Making the decision to go into athletics is one that many people around the world have chosen. Although everyone plays at different levels, it’s an opportunity to do something you love as well as see a significant amount of success if you reach the peak of your career. However, there are many risks associated with becoming an athlete and one highly common risk is that of picking up an injury. Depending on the severity of the injury in question, it could result in lifelong damages to your body, some of which are difficult to come back from. In light of this, maintaining your health and protecting yourself from injuries is essential. You’re going to find a few ways that you can do so below.
Warm Up
One of the best ways to maintain your health as an athlete is to warm up before playing. No matter how many years that you’ve been an athlete for, this is something that you should still practice. Some of the most common accidents amongst athletes are:
- Hip flexor strains
- ACL tears,
- Groin pulls
- Shoulder injuries
However, by choosing to warm up before playing, you could reduce the risk of accidents happening. To warm up properly, there are so many things you can do, such as:
- Jumping jacks
- Walking knee hugs
- Arm circles
- Squats
- Lunges
Warming up raises your overall body temperature and muscle temperature preparing your body for vigorous activity.
Keep up With Your Diet
Often, athletes have strict diets that they’re expected to stick to. This is because it could help improve their performance whereas unhealthier foods could result in them not doing as well as they should. In light of this, try and stick to healthier diet options as hard as it may be. One nutrition tip for an athlete is to stock up on carbs because that’s your fuel. Your body changes carbs to glucose and then stores it in your muscles as glycogen. Once you begin working out or playing, this glycogen is then transformed into energy which you need while playing. As well a having a carbon-rich diet, you should also get enough proteins in and go easy on the fats.
Additionally, hydration is an integral part of your health, especially when you happen to be an athlete. To avoid dehydration and in worst-case scenarios, fainting, it’s essential that you always have a bottle of water nearby that you can drink before, during, and after games. If you want optimal energy and performance, make sure you get the right liquids in your body. If you adopt the habit of drinking water from the time you wake up until you’re ready for bed, then it’s possible you’ll find that you’ll find it easier as it becomes a part of your lifestyle. Aside from drinking water, eating fruit is another great way to stay hydrated.
Deal with Physical & Mental Pain Naturally
As an athlete, injuries aren’t typically something that is uncommon. They can happen at any time no matter how much prep you do, so dealing with them in the best way possible is what’s important. If not, you could find that what’s a small injury becomes progressively worse and threatens your health and career. If you happen to see a health professional and they advise bed rest and painkillers such as opioids, perhaps consider natural alternatives like CBD instead. In case you want to learn about how you can use CBD oil for pain, you can read more here.
Your mental health is something that shouldn’t be neglected as an athlete. You’re not only pushing your body to new heights, but your mind also needs to go there as well. You can be in an extremely competitive as well as demanding industry, so you need to ensure you have the right support emotionally and mentally. It could be by confiding in someone you trust whether it’s a teammate, family member, or therapist. If you’re feeling too much anxiety or pressure, it may be good to get it off your chest before it begins negatively impacting your wellbeing. At times, it has been said that athletes have an increased risk of mental health challenges due to reasons like competitive failure, injuries, as well as overtraining. These things could all lead to psychological stress which isn’t good for your mental state.
Take Regular Breaks
It can become easy to get so caught up in a game that you forget the importance of taking regular breaks. Unfortunately, this can do more damage than good, so ensure you know when it’s time to take a break. In as much as it can be great to push your body, you don’t want to push it to the point of no return. It’s also okay to take a few days off training if your body is telling you that’s what it needs. Rest and recovery is something just crucial as training and is a way to put yourself and your health first. It could also mean taking the time out to get an adequate amount of well-needed sleep. You may feel as though you’re superhuman, but you aren’t a robot, so your body needs enough work to compensate for all of the hard work it’s doing. Getting seven to nine hours a night could help improve your performance as well as help you perform better all season if you’re playing.
Finally, Fine Tune Your Coordination
No matter what sport it is that you play, your coordination is extremely important. You should, therefore, work on your coordination so that it’s in a place that is beneficial to your craft. Master that art no matter what sport you happen to play so that you can get better at it.
Remember: Every time you practice or play, it’s a chance to get better at what you do!
Just because you’re an athlete, it doesn’t always mean that you’re in the best shape. However, if you resolve to ensure you put your health first, you can improve your skills as an athlete and increase your chances of having a healthy and long-running career.