Increase Your Strength and Endurance in Sports
Strength vs Power
There are different aspects of strength that you can maximize overall for performance. How you train is dependent on what activity you are involved in. For example, if you participate in football and baseball, you will work more on quick and short bursts of speed. This is known as anaerobic strength and recruits type II muscle fibers.
A person would need to include strength training in their workouts. These types of exercises work all the muscles in the body and will build you up the fastest. Complete each exercise with 6-8 repetitions, for a total of 2-4 sets of all and rest 2-3 minutes between each exercise. If you follow this routine about 3 times a week, you should see a great improvement in strength in a matter of weeks. Remember the importance of rest 1-2 days between to allow full recovery between workouts.
If you are involved in sports activities such as soccer, tennis, and basketball, you will focus more on maximum power workouts. This would entail doing sprint drills either on or off court. Begin by setting cones a few yards or feet apart, using several different patterns to enhance footwork and speed. You can try a zig-zag pattern or simple 10-20-30 yard distances apart. These drills will help to develop your quickness in reflexes and build power in your game. Remember that power comes from explosiveness and strength is how far muscles can be pushed against resistance.
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Strength and Power Combined
While some sports clearly rely on either strength or power, there are those sports the body uses fairly equally. Activities like boxing, mixed martial arts, and rowing will tax the body to it’s maximum capacity throughout the entire event.
When you are involved in sports like these, you are really going to need to step it up with your training. Accompany your strength training routines with sprint and agility drills as well as the foot work and technique of the sport. Always remember to incorporate a cool down and stretching segment to finish off your training sessions. You want to be flexible and stretching is vital to this.
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Preparing For Your Game
The next time you go out to the court, field, or mat, pay attention to what your body is saying to you. Remember to eat a couple of hours before your game and warm up lightly beforehand about 10-15 minutes to ensure your most explosive moves and prevent injury. Train hard and smart and you will always be your best every time you play!
