Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 4: Developing the right mindset
• Part 2 of 4: Training your skills
• Part 3 of 4: Tighten your body
• Part 4 of 4: Being successful at competitions
• Tips
• Warnings

If sport is something that interests you, it makes sense that you want to be good at it. Success in a sport requires skill, and skill requires patience and determination. However, there are other things to consider if you want to be a good athlete. Skill alone can take you far, but never quite unless you also have the right attitude and team spirit.

To step

Part 1 of 4: Developing the right mindset

1. Set ambitious but realistic goals for yourself. This means not that you have to say that you are a professional within a year. Instead, look at what you can do and think about where you would like to be. Give yourself enough time to achieve that goal and break it down into smaller pieces if the goal is very big.
   • For example, if you have well want to become a pro, take a look at the requirements and work towards it step by step. You may have to become a semi-pro first.
   • Instead of focusing on the big picture, focus on the smaller picture. For example, you can focus on your technique.
2. Be sporty. Being good at sports means more than physical strength and speed. To be really good, you also have to apply that positive attitude to the way you treat other athletes, even if they belong to the other team. If you lose a match, accept the loss and show respect for the other player for winning.
   • If you set a good example of sportsmanship, you will get the same respect as you win.
   • See loss as a learning moment. Find out what you did wrong and then try to correct it for the next game.
3. Be patient. Whatever you do, you often build skills slowly. If you are not patient, you will try far too advanced techniques before you are ready. Your motivation will drop if you don't see immediate progress. Keep your long-term goal in mind and stick with it as long as you try to achieve it.
   • Remember, there will always be someone who can do it better than you, at least in the beginning. Impatient athletes are usually bad athletes.
4. Accept criticism. If you play sports, you will inevitably be criticized. Whether it comes from a coach, other players or spectators, you should take most of it with a grain of salt. Are they angry because you missed a pass, or do they really want you to get better? Learn to distinguish constructive criticism from hurtful comments. In many cases, you can use criticism as motivation to get better in whatever area they're talking about.
   • Don't let yourself get defensive. Your thinking will be limited if you allow yourself to become emotional when criticized.
   • Control your ego. Even if you think you are the best, you should be open to constructive criticism.
5. Nurture friendships with other players. One of the main reasons people join a sports team is to make friends with new people. If you join a team, you will certainly meet a lot of people. Chances are you will befriend at least some of them. Making these friendships a priority is a great move if you want to become a great athlete. You can train together on your own time. The moral boost from playing with friends also helps.
   • In team sports such as football you can practice certain skills on your own, but for other things (like goalkeeping and passing) you need another person. It can help to have the other person as a friend. It makes training more enjoyable in the long run.
6. Let yourself have fun. You may become so obsessed with getting good at something that you forget why you actually wanted to get good at it. If you don't take the time to enjoy your sport, you will end up with a quick burnout. Whether you are training or playing a game, try to remember the other reasons why you play sports.
   • This could include, for example, the natural satisfaction you get from exercise or simply the good time you spend with friends.

Part 2 of 4: Training your skills

1. Join a sports team. If you want to become a sports celebrity, joining a team is a good start. Even if you are not very good yet, going with a low team will improve your skills. Sports clubs are everywhere. Sometimes there is extra sport at your school or at a sports center.
   • If you are not in school, you can find or start a sports club online.
2. Find a good trainer. Good trainers come in all shapes and sizes. Certain trainer personalities suit you better than others. The best scenario is to have a coach who really wants you to be successful. In the first stages, enthusiasm helps more than scientific knowledge.
   • Overall, communication skills are the best a trainer can have.
   • There are different levels of trainers. Most after school trainers are volunteers with a working knowledge of the sport and enthusiasm for the game. You can rent a sports trainer with full training and education, but that will cost you a lot of money.
3. Don't limit yourself. If you really want to become good at sports, it is not enough to focus on just a few sports. It is important to use your exercises widely. Don't specialize in skills unless you are already a great athlete. Find ways to exercise every part of your body. Whether this means doing multiple sports or doing an all-encompassing workout, exercising your whole body will improve your athletic performance.
   • There is a lot of evidence that athletes are better when they do more than one sport.
4. Work on the basics first. It is a common mistake for young athletes to want to get to the advanced business quickly. This is not an effective way to use training time. You need a solid foundation before moving on to more difficult things. If you are new to a sport, take as much time as you need to master the basic movements. It will make it much easier to learn more advanced moves in the long run.
   • Some argue that basic "movement skills" (such as jumping and kicking) should be properly mastered before moving on to applied sports skills.
5. Leave room for flexibility. In a real game, things usually don't go exactly by the book. When you train, it is usually in optimal conditions. To make sure you can withstand unforeseen challenges, you need to predict the race conditions. Ask yourself if you are learning a skill or if you are learning to use that skill in your competitions.
   • Remember this motto: "Train the way you want to play."
   • There is no way to perfectly simulate a match in practice, but playing with others can familiarize you with the scenarios to consider.
6. Add new challenges as you work on a skill. It is common for bodies to adapt to a level of load. Your progress will slow if you don't set higher and higher goals. Bodybuilders and strength athletes do this by doing more reps or increasing their weights. As a competitive athlete, the best thing you can do is practice your skills when you are tired.
   • Studies have shown that your technique performance gets worse when you get tired, so it's a good idea to build endurance in your sport.
   • Building your speed is also important. Speed ​​usually comes with training, but you shouldn't try to be fast before you master the basics.
7. Practice until your technique is second nature. If you wonder when a skill is mastered, it is if you can do it automatically and without thinking. This is called the autonomous phase and you have to reach it if you want to compete. With enough time and repetition, a skill will eventually end up in this category. In the heat of battle, you don't have time to think about everything, so practice until everything is automatic and you know you are ready.
   • When playing matches in a sport such as rugby, you may have to throw the ball while being chased by multiple opponents. You can't replicate this tension in private practice, so make sure your throw is perfected beforehand.
   • Keep practicing. You should never stop practicing. Even if you get really good at sports, you can always get better. If you stop practicing, you run the chance that someone more determined than you will beat you.

