5 Tips to Improve & Maximize Your Athletic Performance

What is athletic performance?

Do you want to up your game? Maybe you want to become more agile? Or want to find ways to boost your stamina? When it comes to energy, ability, strength, and athletic performance, what you eat, drink and do with your body is vital to improving your overall function.

Athletic performance or sports performance is when an athlete or someone in physical training takes measures to reach specific performance objectives. 

So how is athletic performance actually measured? Continue reading to find out how you can improve and maximize your performance!

How do you measure athletic performance?

Sports performance is measured by four main dimensions: skill, strength, endurance, and recovery. It’s essential to understand the ins and outs of these four dimensions before we dive into enhancing your athletic performance. 

Skill

Skill is the ability to think strategically during athletic activities. The goal should always be to have a range of skills. 

Strength

Muscular strength is associated with performance abilities. Strength is considered an ability, and the greater muscular strength you have, your ability to perform everyday exercise increases. 

Endurance

Athletic endurance is when an athlete or somebody who’s training can exercise or perform for a long time without becoming exhausted or fatigued. 

Recovery

Recovery is the ability to recover or bounce back - restoring physiological and psychological processes. 

Of course, more dimensions affect athletic performance, such as speed, agility, weight, and height. Now that we’ve identified skill, strength, endurance, and recovery as four of the main dimensions, let’s look at ways to improve your overall athletic performance!

5 Tips to improve your athletic performance

Here are 6 key ways to capitalize on your athletic performance to push yourself to the max!

Tip 1: Hydration

One of the easiest ways to boost your athletic performance and energy levels is proper hydration. We know it might sound like a bit of an over-exhausted tip, but what water and electrolytes actually do for your performance is incredible. 

Staying properly hydrated maximizes your circulation, helps with joint movement, helps to regulate body temperature, and fights the effects of dehydration! Your body loses water through sweat as you exercise, so keeping your hydration levels steady is vital for functionality and focus. 

Staying properly hydrated means more than just drinking water. It’s also about maintaining your electrolyte levels. By drinking water, you can maintain your electrolyte levels to keep them balanced to avoid dehydration and fatigue. 

Tip 2: Proper Sleep

Another commonly spoken tip, but a crucial one nonetheless, is to get proper sleep! Sleep helps with recovery, and it allows time for your heart to rest, giving your cells and your tissue time to repair. You're more prone to straining your muscles during training or exercise. 

Sleep helps repair muscles. Sleep also helps preserve and form memories, which is superb for athletes who need to be particular with specific actions, exercises, and movements. 

Tip 3: Supplements

Taking the right supplements to aid with recovery, mood, energy, and strength can be highly beneficial in pushing your body in the right direction for athletic exercise. 

B vitamins are good for aiding metabolism, while calcium and vitamin D are good for maintaining muscle mass and reducing the risk of physical injury. Creatine is incredible for helping to improve strength and muscle mass. Make sure to talk to your health professional before taking any supplements to make sure you’re making the right decision. 

Tip 4: Change or switch up your workout routine every 3 weeks

Sticking to the same workout routine time and time again, your body isn’t going to get the best results. Changing your workout routine every 3 weeks benefits your muscle memory by maximizing muscle capacity. 

Tip 5: Look after your mental health

Managing stress, anxiety, and depression can be challenging. And the truth is, nobody is immune from experiencing psychological distress. 

Conditions such as anxiety, depression, stress, and PTSD can affect your sleep, focus, stability, and energy levels. Helping athletes to develop a range of skills to manage or prevent mental health conditions can help with performance excellence.

There is no one way to maximize your athletic performance. However, managing hydration, getting proper sleep, taking the right supplements, switching up your workout routine, and looking after your mental health are the best first steps you can take to achieving optimal performance! 

These tips can 100% help develop skill, strength, endurance, and recovery and will help you focus with determination next time you're in the gym. 

Get In Touch With Us Today

If you’d like personal 1:1 care or want to learn more, please contact us at (410) 946-1672, or click here. We’ll get you in touch with one of our dedicated professionals. At True Sports Physical Therapy, your health is always front of mind! It’s our mission to help you get off the sidelines and back on your feet in the fastest and safest way possible.