What Is Sports Performance? How Can I Improve My Sports Performance

What Is Sports Performance?

Exercise Daily – Sports performance means measuring the participation in that particular activity. It is a mixture of emotional factors, training techniques, and biomechanical function. It is an effective way where an individual can analyze where he/she stands as an athlete and represents the pursuit of caliber.

Determination in the sport is also one of the core factors that enhances performance. Besides, it also helps in determining the elements where you need to work on. However, sports performance has four major components which include: the connection between the nervous system and its aspects and the musculoskeletal system( mental, physical, environmental factors), neuromuscular factors, coaching, and external support.

The neuromuscular factors are the most influential when it comes to sports performance. They are the primary source of focus and dedication for any athlete. The neuromuscular factors also include muscle strength and muscle mass. They are different in every individual because of the body type. The performance of the body is dependent on stamina. It is also very important to succeed in all sports. It is also said to be the ability of the athlete to absorb and undertake oxygen.

However, the environmental factors are unpredictable and an athlete cannot control them. Yet, they do affect the performance success. In such conditions, positivity is the only aspect that keeps them going. 

What Are The  Physical Components Of Sports Performance?

Several factors are included when it comes to improving sports performance. But not all of them can be controlled by an athlete. However, if you want to improve your sports performance you need to work on five major factors. That will bring an effective influence to your performance and the body. They are as follow

• Body Resistance

• Stamina

• Flexibility

• Competency training

• Body division

1: Body Resistance

It is the most core element when it comes to improving sports performance. It prevents muscle injury, joints, bones, and connective tissues. The improved resistance or strength of a body helps in absorbing the relevant impact forces that cause sports injuries. The additional muscles around the joints help in keeping them in a proper state and soak up the shock forces from the collision.

Moreover, it also helps the athlete in holding the skill position for a longer duration and allows the use of repetitive movements with satisfying body positioning. The most effective part of improved body resistance is that you become stronger than your competitor. It also helps in improving the running speed and skills of jumping height and length which is very common in every sport.

2: Stamina

It is one of the main factors that help in improving sports performance as this is what keeps an athlete going. Repetitive movements help you gain the maximum amount of stamina in selected sports. However, to improve stamina an athlete must follow a conditioning program designed based on the requirements of the body according to the relevant sport. 

3: Flexibility

It is the range of motions and adjustability of soft tissues near the joint which can be improved in so many ways. Flexibility is the most important part of any physical activity and has a positive impact on your body in different ways. It helps in improving muscle coordination, posture, potency and reducing the chances of injury and muscle rawness. 

Besides, if you want to improve the flexibility of the muscles then you must perform dynamic stretching, active stretching, self-myofascial release, and massage. It will help in preventing injuries and allowing the muscles to stretch more effectively. It will help you in performing better. an improved relationship between length tension in a joint will help in improving muscle performance.

Moreover, stretching the tight tissues will help in giving maximum results of the length-tension phenomena in the joints. The proper position of the joints and soft tissue adjustability will help in improving the performance and reducing the risk of injuries that is why it is important to work on flexibility. 

4: Competency Training

We all have heard the phrase “practice makes you perfect” which is one of the essential factors to work on if you want to improve sports performance. The best way to improve your competency/skill training is by learning from a skilled coach as they know exactly what your body is missing!

Many athletes are good at one sport but average at another because they don’t have competency training. However, improved motor skills, body positioning, body stabilization, coordination, and timing are the skills that need to be learned properly if you want to improve sports performance. This is the reason why athletes practice 5-6 days a week as repetitive movements help in improving their performance conveniently.

5: Body Division

This factor is the only one that cannot be controlled as it is related to genetics. This is because the body gets taller and bigger which also changes the position you play in or the sport. For instance, if you have a narrow bone structure your body will be able to gain more muscles than you get by strength training but the flexibility will be the same.

Also Check Out: Components of Physical Fitness

Why Is Sports Performance Training Important For Athletes?

