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3 Ways to Fuel Your Student Athlete for Success

Cardio Conditioning

There are many different types of sports in high school.  Most of them are all the same when it comes to conditioning.  A lot of the conditioning is started prior to the beginning of the season, but it’s important to understand conditioning should be considered throughout the year.  From track running to baseball, swimming, lacrosse or football.

These sports take a certain amount of conditioning – some more than others.  So depending on which sport you are in you should concentrate on how to properly condition as far as your cardiovascular training goes.

Interval training is good for all of the sports that are mentioned here because it acts as a practice for the actual game activity.  A lot of times during a game the athlete is required to continuously run and stop and quickly accelerate while keeping a steady pace and then repeating this multiple times during a game.  Interval training mimics this.

Weight Training

Weight training can also be utilized for the above sports mentioned and many more. it is important to strengthen the body, enabling it to endure the intensity of the sport the athlete is involved in. From getting hit on the football field, or running and using your upper body to swing a racquet in lacrosse or stealing second base in baseball.

Squats are an essential exercise for the majority of sports not only because they strengthen the legs but also they strengthen the core which used for all sports. Weight training is also important because it can increase one’s performance by increasing the muscle strength. Even though most of these athletes aren’t power lifters, a lot of the movements are similar to what power lifters use to train for strength. Combined with their everyday practice, it elevates the level of performance.

Diet and Nutrition

Diet and nutrition is probably one of the most important factors in any sport. The saying “You are what you eat” couldn’t be further from the truth. In order to perform like a champion, you definitely must eat like one. And that means proper nutrition.

There’s a difference between a diet for a specific aesthetic and a diet for a performance athlete. Fitness and bodybuilding requires proper diet and nutrition but it is very different from the diet and nutrition of an athlete who must continuously perform for the better part of an hour. Let me explain.

A football running back is required to not only run but sustain physical collisions multiple times during a game. Towards the end of the game he will have endured multiple impacts and possible injuries as well as expended the majority of his energy. Prior to the start of the football game it’s important for an athlete like this to carb load on foods like pancakes, lots of electrolytes like sports drinks, as well as fruits and plenty of water.

Although this is not the choice diet for someone seeking to get a six pack, this diet is essential for an athlete to perform.

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