It’s one thing to be fit, it’s entirely another to be fit enough to play a sport at any kind of competitive level. Even if you’re not a professional big league player, when you’re involved with a sport for more than just fun or entertainment, your training has to be specific and tailored for the particular game not just because you want to be the best, but also to prevent injuries and repetitive stress by learning how to play the game as it should be played. So if you’re looking to become fit enough to play a sport, these are the areas you need to work on:

Physical fitness: Almost every sport is a test of endurance and stamina, and even if it’s a team game, your role is extremely important to the quality and outcome of the match. So if you’re not physically fit, you don’t belong with the team or in the game. If you’re working with a coach, he or she will know the right kind of training you need to adopt in order to boost your fitness. But if you’re on your own, you can adopt programs that include interval training, cardio routines and strength training exercises – these boost your stamina and endurance, build and strengthen your muscles, and keep you in prime playing condition. Ensure that you adopt the right techniques and that you don’t push your body more than it is capable of doing to avoid injury.

Mental fitness: I’ve seen older players with less energy and stamina beat the pants off younger opponents who are full of vigor and life only because they play smarter. They use their minds instead of just their bodies when playing the sport. Sports are all about mind games – get into the mind of your opponent and use your skills and tactics to demoralize and beat them. Boosting your mental fitness includes learning how to focus, identify your opponents’ weakness, using your strengths and protecting your weaknesses, increasing mental toughness, and being able to raise the quality of your game when it really matters.

Sport-specific skills: General fitness is a necessity for all sports, but even if you’re the fittest person around, you suffer if you don’t have sport-specific skills. If you’re interested in a game, find out the best workouts and drills that will help you become a better mover on the court/field and a better player in general. Tennis and badminton have footwork drills and football and soccer have their own drills, as does every other game where movement is involved. When you practice these skills repetitively, they become ingrained into your brain and your movement on the court/field is instinctive and quick.

The right diet: And finally, if you want to excel at the game, you have to adopt the right diet, one that provides you with nutrients, energy and endurance. You need to understand your body and figure out the best foods for you, pre and post game. Also, it is important to stay hydrated and prevent your body from losing vital salts when you play and when you exercise.

Playing a sport is more than just hitting or kicking or throwing a ball – it is a holistic ritual that involves your body and mind, both of which must be absolutely fit if you are to stand a chance of success.

By-line:

This guest post is contributed by Sandra McAubre, she writes on the topic of Sports management degrees . She welcomes your comments at her email id: sandra1.mcaubre@gmail.com.

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