As an athlete, one always envisions staying on top of one’s game.
However, multiple factors influence how you perform on the field. Besides training, diet, and lifestyle, the blueprint for peak athletic performance demands nothing but consistency.
Today, the world of sports is blessed with top notch tech to reverse the odds and defy both physical and mental obstacles. For instance, we got the hyperbaric chamber for athletes –they are a wonderful way to combat field injuries and get back in action in a jiffy.
This post outlines a handful of significant doings to help athletes realize their full potential and deliver the very best.
Read on!
Peace Of Mind
Undeniably, the state of mind plays an equally important role besides physical stability. And that is precisely why several athletes swear by practices like yoga to sharpen their focus. The key here is what athletes refer to as “staying in the zone”. In other words, it means concentration is not going to be an issue when they are competing against better athletes. Some even chant mantras to stay inspired.
It’s quite common for athletes to witness episodes of anxiety before a big game, or being nervous looking at the audience as they feel the pressure to perform well. Thus, mind training experts working with elite athletes advise regulating physiological responses to keep calm.
Some athletes also rely on biofeedback using different sensors and devices to monitor the electrical activity across their muscles and record their skin temperature. That way, they can very well understand when they are too excited or anxious and can amp down. A hyperbaric chamber for athletes can work wonders in improving mindfulness, as several researchers have depicted the efficacy of HBOT across cognitive domains.
“N” For Nutrition
Nutrition is perhaps the most important aspect of an athlete’s fitness regime as it not only caters to general health but also training requirements.
The diet one follows as a sportsperson can not only aid in optimum performance but also facilitate faster recovery from fatigue and injuries. Thus, athletes need to focus on a diet plan that offers a perfect balance of proteins, macro and micro-nutrients, carbohydrates, hydration, and supplements.
While a majority of us need anywhere between 1500-2000 calories a day, athletes might need another 500-1000 calories to stay at the peak of their performance.
Also, one should know the right time to eat besides knowing what to eat. Here are a few pointers to follow:
- If you are considering a pre-game meal, try to consume it anywhere before 2-4 hours, and ensure it’s low in sugar and proteins and high in complex carbs.
- Always avoid greasy food as it can cause stomach trouble. It is also advised in the best interest to avoid eating anything before going to the field as digestion utilizes energy, and you don’t want to be running on low juice when the game is in full swing.
- Thirst can be a sign of dehydration for an athlete. Hence, always try to keep yourself well hydrated, especially when you are training. While there are certain dedicated drinks for athletes, nothing beats water to replenish your natural energy levels. The general rule is to keep sipping from a bottle every 15-20 minutes, but make sure you are not drinking too much that you feel full.
- Never train on an empty stomach and always seek advice from an expert with considerable repute. Don’t fall for any diet plan promising fast weight gain or loss as it is detrimental to overall health.
Fitness And Injury
As an athlete, you must assess your fitness levels at certain intervals. Doing so not only helps you set your goals right but also be certain of your shortcomings and work on them to be better. They usually include the following:
- Measurement of your vitals
- The Bruce Protocol Treadmill Test
- Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q)
- Hydrostatic Underwater Weighing, and
- VO2 max test
Usually, your coach can help you with the fitness assessment, which involves a series of measurements and diagnoses geared towards designing the perfect training program.
No matter how fit you are, sports and injuries go hand-in-hand. Thus, as an athlete, you should always be training in a manner to avoid getting injured– like monitoring extremely cold weather, when the chance of getting an injury during rigorous training is significantly higher. This not only hurts you as an individual but also puts you off the field missing a vital game for your team. In some cases, major injuries take months to recover and can significantly affect your career.
This is where a hyperbaric chamber for athletes makes a difference. Several leading sports personalities like LeBron James and Michael Phelps are known to have embraced the goodness of sleeping in hyperbaric chambers to treat serious injuries like ACL and ligaments or reverse cartilage damage. Soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo has also used a hyperbaric chamber for knee injury recovery.
For endurance training too, a hyperbaric chamber for athletes has helped in regaining lost stamina by significantly boosting red blood cell production and blood oxygenation levels.
Bonus Tip: Get Adequate Sleep
Besides everything else, sleep is another integral element of consideration for athletes aiming for peak performance.
Whether you are training heavy or light, you might suffer from mild to severe sleep deprivation leading to stress, low metabolism, and mental fatigue. Thus, always make sure you catch no less than eight to nine hours of sleep. As oxygen is known to promote restorative sleep, a hyperbaric chamber for athletes can also be of great help.
Wrap Up
Remember, every athlete is different, and so are the training needs, nutrition, and diet. However, by sticking to a routine, there can be no stopping an athlete from reaching peak performance every single time.
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