My secret weapon
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A FEW weeks ago I wrote about the importance of an unbreakable mental capacity if you want to play elite sport.
Even when you are giving your all and someone or something is holding you back, you need to find something inside to keep focused and remain professional.
If it’s something you can’t control, then forget it. One thing you can control is your own training. So train harder.
But let’s look into what is meant by training harder. It is often misrepresented by the “go hard or go home” mentality. In fact, it’s about training smarter, listening to your body, eating right and recovering well.
But I also believe there are people out there who don’t know how to push past a pain barrier or how to train to get results.
My fitness is my secret. Being the fittest netballer will not make you the best netballer. But when fatigue sets in and you still have the ability to cut, drive and produce repeated efforts, that’s when you leave your wing defence behind.
Why not have a level 14.3 beep test record up your sleeve if you can?
I have a name now among the netball fraternity as being one of the fittest netballers in the ANZ championship. But can I tell you, it wasn’t always the case.
In 2004 I put my body through a total reconditioning pre-season. As a young player I struggled to run out a game at centre.
Then I met Natasha Chokljat. Tash was an Australian player at the time and was the starting centre at my new club the Melbourne Phoenix. Her fitness was stages ahead of anyone else in the competition and I believe she revolutionized the transformation of netballers into athletes.
When it comes to the matter of exercising consistently one of the biggest challenges for many of us is boredom and discomfort.
It’s no major revelation for me to share that some people simply don’t enjoy the whole ‘getting out of their comfort zone’ and implementing change to their routine. This to me suggests that perhaps the challenge is more of a mental one, than it is a physical one.
So, is it possible to make the exercise experience an everyday part of our life and more enjoyable? Thankfully, yes, no matter whether you’re an up-and-coming athlete in the south-west or an everyday person just wanting to realise their potential and get healthy. I hope you can take something from my training tips.
- Set goals.
- Write them down and keep a diary.
- Finish what you start.
- Stop procrastinating. Stop waiting for the ‘right time’. Get out there and get the job done. Complaining about weather, tiredness, work or homework will only get you in a negative and unproductive state to exercise. Go beyond yourself and factor time in your day for exercise.
- Ask for help. There are coaches, trainers and physical education teachers out there and they will be more than happy to help you with a program.
- Listen to your body. Are you injured or just sore with tight muscles? Are you hydrated and are you eating the right food to give your body energy? Find fitness activities that are fun. Boot camps or gym classes are a perfect way to spark up your training. Long walks are also beneficial for people training at all levels.
- Find a training partner and embrace being part of a team. Align yourself with like-minded people. Someone with a similar goal and avoid hanging out with the toxic people.
- Understand the importance of discipline and self-control. This means doing the extras like stretching, getting quality sleep and taking healthy options in your diet.
- Train to music.
- Quality footwear makes a huge difference. It is a small investment for a healthier lifestyle.
- Don’t rationalise failure. While many are talking about their age, their sore back, their lack of time or their poor genetics, just turn them into a challenge. And this comes back to the first tip – your goals.
Feel free to contact me on Twitter if you would like advice or you have any thoughts @SarahLWall
