Advice For Athletes: 25 Tips To Become Better at your Sport

Here is the best advice we give to our athletes... We go over what is most important for an athlete and give actionable tips you can start today. Keep reading through these tabs if you are an athlete or an aspiring athlete looking to improve!

“Set your goals high and don’t stop till you get there.” – Bo Jackson, Former professional American Baseball and Football player.

Setting clear and realistic goals helps athletes to stay focused and motivated. Set both long-term and short-term goals.

We recommend posting your goals on your mirror, saving them as your phone’s wallpaper, and saying your goals out loud as often as you can.

We recommend athletes set SMART goals. Goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, or timebound. Check out our blog post on SMART Goals and download our free goal-setting sheet for athletes.

A car cannot run without fuel, and neither can you as an athlete! That is why you must prioritize fueling your body with healthy food. Plan ahead and make your nutrition a priority. Always pack snacks, and make sure you are eating frequently. Prioritize eating foods that make you feel good!

Eating after exercise helps to repair your muscles to recover faster and build strength.

First, focus on eating enough carbohydrates, protein, and fats your body needs. Then, dive into nutrient timing before and after your workouts and competitions. Lastly, with the help of a sports RD, find which supplements may help to boost your performance.

If you are thirsty, it may already be too late. That can be an indication that you are dehydrated. A loss of fluids more than 2% of body weight can negatively impact both your performance and cognition. Athletes often begin to feel thirsty after losing ~1-2% of body weight. Make sure to bring plenty of water to every practice so that you can consistently hydrate. Coming for 1-2 hours? One bottle is plenty coming for 3+? Then bring a couple of bottles with you. It's better to have more than you need and keep them in your locker than to run out of water mid-practice.

One in three adults reports sleeping less than 6 hours per night. Sleep is extremely important because it is when recovery happens!

People who sleep poorly are at higher risk for diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and, for athletes, injury.

Athletes under 18 sleep <8 hours per night or are more likely to have an injury than those who sleep more than 8 hours per night.

Here is how much sleep we recommend athletes aim for each night:

6-12 years old: 9-12 hours

13-18 years old: 8-10 hours

18+ years old: 7-9 hours

Research supports that strength training can reduce sports injuries by up to 66%!

So, work with your coach or personal trainer to develop a strength training plan to decrease your risk of injury, improve your bone health, and increase your strength. All athletes, no matter their age and sport, can benefit from strength training...

Focus on quality over quantity! Develop good habits in practice so that when you are at a competition, your body upholds high-quality form and technique even when you are fatigued!

For cheerleaders, this may look like this:

Focus on drills to improve your form and technique. Even the smallest of details matter.

Smiling and having a positive attitude during practice. Your appearance at practice is how you will naturally perform on comp days.

Be coachable and take correction. Sometimes, you may feel like you are doing something technically correctly, but that may be different from how it visually appears.

Be open to recommendations and trying new concepts.

A well-known piece of advice for athletes that often gets overlooked is warm-up!

If you want to get the most out of each training session, then make time for warm-up. Warming up before a competition or practice helps increase blood flow, improve flexibility and mobility, and help you mentally prepare before your main effort. Taking at least 10-15 minutes to warm up before training sessions is vital to increasing performance and preventing injuries.

Implement stretching and mobility days.

Focusing on stretching, lengthening, and mobility can improve your posture and help you to feel more warmed up and mobile during workouts.

You are the CEO of your body. No one except you knows what it feels like to be in your body.

Developing a sense of self-awareness is crucial. Pay attention to physical sensations in your body, like soreness, fatigue, or pain. Hone into how you feel emotionally. Is your performance suffering? Does your rate of perceived exertion feel higher than usual? Do you need an extra rest day? Having a strong relationship with your body can help you to avoid overtraining syndrome.

On the contrary, could you be challenging yourself more in workouts? Do you need to spend more time perfecting your skills? Trust your instincts, practice self-care, and tune into physical sensations. If you have difficulty connecting with your body’s signals, seek professional guidance from a healthcare provider.

Doing the same thing over and over again can get boring. Talk to your coach or trainer about implementing cross-training to improve your fitness level and prevent boredom.

Cross-training by running, cycling, lifting, dancing, yoga, and many more can help to work new muscle groups, rejuvenate the mind, improve agility, and assist with injury prevention.

“I think that everything is possible as long as you put your mind to it and you put the work and time into it. I think your mind really controls everything.” – Micheal Phelps, American swimmer and most decorated Olympic athlete (28 gold medals!)

Athletes require a high level of mental toughness to overcome challenges. Sports can take a toll on your mental and emotional wellness.

Training starts in the mind. Head into each workout with an optimistic outlook and try to take one step forward every day.

The first step is thinking and believing you can do what you set your mind to.

Training alone and without a plan is isolating and likely will not bring you the results you want.

Coaches and trainers can create individualized training plans, provide technique tips, and evaluate and provide performance feedback. Most importantly, coaches can help with motivation and accountability!

Beyond that, a coach is a go-to expert to help with mental preparation and competition strategy leading up to a big sports competition!

Our advice to athletes is to try meditation or mindfulness techniques to improve focus and reduce stress.

At this time, several studies have supported that mediation improved motor, physiological, and physiological skills; however, more research is needed to determine the length and type of mediation that could be best for athletes (8).

Here are free mediation apps you may enjoy:

Insight Timer

Smiling Mind

Healthy Minds Program

Beyond sleeping enough, hydrating, and fueling your body be sure to incorporate recovery strategies recommended by your coach or trainer.