Organized training programs are specially designed for athletes that want the maximum sports performance and encourage a healthy lifestyle. Today the youth injuries are on the rise which drags them down to achieve their goals and resulting in severe depression. However, an athlete must get proper sports performance training to avoid any uncertainty.

Moreover, young athletes are sensitive to substantial competition sooner and later where they need to sprints, jumps, splits, turns, throws, speeds up, and decelerates quickly. In addition to this, the proper sports performance training helps them in,

• preventing the risk of injury

• improves their capability of performing better and master their relevant sport skills

• helps in creating more opportunities for progress

• gaining a competitive lead

How Can I Improve My Sports Performance?

Improving sports performance is easier now as it was before. With technological advancement and different training methods, athletes are more likely to perform better.

With the variety of options, the question arises where to begin with? Here we have presented you with the best and the most effective ways to improve your sports performance. 

• Tracking Your Performance While Training

There are several types of equipment that allow you to monitor your performance. It depends upon your convenience whether you want to spend the money on the most advanced wearable gadgets or use a simple pen and paper. Tracking your performance is the most effective way that helps your body to go further and analyze the areas where you need to work.

It will also help you in making specific goals or workouts so that you always stay ahead. However, modern technology has made it a lot easier as it was before to track your performance within no time and extra effort. Fitness trackers come with beneficial health features like monitoring the heart rate, running distance, sleep time, etc. It will help you in keeping a record of your performance.

Check Out: Best Fitness Trackers For Workouts

• By Staying Hydrated

Hydration has to be your topmost priority if you’re a sports enthusiast. Whether you are going to the gym or not, your body is still losing fluids through sweat. When we are exercising the muscles are producing heat. This increases the core temperature of a regular body and that’s where sweating is trying to make your body cool. 

In addition to this, the body loses 45 ounces of water in an hour during the intense workout. This suggests keeping your body hydrated is as important as other factors. Dehydration can happen instantly which leads your body to lose consciousness in the middle of nowhere and you can be injured. 

We would highly suggest drinking between 20-40 ounces of water per hour during your workout to keep your body hydrated. Make sure to keep your body as hydrated as you can so that it can produce sweat and help in recovering afterward.

Having said that, you should also avoid drinking too much water before you start working out. As it will impact your muscles negatively which can also lead to nausea and bloating while affecting your performance. For proper hydration, the recommended amount of water is good for you.

• By Doing Different Workouts

Improving the sports performance is not about sculpting your body but having the maximum strength training and mental prowess on the field. Here functional exercises are the best way to improve sports performance. These techniques are aimed at developing the muscles you would use throughout the game. They can not only affect the body in various ways but can also help avoid muscle injury. Besides, such types of exercises are more likely to be performed at the gym. It will allow your body to experience muscle stimulation and stress better.

Moreover, it is also important to vary the workouts once in a while. So that your body can experience different muscle workouts. Experts suggest that performing the same workout every day can lack the full body potential. Because your body is used to that stimulation. It can also cause a plateau which is why experts recommend doing different workouts to improve the sport performance.

• By Fueling Your Body In A Proper Manner

It is also one of the important factors to consider if you want to improve sports performance. Because using the right food will give your body positive output. It all begins in the morning where consuming carbohydrates, proteins, and fats is better instead of sugary cereals. Our mothers always tell us to do proper breakfast in the morning as it is the fuel to our muscles to begin the day. 

Here using the healthier alternative can be the best fuel to start your day. Avoid simple carbs and simple sugars. They cause several health issues like dreaded mid-day crashes, rapid blood sugar, and dizziness, etc. 

It is recommended to eat 3-4 hours before the gym so that your body has enough fuel to begin the intense workout. Then eat again once you’re done so that your body has the post-workout meal nutrients which help in the recovery process. 

We would suggest you taking plenty of protein and complex carbs up to 80 grams maximum and 40 grams of protein. You can also lessen the amount depending upon the type of workout you’re doing as 2.1 is the general ratio of carbs and protein.

Check Out: How Good Nutrition Relates To Exercise?