Part 3 of 4: Tighten your body

1. Join a gym. The best athletes know that training doesn't stop with sports skills. You want your body to be as sharp as possible for whatever sport you practice. At a time when you don't need to train for your sport, keep your body in good general condition by going to the gym. While it may seem daunting or expensive, it is definitely worth the investment if you want to get good at sports. There are many advantages to a gym. As you know from being on sports teams, training with others is very motivating.
   • Do some research on a potential gym before paying for a membership. Request a tour and for details. Make sure the gym suits your life situation before making the first payment.
2. Get plenty of sleep. This should go without saying, but you'll be surprised how often a good night's sleep is ignored. This is especially true during periods of intense training, when it gets so busy that it becomes difficult to cram everything into an ordinary day. However, your body needs complete rest.
   • If you are a teenager, you should sleep 8-10 hours every night. If you are an adult you should sleep 7-9 hours a night.
3. Eat a healthy and balanced diet. Everyone should do their best to eat a diet that benefits their body. This is especially true if you want to get really good at sports. Eating junk food counteracts all the effort you put into the gym. Base your diet on vegetables, leafy greens, legumes, lean proteins and whole grains. Reduce "empty calories" (such as soda) and replace them with things that improve your health.
   • If you are lactose intolerant, try to cut out the dairy. It may sound difficult, but you will see the benefits within a month.
4. Drink lots of water. Water cannot be underestimated as part of a healthy diet. Staying hydrated helps you feel your best mentally and physically. Water regulates everything and you can expect to lose some of your natural hydration through your sweat when you exercise.
   • The general guideline of "8 drinks a day" is not mandatory, but you should try to keep water nearby if you can. It is especially important to drink water when you are exercising.
   • Keep a refillable water bottle with you. Fill it when it is empty. You will find that your water consumption will go up if you just keep your bottle with you.
5. Stay away from narcotics. Drugs and alcohol are not recommended if you want to become good at sports. Alcohol is diuretic, which means that it pulls moisture from your body. Your body will tap into resources to get rid of the alcohol and it can have a negative effect on your sports performance for days on end.
   • In the long run, the calories you take in from alcohol like cider and beer can have a negative effect on your gut.

Part 4 of 4: Being successful at competitions

1. Take plenty of rest the night before the game. While it's recommended that you stick to a regular sleep schedule, it's especially important to do it the night before an important game. The opposition is tough enough, so it's not worth it to be less sharp because you couldn't bear to get at least 8 hours of sleep.
   • If you have trouble falling asleep, try some deep breathing exercises or meditation.
2. Take a lot of carbohydrates before a competition. While not normally recommended in a diet, athletes should load carbohydrates. Carbohydrates actually give your body energy and you need a lot of energy when you are in a sports competition.
   • Avoid sugar for a few hours before a big game. Sugar and starch dehydrate your body. You want to avoid that in the middle of a match.
   • Keep yourself fit with snacks. Longer races are a test of your stamina, and something as simple as an energy bar or a banana can make a big difference.
3. Warm up. Warm-ups are important for any physically demanding activity. They can be fairly light, but a good warm-up will prevent you from getting tired too early or from injuring yourself. Focus on warming up half an hour before the start of the match. Stretch your arms and legs. Run in place. Sweat a little. This puts your body in the right condition for the competition.
   • Warm-ups also help drive out nerves. Competition nerves can be a problem for some athletes, so keep that in mind if it's something that bother you too.
4. Know your match. It is important to have a good idea of ​​what to expect from the opponent, whether you are sporting one on one or as a team. If you want to know what techniques to use among certain players, it is a good idea to study their methods in the days and weeks before an important game. If there is any footage of those players during a match, check it out.
   • The analytical science turns the respective skills of your teammates and opponents into a sharp formula. Linking each player to their best points is vital to the success of the team. Professional sports analysts make it their job to analyze athletes' sports behavior.
5. Stay focused on the game. You will not get anywhere if you are concerned about something else in your life. Life is always difficult and there may be things in your private life that are bothering you. However, you shouldn't let that hit you during the match. It might be easier said than done, but if winning the competition means enough to you, keeping your eyes on the prize should be a simple matter.
6. Go further than others want to go. Many of the best athletes may have had a natural disposition, but the reason they ultimately succeed is because they want to win more than others. That is a difficult thing to develop in yourself, but if the wish is strong enough, you will do almost anything to make your dreams come true. This applies globally to the mindset of training, but it is extremely important during a competition.
   • How much you want to win will affect how much you give everything. Sometimes the distance between winning and losing is very small. That added bit of effort can make all the difference.
   • Remember that passion is key to most types of success and the same is true for sports.

Tips

• Study the sport during the game and beyond. If you're looking for an edge, watch videos of the greatest athletes in your sport. At the very least, this will give you a lot of inspiration to improve your technique.
• Everything comes with time. You don't get good at sports overnight, but if you spend a little time each day hone your skills, you will eventually see a tremendous result.

Warnings

• Don't get jealous of others' achievements. You may feel worse about yourself because of the way others play, but that won't help you in the long run. Keep your chin up and in a good mood.