepare for the best workout and make sure your body has the right amount of water to perform.
4 – Eat Right –
We all have our comfort foods; fried chicken and biscuits, hot dogs and mac n cheese, whatever grandma bakes. These are great to indulge in as long as you keep it in moderation. To prepare for a workout though, you should have something that will fuel your body and hold your concentration. Here are some of the best foods to fuel your body, the high-octane’s of the nutrition world.
- Bananas – The natural power bar that blesses the earth. Conveniently packaged in a biodegradable sleeve and packed with good carbs and potassium.
- Oats – A huge source of fiber, oats will slowly release carbohydrates into your body and keep you energized for the entire workout.
- Greek Yogurt with Fruit and Granola – This is the dream team of pre-workout foods. Greek Yogurt is full of high quality protein, and the fruits and granola provide you with the vitamins and carbohydrates to sustain performance.
5 – Clear Your Mind –
The last tip for workout preparation is to clear your mind. It is important to bring focus and clarity to your center. The office has you stressed out? Let it go. A fight with a friend or significant other? Leave it in the locker room. It is important to bring focus to your workout and give your mind a rest from worrying about these things. You will find that allowing yourself to be immersed in your training completely, you will come out with a fresh pair of eyes and a clear head ready to tackle those issues.
Here at Abacus we are immersed in fitness. We are constantly looking at how our products can help better serve the athletes that train and compete on our floors. That is why we provide the best fitness flooring in the industry. We want to give athletes a firm, yet resilient, ground to stand on as they continue to strive to achieve. To learn more about our products, visit our products page, and to learn more about our weight room flooring, visit our weight room flooring page!