HEALTH

Wellness

Be an MVP when ya hit the field next year

Yep, you just slammed your locker for the last time, but it’s never to early to start prepping for next year—especially your next season kicking booty on the field. And whether you’re a soccer star or fierce at field hockey, there’s always room for improvement. What better time to start working at it than summer?! Check out these tips on how to become a better teammate and nab the Most Improved Player award when you hit the field again.

Craft a special workout plan

Each sport uses different muscles in our bod, so be sure your summer workout is targeting the muscles that are specific to your sport. If you’re a soccer player, you might want to do more leg workouts to get better at kicking. If you love to play softball, try doing some workouts for your arms. But in any case, don’t forget to do some extra cardio. Almost every sport requires excellent stamina.

Practice, practice, practice

You can’t improve without practice. Have a girls’ day and gather some of your gals to head up to the local rec center. Ask them for advice on how to improve your weaknesses. Chances are, they’ll need your help in some aspects too. Whenever ya get free time, head out in the backyard and practice there, too. The more you practice, the better you’ll get!

Make goals for yourself

You have to want to get better in order to actually get better. Set goals that you want to achieve by the end of the summer, and vow to reach them. You’ll have to be dedicated to getting enough sleep, eating healthy and staying on top of your workout routine.

Don’t be afraid of criticism

If you ask a friend or coach for help, don’t get upset when they correct you. Although it’s sometimes tough to hear what you are doing wrong, they are only trying to help. Remember that you’re not the only player the needs improvement. Everyone on the team could develop their skills in some way.

Study other athletes

Use athletes that are great at your sport for inspiration. Look up their workouts and techniques to include some new elements into your training. Using them as a role model will help you when you’re trying to achieve your goals.

Work on other aspects besides your sport

Although it’s important to work on getting better in your sport, there are other aspects of your fitness that will ultimately help you to improve too. Working on things such as your balance and flexibility will help improve your overall performance as well. Try involving some exercises to work on your balance and flexibility into your practice schedule and workout. You’ll be surprised by the results!

POSTED IN , ,

by Katie Takacs | 2/1/2016
share