It is important for athletes to understand how travel during the competition season affects their bodies. Often times, elite athletes have to travel all over the globe to attend different sporting events. It is essential that athletes find ways to manage the negative effects of travel so that their bodies don’t unnecessarily suffer. Here are some tips to help beat the negative effects of travel.

There are endless forms of technology in today’s tech-savvy world, and social media, in particular, has become the preferred method of communication for millennial athletes and plays a major role in sports of all levels. Oftentimes, people think that technology is detrimental in sports for a player’s performance when, in reality, it can be very beneficial. Social media has changed the way players communicate with the world and how they prepare for competition. Whether coaches or athletes are using technology, it is a great way to promote upcoming events, increase program awareness, and announce major team accomplishments. Players can use technology to their benefit by getting in the right pre-game mindset and use it as motivation to perform to the best of their ability.

There are many different elements that strength coaches must consider when designing water polo and position-specific strength programs. Whether players are just beginning to build strength or are well-developed professionals, the most effective strength and conditioning programs implement progressions. In water polo specifically, players in all positions must have strong legs in order to rapidly propel themselves, and leg strength is crucial for staying ahead of the game, building power, and achieving success in the pool.

Foam rolling is a self-conducted therapy often used to improve flexibility, assist in recovery, and increase athletic performance. This technique is a form of myofascial release therapy and is aimed at applying pressure to the body’s myofascial connective tissue. During season, athletes train for weeks on end, which can take a major toll on their bodies. Athletes should be aware of the benefits of implementing foam rolling before and after their daily workouts.

Pre-season is an exciting time of year for athletes. The extensive hours spent in training and the grueling intensity help athletes build up a base for the coming season as well as a common bond with their teammates. For athletes to make the most out of their preseason, it is important to start by setting realistic goals to start the season off, and adjust those goals throughout the season. 

Strength training is shown to provide many benefits for elite athletes including, but not limited to: increased muscle endurance, hypertrophy and increased muscular strength. The specifics of a strength program are extremely important to monitor. In addition to the already well researched and stressed details of repetition in numbers and weight load, rest intervals can help you reach your specific strength training goals. 

Speed and agility skills are important for soccer players to learn in order to improve their multi-directional speed. With or without the ball, the main goal of increasing a player’s quickness is to maximize performance and react faster than an opponent. Introducing agility basics early allows players to establish a solid set of techniques before increasing the complexity of the drills down the road. There are many soccer-specific progression drills that players can do to increase their quickness on the field and reduce the risk of injury.

Traveling to competitions during season can take a toll on athletes, it can easily disrupt sleep schedules, which is one of the most important aspects of recovery for all athletes during season. Getting the proper amount of sleep is essential in order to increase athletic performance. It is important for athletes, especially those traveling across time zones, to consider some ways to stay ahead of the effects that traveling can have on the body .

Whether athletes incorporate naps into their daily routine or choose to opt for them when they are overly exhausted, naps can have a profound effect on alertness and athletic performance. But when is the right time to nap and for how long? The answers to these questions depend on the individual, and the following will help athletes determine the perfect nap in terms of time and length that is best for them.