You’re probably a fan of sports and are even following your favorite athletes’ progress in their field but just because you don’t feel like an athlete, it doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to deliver a game-winning shot in basketball or serve an ace in tennis. Just because these athletes are in their best form when playing, it doesn’t mean that they possess otherworldly powers. As a matter of fact, they all started as average individuals who just put their heart and soul into training to become the best.
You don’t have to be a sports enthusiast or someone wishing to become an athlete to train like one. Following a program that is tailored to your goals is actually beneficial to you not just within a few months but in the years to follow. Here are other reasons why you should consider training like an athlete today.
- Boost your coordination and improve lower-body strength. Bending down, chasing after a ride, or going up and down a flight of stairs are just a few basic movements that we do almost every day. All of these scenarios actually require lower-body coordination and strength. Unfortunately, many training programs forego this. Yes, you’ve been using the treadmill or have been running for miles but these exercises don’t really do any changes in your lower body. What’s better is for you to do exercises that specifically target the lower body because these will help improve your strength and coordination. Foregoing deadlifts and squats are actually increasing your chances of getting injured.
- Keep structural maintenance. Professional athletes are just like well-oiled machines which mean that they will require constant maintenance to ensure that they will be performing at 100%. The same rule applies to us. When you lift weights, your muscles and bones actually become stronger, your internal organs become healthier, and your nervous system remains active. Women who exercise, specifically lifting weights, are reducing their risk of getting osteoporosis as they grow older because weightlifting helps build more bone density and mass.
- Avoid back injury. A lot of people often complain about pain in their lower back which is not surprising given that most have desk jobs that require them to sit for hours in front of their computers. A fitness expert recommends that you do a sport-specific training for the core to help strengthen lower back as the muscles in this area are trained further to work as one.
- Build symmetry in the upper-body. For those who lift weights regularly, most likely you are putting too much of your attention on the pushing motion which can actually lead to imbalances. This in turn can become an obstacle when it comes to other movements that will eventually lead to injuries. Fitness experts recommend that you follow an upper-body workout program designed for athletes to help train, develop, and strengthen your muscles.
Training like an athlete has its perks aside from becoming better in your performance in sports. Not only will you be moving with more confidence, you’ll also minimize your risk of getting injured.
