Training Camp
The following article is a small excerpt from one of my books. I hope you’ll want to learn more and let me help you to get into the best shape of your life.
There’s a lot of things in sports that you as a player can’t change, so the best thing for you to do is to come prepared, knowing that you’re in your best possible condition. You might not be the strongest, fastest or most talented player but if you give it your all and work hard, good things will happen. Working hard often means being motivated to perform and if you are motivated you will eventually get results. This means setting realistic goals. You might not be the best player, but what you can and should aim to do is to be consistent, and to never give up no matter how high the odds are stacked against you. Next to natural talent and ability, mental toughness is one of the greatest attributes that any player can bring to the game. The greatest victory doesn’t come at the end of the race but in the ability to compete day in and day out.
Most competitive players have a strong desire to win, but along with this strong desire to win you should also be emotionally prepared to deal with any failures you may encounter. You should not dwell on past performances, good or bad, but instead learn from the game and move on. If you think too much and start to second-guess your performance, you’re not ready to play the game and you could end up getting injured. Concentration and playing with confidence will also help you to find success.
In the book ‘Get Fit Stay Fit’ it shows you some of the best ways that you can prepare to play your sport. It will also show you what some of the pros do to ready themselves for a season of competition. Now you don’t have to be a professional player to benefit, in fact if you play tennis you might find some of the baseball training camp drills worth a try. Whatever it takes for you to get into shape, stay healthy, injury free and most important helps you to perform at your best, while having fun is worth doing. You may even develop your own style training camp, taking bits and pieces from different sports to personalize your very own routine.
Here’s a look at some of your body parts and what benefits they have to your overall performance.
LEGS
The development of your quadriceps muscle helps knee and hip extensions and these muscles are essential in jumping for height, running, kicking, skipping, leaping, and pushing movements. Strong quad muscles are required in sports such as basketball, volleyball, soccer, football, baseball, hockey and track events like high jumping and the long jump.
Strong hamstrings help in running, and kicking to bring the lower leg under the thigh as the leg moves forward during the push off action.
Strong calf muscles are essential for standing, walking and running long distances. They provide the initial push to propel your body forward and upward. They’re also used in jumping, especially in volleyball and basketball. They’re also important in sports that require both running and jumping like racket sports, basketball and baseball.
UPPER BODY
A strong well developed chest, back and shoulders will help you in all sports. There are however some exercises that are specific to help you in certain sports. Chin ups, for example will help improve you in sports that require throwing, tackling, rowing and climbing movements. Front pull downs will help rowers, your backhand stroke in racket sports, archery and batting in baseball. Dumbbell flyes help in football tackling and various punches in boxing and martial arts. They will also help your forehand in racket sports and throwing a ball sidearm. Shrugs play an important role because they strengthen the muscles that help you to raise your arms as high as possible, so you can catch or hit a ball like in tennis, baseball, football and basketball. A strong and fully developed mid back and shoulders will help to keep your shoulders safe and injury free.
It’s important to have strong shoulders in all sports, especially in sports that require you to raise your arms and reach upwards like in blocking a shot in basketball and overhead hitting actions like in a tennis serve or overhead shots. Shoulder also help in volleyball, catching an overhead baseball, guarding and rebounding in basketball as well as playing a vital role in swimming strokes especially freestyle, butterfly and backstroke. Your shoulders also help you to raise your arms and are very important to football linemen when blocking and helping boxers to execute an uppercut.
ARMS
Strong biceps help elbow flexion and the muscles involved are important in activities that require chinning, climbing, and pulling your body up. Wrestlers and football players rely on their biceps for grabbing, squeezing and holding onto opponents. The elbow flexing is also used in catching and throwing a ball, ground strokes in racket sports, and your back swing in golf. Strong biceps also help in movements, which require you to twist your hand and pull in like turning a doorknob and pulling the door open.
Your tricep muscle helps elbow extension and is necessary for activities that require strong pushing or explosive straightening of your arms. Sports that use pushing movements are shot put, various gymnastics movements, and baseball batting. Explosive arm straightening helps in tennis serves, throwing a punch in boxing or karate, passing in basketball and throwing a ball overhead in baseball.
ABDOMINALS
Strong abdominal muscles play an important role in flexing the spine an action that’s important in sports like gymnastics, wrestling and diving. Strong abs will also help you to pitch better in baseball, better soccer throw-ins, baseball batting, also golf and boxing. Lower abdominal strength is very important in all sports, which require you to lift your legs high as in gymnastics, runners’ hurdles, kicking in soccer and football and karate. Lower ab strength also helps dancers to raise their legs in ballet leaps and other dance steps.
In the book ‘Get Fit Stay Fit’ it takes a look at 8 different sports and how to best prepare to play the game. They are; Running, Baseball, Basketball, Figure Skating, Football, Golf, Hockey and tennis.
One thing all athletes are starting to realize is that next to talent and ability, being in top physical shape is essential to success. To increase your endurance and stamina you need to run, cycle and increase your aerobic ability.
To increase you flexibility you need to stretch and to increase your strength you need to weight train.
You also have to make sure you eat a sensible, well balanced diet and avoid dehydration by drinking lots of water. Neglecting proper nutrition will affect your ability to train, increase your risk of injury and ultimately affect your performance.
How much you improve is really up to you and how much you are willing to challenge yourself. You may or may not become an elite athlete but if you give it your best, one thing is for sure, you’ll be in great shape.
I know you want to get in shape and look great. Whatever your fitness goal…to slim down…gain muscle…tone your arms or flatten your tummy…I’m here to help you accomplish your goals and to improve your fitness level. If you have enjoyed this article and the many other free features on my site, and would like some more comprehensive information such as fitness books and CD’s to aid you in achieving your health and fitness goals, please visit my ONLINE STORE where you will find innovative natural health and beauty products to help you become the BEST YOU CAN BE !