In order to grow stronger or faster you must recover so you are feeling fresh before the next workout or race.

Here are some of the recovery strategies that may help to optimize your performance:

Compression garments

Foam rolling

Massage

Gentle yoga stretching

We advise athletes to keep a training journal to track progress and identify areas for improvement. This can also be a place to write down goals and notice any trends in your training.

This can help to identify what works best for you!

By consistently tracking progress athletes can also reflect on how far they have come over time.

Surround yourself with a supportive and positive sports community. This can help to keep you motivated and give you a stronger purpose outside of yourself.

Aside from the great benefits of accountability, community creates camaraderie and a deep sense of belonging. It can be a place to pull both motivation and inspiration from.

Being in the trenches of a difficult training cycle can feel isolating. Please don’t do it alone; boost your mental health by pursuing your athletic dreams alongside a community. We are so lucky to have the best coaches/teammates/motivators here at Wonderland Elite; utilize them!

“I’ve failed over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”– Michael Jordan, American professional basketball player.

Let go of the fear of stumbling or making mistakes, for they hold the keys to your growth. Every setback is an opportunity in disguise, a chance to rise stronger and wiser. Embrace the lessons that failure teaches, fueling your determination to succeed. Remember, even the greatest athletes have faced defeat time and again. It is through resilience and a refusal to give up that they have emerged victorious. So, dare to fail, embrace the journey of learning, and watch as your path to greatness unfolds before your very eyes.

“Without self-discipline, success is impossible, period.”– Lou Holtz, Former American football player, coach, and analyst

Lou Holtz’s words echo a universal truth: self-discipline is the golden ticket to success. Brace yourself for a game-changing revelation: consistency is the secret ingredient that separates the great from the average.

Embrace discipline as the cornerstone of your training and lifestyle choices. Remember, skills are not forged overnight; they demand unwavering dedication and persistent action.

Each day, summon the courage to show up and unleash your full potential. The journey to mastery begins with disciplined effort, day after day, pushing the boundaries of what you thought possible.

Embrace the challenge, embrace the grind, and watch as greatness becomes your reality!

Don’t underestimate the game-changing impact of communication. It’s more than just building relationships; it’s the key to unlocking your true potential.

By fostering open lines of communication with your team and coaches, you create an environment where guidance and support flow freely. Share your expectations and goals, aligning your vision with your coach for a winning partnership.

Embrace feedback, both giving and receiving, to fuel your growth. Keep those communication channels wide open, and watch as your performance skyrockets.

Ever wondered how top athletes achieve extraordinary results? The secret lies in harnessing the power of visualization.

By vividly imagining yourself conquering challenges, executing flawless techniques, and achieving your goals, you create a mental blueprint for success. Visualize the sights, sounds, and sensations of victory, igniting your motivation and building unwavering confidence.

Incorporate visualization into your daily routine, reinforcing positive mental patterns and preparing your mind for peak performance. Take a moment to relax, close your eyes, and embark on a mental journey to success.

Tap into the extraordinary power of your mind and unleash your true athletic potential. Start visualizing success today and witness the transformative impact it can have on your performance.

Embrace rituals for enhanced focus, consistency, and confidence. Rituals establish a mental routine, promoting optimal performance. They provide a psychological anchor tied to past successes, boosting self-belief.

In high-pressure moments, rituals offer a reset, regaining focus. Unleash your greatness through the transformative power of rituals in sports.

Whether it’s eating the same breakfast before a game, tying your shoes a certain way, or performing a certain stretch before your race start exploring which ritual works for you today!

Dueling it out against strong competitors can highlight areas that you need to develop! It also comes with the thrill and adrenaline rush of racing!

Every competition, whether for practice or the real deal, is an opportunity to fine-tune your skills and cultivate resilience, so enjoy and embrace competition!

In sports, humility is the unsung hero that sets champions apart. Athletes who stay humble recognize that there is always room for growth and improvement. They approach each victory with grace and every defeat with resilience, using setbacks as stepping stones to future success. Humility breeds a hunger for continuous learning, pushing athletes to reach new heights. It fosters strong team dynamics, as humble athletes value collaboration and support.

We strongly prioritize and emphasize humility and kindness towards all within our program at Wonderland Elite. Winning is nice, butFit isn’t everything’t everything. Failure to comply with this policy will result in the coach or athlete's removal from our program.

Our inside advice for athletes: being a good teammate is a game-changer in the world of sports. It’s not just about individual performance; it’s about elevating the entire team, so motivate and lift each other up!

Athletes can be exceptional teammates by fostering open communication, supporting and encouraging their fellow players, and prioritizing the team’s success over personal accolades. Showing respect, empathy, and understanding creates a positive team environment. Embrace the power of unity, for when athletes come together, supporting and uplifting each other, the possibilities for achievement become limitless.

Our advice to athletes is simple yet powerful: have fun! During the intense and demanding nature of sports, it’s vital to remember why you started in the first place.

Athletics can be a rollercoaster ride, filled with ups and downs, but holding onto the joy that ignited your passion will fuel your journey.

Embrace the exhilaration of competition, celebrate small victories, and savor the progress. Infusing fun into your athletic pursuits enriches the overall experience and ignites your true potential. So, let go of perfection and unlock the boundless joy that sports can bring.

Becoming an outstanding athlete doesn’t happen overnight. It is an accumulation of habits, repeated for long periods of time.

Our overall advice for athletes is to implement these 25 tips consistently to guide you to become a better athlete each day!