Did the Tokyo 2020 Olympics get you eager to start exercising like a true champ? After watching the incredibly talented athlete’s, one can’t help but wonder how do they do it? How does anybody get to that level of success and where do you start? While we can only begin to imagine what their training regimes are like, we can look at some techniques and methods they use. If you want to push yourself harder to become a fitter athlete yourself, you might want to incorporate some of these tips into our own weekly or daily workout routines. So let’s take a look at how you can train like an Olympic athlete.
Pick a sport
Before you start, you’ll want to choose a sport that you can master but also enjoy. Ask yourself what’s your favourite sport or form of exercise? If you love to cycle your bike then cycling and spinning would be the most suitable choice. If you love cardio and HIIT classes, you might want to take up sprinting or long-distance running? Perhaps you’re really strong? I would suggest you opt for weight lifting or body building. It’s important you choose something that you’re going to enjoy so it’s easier to stay motivated and not give up.
Warm Up
Before any sport event, whether that be running or boxing, you will see the athlete warming up which usually involves a small amount of cardio like jumping on the spot as well as static or dynamic stretches such as lunges and squats. Warming up prior to exercising is to prevent injury and to prep your muscles for what’s coming. You don’t want to jump straight into it and hurt yourself, that would be a small disaster if you had to stop before you’ve even got started!
Train throughout the week
Depending what your weekly routine is and how busy you are it might be difficult for you to commit to daily training. However, if you want champion results you will need to put in the effort by training at least 6 times a week. You should look to mix up the training so you’re doing a bit of cardio combined with strength but it also depends on what your sport focus is. If you’re looking to become a weight lifter, strength should be focused on more, however as an athlete you will want to build up your endurance regardless of the sport you’re taking. Make sure you take a day off to recover and rest both physically and mentally. Our NHS recommends we should be doing ‘strengthening activities that work all the major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms) on at least 2 days a week’ plus ‘do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity a week’ and that’s just for 19–64-year-olds in general.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Olympic athletes understand that whatever sport they perform there are multiple aspects to it and they need to practice each part equally. As a boxer you will want strength but also endurance so you can go progress through to each round, likewise if you’re a gymnast you will want to practice flexibility skills as well as strength. Identify the different aspects of your sport and practice them as much as you can so your confident in every part.
Make routines and schedules for your training
As I mentioned above, you might have a busy lifestyle but to train like an Olympic athlete you will need to make time for your training. Try to come up with a schedule and routine so you can set aside time for it, this will also help to stick to your training as you’ve dedicated set time. You could purchase a dairy and calendar where you can jot down your goals before you train and your achievements after you’ve trained, this will help you to monitor your progress which can make you feel proud of how far you’ve come.
Train with other athletes
If you can, train with other athletes in your sport who can motivate you and challenge you. It also helps you to keep a positive and healthy mind by working alongside like-minded people where you feel like you belong. You can learn different techniques and skills from our fellow peers too and they’ll understand any personal challenges you’re going through to support you. Gym classes are a great way to meet new people who want the same goals as you, they may have found easier techniques to use or empowering affirmations that can push you further.
Train your mind
Athletes not only need the physical ability to perform but also mental ability to overcome challenges or personal fears. They work on training their minds everyday which helps to move forward and continue without giving up. Most of the time we give up, not because or bodies can’t go any further but our minds tell us so. When you work on breaking those mental barriers, you’ll see some fantastic results. You can do this by positive affirmations every day, reading healthy material and blogs, listening to athletes or fitness trainers’ podcasts and their vlogs and practice meditation techniques which help to calm and strengthen your mind.
Stay hydrated
To know the exact amount of water you should be drinking daily, Medical Daily say multiply your body weight by 2/3. If you’re working out regularly, you’ll notice the sweat coming right off you so it’s really important to stay hydrated and drinks lots of water. You can also drink healthy drinks like smoothies and protein shakes which gives you certain nutrients and vitamins to boost your energy levels and help to retain muscle mass. You can use our juice bar after your workout session or gym class to replenish your taste buds.
Make endurance one of your priorities to work on
If you want to train like a true athletic champion you will need to work on building up your endurance levels so you can perform for longer without getting tired. The most effective way to train for this is to run, whether that be outside around your favourite park or on one of our treadmills, both will help to build up your levels so you can go that extra mile. You will notice the more you practice, you can train for longer through more intense workouts.
If you’re going to run, make sure you have some comfortable running shoes as the wrong trainers can cause injuries to your tendons.
Get plenty of sleep
When we sleep our bodies naturally replenishes energy and repairs cells, tissues, and muscles. So if you’re training harder than usual, you’ll want to het plenty of sleep to help you recover and it’s best you have a regular sleeping pattern that is at least 7 to 10 hours.
In summary
We hope some of these points help you in your training, even if you don’t wish to train as hard as an Olympic athlete some of them will give you a healthy boost and focused plan for your weekly exercises. If you require any additional help, we have a team of dedicated personal trainers available on hand at all times at our fitness gym. You can also choose from our gym classes which specializes in all major areas including strength, cardio, flexibility and endurance.
https://www.medicaldaily.com/10-ways-how-train-athlete-tokyo-olympics-2021-460231
https://www.wikihow.com/Train-for-the-Olympics
https://www.mensjournal.com/health-fitness/fitness-secrets-of-olympic-athletes/