Chloé Rochette, trainer and founder of Mouvement HappyFitness
This winter, the best athletes in the world are competing. Whether you’re a sports fan or not, this event should serve as inspiration. Athletes are humans just like you and me and through their hard work and discipline, they’ve become the best in the world in their field. Get inspired!
You don’t need to try to be the strongest or quickest in the world, you can simply learn a few simple tricks from these world-class athletes in order to improve the way you work out/take care of your health on a daily basis.
Here are 5:
1
Athletes understand that even though some factors are out of their control (illness, weather, performance of competitors), they remain in complete control of their daily activities. They are not content with simply making a new year’s resolution to win a competition. They take the time to identify every step necessary to reach their goal and they show dedication in each of their actions: breakfast, workout, rest, massage, planning (for the year or tomorrow’s workout), and their organization. They are surrounded by the right people, but they know they are the ones who are responsible for their own progress.
What can we learn from this? Even though it might seem like extra pressure, this is in fact good news. We are the ones who are ultimately responsible for our daily actions that keep us healthy. Our progress depends on us, and that can simplify the process. We decide, plan, act, and progress. EASY!
The question is: what actions am I responsible for making every day to reach my physical health goals? Here are some suggestions.
2
Athletes know that one day of work is good, but 365 is better! In other words, they understand that it’s the small daily gestures that add up to success. They don’t seek shortcuts. They know that progress comes in small steps every day. It’s important to realize that before they ended up on a podium on national television, an athlete put in constant work, day after day, year after year.
What can we learn from this? Simply to keep in mind that you need to trust the process. Believe that your small action today, even if it seems insignificant and isolated, well get you closer to your end goal if you are consistent.
The question is: what can I do today to get closer to my goal?
3
Athletes know their workouts don’t mean much if they don’t get enough rest or eat adequately. In addition to fueling their body with the right nutrients, they make sure to regularly get enough sleep.
What can we learn from this? Keep in mind that a balanced diet plays an immense part in your athletic progress and that there is no substitute for a good’s night rest. In fact, sleep is essential to performance and has an impact on your mood, focus, memory, and much more. A study assessed the performance of 11 college basketball players and analyzed their speed, shooting accuracy, and mood before and after sleeping 9 hours every night for 7 weeks. The results showed that every athlete ran faster, shot better, and was in a better mood after longer periods of sleep! [1]
The question is: how can I improve my diet or sleep and improve my athletic performances? Here are 10 tips to getting a better night’s sleep .
4
High-level athletes also know that quality trumps quantity and that repeating a poorly executed manoeuvre a hundred times can be worse than not doing it at all.
What can we learn from this? That it’s better to do 5 push ups with the proper form than 15 botched ones. And you might want to put away your mobile device while you’re jogging. In brief, focusing on form will help you get the most out of your workouts. And the benefits are both physical and mental. The right technique also helps prevent injuries and works the muscles in the right ways.
The question is: how can I improve the quality of my actions or be more focused during my training?
5
Athletes work out several hours a week and they make sure to have fun. They plan for team workouts, create motivating music playlists, and approach their workouts with a positive mindset.
What can we learn from this? The more fun you have working out, the more time you’ll spend training and the more you’ll progress. By making your workouts fun, you’ll increase the chances of wanting to do them AGAIN AND AGAIN!
The question is: how can I make my workouts more enjoyable? Here are a few tips.
In brief, contrary to athletes, we can’t spend our entire day working out. However, we can get the most out of the time we do spend exercising by making sure we use the proper techniques and being consistent!
Sources:
[1] “Extended Sleep Improves the Athletic Performance of Collegiate Basketball Players.”American Academy of Sleep Medicine – Association for Sleep Clinicians and Researchers, 18 Aug. 2017, aasm.org/extended-sleep-improves-the-athletic-performance-of-collegiate-basketball-players/.
Chloé Rochette, Personal Trainer | HappyFitness
Sport has always been a part of Chloe’s life and she became a coach to share, with as many people as possible, the happiness it has brought to her. A dancer, skier and former triathlete, she is now a personal trainer and founder of Le Mouvement HappyFitness—a company with which she hopes to make a difference in people's lives by showing them the joys of being active and healthy.
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