How To Stay Focused As An Athlete

Here at AllSports Pro Fitness we believe in Programs that last longer than 6 weeks. This is because our body needs to adapt to change and this change whether in speed, agility, power or strength takes time depending on many factors.  These factors include;  biological age, training age, gender and maturity.  Our typical athlete will go through a 12-week Program tailored to the individual. For younger athletes particularly, 12 weeks seems like a long time filled with much repetitive work, especially if these athletes are recovering from an injury or have movement issues which require significant work.

Therefore, Program development is critical for coaches.  We must make sure that Programs are engaging while maintaining the point of the workout or the goals of the Program. To make sure this happens and to protect against boredom or loss of motivation we consider 3 factors which keep athletes motivated and focused on attaining their goals. These 3 factors directly impact our main objective for all athletes, which is to become more powerful, faster and stronger – all centered on force production.

1. Strength
2. Movement Skill
3. Regeneration

1. Strength

Maximum Strength – The ability to move weight through a range of motion.

Reactive Strength – The ability to control weight on the eccentric phase and press through the concentric phase.

Strength Endurance – Maintaining a load over a period of time.

2. Movement Skill

Speed – The ability to move in one direction as fast as possible linearly or laterally.

Agility – Movement of the body within angles. Learning to cut properly and adjust force into the ground to accelerate and decelerate properly.

Coordination – The ability to move efficiently throughout speed and agility movements. The ability to control ones body to effectively move properly.

3. Regeneration

Sleep Patterns – An athlete needs to be able to recover during sleep. A high level athlete sleeps between 8.5hrs and 9.5hrs for optimal recovery

Nutrition – Eating properly with grains, vegetables and protein is important. Nutrient timing is also crucial.  You need to eat 45 minutes prior to workouts, delivering your body protein to aid in recovery.

Flexibility – The ability to keep your muscles loose, your ability to help your recovery by rolling out your trigger points.

The hidden secret is in this last factor, Regeneration. Maintaining proper sleep and nutrition is a challenge, especially for athletes. Commitment to proper sleep and proper nutrition is guaranteed to bring your training to another level.

In summary, if athletes adhere to the principles above not only will you avoid complacency in your fitness Program but you’ll also realize your goals more quickly. Proper Strength, Movement Skill and Regeneration are key to achieving your goals and becoming a better athlete. At AllSports it is our mission to provide you with the knowledge of the principles here. Through these principles dominance in your sport is a reachable goal for athletes.

Brad Leshinske MS CSCS

Program Director