5 Secrets to Accelerating Your Athletic Performance

When it comes to training, this is no ‘one size fits all approach’ to staying healthy. However, we are living in an era where we have developed an incredible understanding of sports science, nutrition and supplementation. If you are an athlete and want to maximize your potential here are five secret things you need to know. 

5. HYDRATE, HYDRATE, HYDRATE

Drinking a sufficient amount of water can be one of the most critical factors for peak athletic performance. Not only does H2O carry vital nutrients throughout your body and removes waste, but the fluid also helps your fascia (connective tissue) operate in good shape. Sports Dietitians of Australia offer a helpful Fact Sheet to help you determine how much fluid to drink, and how to estimate your fluid losses.

4. TRAIN WITH A PARTNER OR GROUP

Sharing fitness goals with a buddy can help you stay on track, as well as give you a healthy sense of competition that can drive you to new plateaus in your workout. It can also simply be more fun than hitting the gym alone!

A great resource is to look at Meetup groups in your area. Many cities have running groups, hiking groups and groups that offer sport pickup games to encourage you to join a community with a shared goal.

3. EAT RIGHT

Your body is a temple, and anything you eat should be reflective of that metaphor. The food you take into your system will absolutely impact not just your health but your performance. Avoid simple sugars (glucose, sucrose, fructose, and dextrose) which are inefficient fuels for exercise.

Eat whole foods, limit processed food and work with a sports nutritionist to develop a diet that is fit for a champion! Former Ironman Brendan Brazier offers great insight into how nutrition is a key factor building athlete performance in his Ted Talk: Find Your Athletic Edge. He describes the benefits of a plant-based diet and the dangerous of consuming high calories density and processed foods.

2. GET ENOUGH SLEEP

Knowing when to stop being in motion is just as important as staying in motion. Without an appropriate recovery time between workouts and games—which your fitness journal can help you determine—your body cannot regain its peak condition for the next match or training session. Read our recent blog post on sleep to learn more about the importance of rest on athletic performance. It also offers easy-to-use, good sleep habits.

1. KEEP A FITNESS JOURNAL

It’s vitally important to keep track of your accomplishments over time, so you can gauge your progress and determine where you can approve. Having a day-to-day record of your performance tells you exactly what you’re doing right—and where you need to improve. Mio's Cardio Pilot and the mioApp are helpful when tracking your exercise on the go.

?These guidelines will enable you to eliminate much of the guesswork, so you can more rapidly learn how to properly fuel your body during your workouts. 

Click here to learn how Mio is helping athletes train with heart.