5 Workout Tips from Pro Athletes

January 8, 2024

by Living Fit

Professional athletes are the pinnacle of athletic perfection. With a growing focus on fitness, and as at-home exercise injuries skyrocket with trending workouts causing 50,944 injuries per year, who better to listen to than the experts? So, let’s find out what the more experienced athletes have to say about minimizing preventable injuries while maximizing physical gains.

Consistency is Key

Whatever your fitness goals may be they require a continuous level of training. However, sporadic spurts of strenuous exercise may leave your body sore and vulnerable to muscle tears or other injuries. A gradual increase in intensity will allow your muscles to adjust to the strains of a fitness regimen, and this means a strict schedule that you will have to commit to. Check out how Yankees legend A-Rod lives a disciplined lifestyle by following his daily workout routine on vacation. A-Rod has a healthy breakfast while asking his fans for new exercise ideas. Similarly, don't be afraid to continue your cardio or strength training with minor variations even on travel or vacation days.

Use Wearable Technology

Athletes on-the-go can further make use of wearables like fitness trackers to aid their wellness journey. In fact, their increasing convenience has made them a staple tool among athletes in the Olympics. Latest developments allow these tools to better track and monitor physical activity while measuring performance from entirely new perspectives. Data from wearable tech allows athletes to make the necessary tweaks to their training. In fact, data and sports analytics has become so integral to top-tier sports and fitness in recent years that they've spawned new fields of study. Online programs in sports business now include concentrations in Sport Data Analytics. This helps inform every facet of the industry in order to help sport organizations develop. Sports data analysts are especially important resources for whole teams looking to succeed in the field, or individual athletes looking to go professional. Data from wearable tech like smart watches contributes to their analyses, and helps athletes understand where and how to improve their performances.

Invest in Training Equipment

40% of professional teams in the USA, including the NFL and NBA, partner with exercise technology companies like Vertimax to improve strength in key muscle groups that they otherwise would have difficulty attaining on their own. Equipment may seem like a pricey investment. However, home gyms have fortunately become increasingly accessible in the last few years. Sales of fitness equipment shot up 55% in 2020 and some gyms even allowed members to take home equipment for a small fee. Just as pro athletes invest in their own at-home gear, make sure you put time and money into finding the best equipment for your own endeavors.

Prepare in Advance

Working out means that all external conditions need to be secured in order for a regimen to proceed smoothly. This is especially true if one leans towards outdoor exercises like overlanding. Professional Xterra athlete, Humberto Rivera, recalls misreading the weather conditions once, and paying for it by being severely underdressed in the freezing cold. Your body cannot workout properly when uncomfortable and underprepared. Read up on the basic principles of safety and preparation and make sure that you’ve consulted the experts on the workout program, or on the area where you'll be exercising.

Get a Good Night's Sleep

Beyond logistical preparation, it is important that your mind and body are also at their optimal condition to accept physical stress. Five-time CrossFit Games champion Mat Fraser, once dubbed the "Fittest Man on Earth," says that he sleeps as strictly as he works out. His simple fitness hacks when it comes to sleeping include a ban on all technology before bed, waking up naturally, and keeping his room at 68 degrees. Sleep is the ultimate performance enhancer that allows your body to repair itself. Waking up after a good night's sleep means you'll find yourself feeling refreshed, less sore, and ready to take on another day. These tips may sound simple, but all athletes know that rigorous dedication is key to fitness. To get started, create your own fitness program by considering your outcomes, movements, and reps. Always keep your fitness goals in mind so you can stay motivated, safe, and healthy throughout your journey.