[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]With the Six Nations and\u00a0Winter Olympics taking place this month, many\u00a0of us will\u00a0stare at our\u00a0televisions\u00a0in awe at what these\u00a0athletes\u00a0are able to achieve with their bodies.<\/p>\n
Professional\u00a0athletes\u00a0spend years working\u00a0towards\u00a0a\u00a0specific\u00a0goal or event\u00a0with a whole team around them for support. (It has been reported that LA Lakers superstar LeBron James spends upwards of $1.5 million dollars a year keeping his body\u00a0fit. This investment in his recovery and training\u00a0pays\u00a0off season\u00a0after\u00a0season,\u00a0as he is still able to compete at the highest level.)<\/p>\n
As sporting events are returning to the\u00a0calendar\u00a0and life is \u2018getting back to normal\u2019\u00a0this year, it is the perfect time to start setting\u00a0yourself\u00a0new goals.\u00a0Maybe this is the year you run a marathon, compete in a triathlon, hike the Santiago de Compostela trail or get back on the rugby pitch.<\/p>\n
If so, irrespective of your sporting\/fitness level, or your goal, it will pay to approach it in the same way an elite athlete would (though possibly without the same commitment in time and cost!)<\/p>\n
One of the key elements of any training programme is to avoid or minimise injury risk (that may sound obvious to you and me, but you\u2019d be surprised at how often something so fundamental to your ability to be ready \u2013 or even able to show up \u2013 on the day is overlooked).<\/p>\n
Before embarking on your programme, I would always recommend seeing a\u00a0Physiotherapist for a \u2018Body MOT\u2019. Most people would only consider seeing a Physio when they\u2019re already injured or in pain. However, an MOT is a great way to identify any areas of weakness or dysfunction that could cause injury, and learn how to address them safely. Early assessment and intervention can increase your understanding and awareness of how efficiently your body\u00a0moves. \u00a0A detailed assessment of your joints\u2019 range of motion, muscle\u00a0strength, and control of functional movements will help a\u00a0Physiotherapist to prioritise exercises\u00a0to include in your training regime\u00a0and\u00a0ensure\u00a0these are being\u00a0performed\u00a0with\u00a0correct technique.<\/p>\n
It also makes sense to check in with your Physio at intervals throughout the programme to check that you are addressing any \u2018at risk\u2019 areas, and that any little niggles aren\u2019t anything more serious.<\/p>\n
Next, by looking at the months leading up to the event as a whole and understanding training periodisation, you can be ready perform\u00a0at\u00a0your\u00a0best at the right time.<\/p>\n
Periodisation\u00a0describes\u00a0training that is structured around periods of progressively-loaded training stress followed by a recovery period.<\/p>\n
A training plan can be\u00a0organised\u00a0into\u00a0macro-, meso-, and micro- cycles.\u00a0Sarah Kauffman, a professional\u00a0cycling\u00a0coach breaks down the cycles;\u00a0\u201ca\u00a0macrocycle refers to an entire year or season of training and competition. It\u2019s made up of eight to twelve mesocycles consisting of four- to six-week blocks. These usually include a three- to five-week period of progressive loading, followed by a week of lighter, active-recovery workouts. A ‘micro cycle’ represents a week of training and is usually made up three to five key workouts, a couple of lighter active-recovery style workouts, and a day off.\u201d<\/p>\n
Training in this way aims to limit \u2018overload injuries\u2019 which as\u00a0Physiotherapists\u00a0we see a lot of. This happens when an\u00a0athlete\u00a0neglects\u00a0strength\u00a0and\/or cross training and\u00a0favours\u00a0their chosen\u00a0activity\/sport.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”40px”][vc_single_image image=”20476″ img_size=”full”][vc_empty_space height=”20px”][vc_column_text]The benefits of strength and conditioning have been widely documented, yet\u00a0in our time poor economy they are usually the first to go in a person’s training program.\u00a0A strength programme doesn\u2019t have to take up huge amounts of your time.\u00a0Choose 5-6\u00a0exercises which\u00a0focus\u00a0on the muscles needed for your sport or goal (think glutes and\u00a0hamstrings\u00a0for runners, lats and deltoids for swimmers, calves and quads for cyclists).<\/p>\n
Ditching strength training in favour of the athlete\u2019s \u2018comfort zone\u2019 of their chosen activity is never a good idea. Especially as it increases the number and frequency of sessions that are made up of\u00a0repetitive\u00a0movements\u00a0such as swimming, running or throwing. This\u00a0can\u00a0cause inflammation\u00a0to\u00a0the tendons which results in pain and can mean training needs to be tapered down or even involve increased\u00a0periods of\u00a0rest.<\/p>\n
It’s also important not to skip the active recovery element in search of what seems like (but rarely equates to) faster gains. Pilates is the perfect \u2018active-recovery workout\u2019 as it\u2019s a\u00a0low-impact form of exercise\u00a0that\u00a0focuses on stability and flexibility and can be tailored to meet the needs of any sport.\u00a0Another\u00a0advantage\u00a0of Pilates is that it happens indoors so you can continue to maintain your\u00a0strength\u00a0and mobility\u00a0during the winter season.\u00a0(And for those of us who like to be challenged physically during sessions, Pilates may be low impact, and emphasising stability and flexibility, but that doesn\u2019t mean that sessions can\u2019t be intense, or your muscles won\u2019t burn.)<\/p>\n
Last, but absolutely, definitely, not least: include soft tissue work (or Massage therapy, to the rest of us). Improving the body\u2019s ability to recover between sessions and maintaining optimal range of motion of\u00a0joints and muscles plays a huge role in keeping any athlete pain free.\u00a0A therapist’s ability to pick up where your body is storing tension gives you good insight into\u00a0how your body moves and what stretching or mobility work you should focus on.<\/p>\n
At the end of the day,\u00a0the main ingredient\u00a0for increasing your sports performance is consistency.\u00a0You don\u2019t have to get to Lebron\u2019s levels of investment to prepare for your first half marathon. But utilising the right experts at the right time during your programme is a highly effective (and cost effective) way to keep yourself motivated, stay on track with your programme, and maximise its benefits, so that whenever race day or the first match of the season comes round, you\u2019re as well placed as possible to compete, enjoy and (over) achieve your goals.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
As sporting events are returning to the\u00a0calendar\u00a0and life is \u2018getting back to normal\u2019\u00a0this year, it is the perfect time to start setting\u00a0yourself\u00a0new goals. Maybe this is the year you run a marathon, compete in a triathlon…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":73,"featured_media":23364,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,97,116],"tags":[65,58,59],"class_list":["post-23363","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-fitness","category-sports-performance","tag-fitness","tag-injury-prevention","tag-sport"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n