Protein intake is important for all athletes, especially while endurance training. Often times, athletes tend to focus on carbohydrate intake rather than focusing on protein intake, which could have a negative effect on health and overall athletic performance. Muscle growth and repair is heavily dependent on protein levels. Athletes who don’t fuel their bodies with sufficient amounts of protein will end up canceling out the benefits of a workout, making the athletes more susceptible to fatigue and anemia. Protein deficiency is can be a true threat to an athletes ability to achieve peak performance, however this can be combated by drinking a protein shake on a daily basis, in order to stay on top of the game, and giving the body what it needs to sustain daily workouts. There are countless options of protein shakes, but it is important for athletes to be knowleagable of which one would work best for their lifestyle.

Building muscle is essential to all sports. From gymnastics to swimming to basketball, developing muscle will improve strength, stamina and performance. However, compare Nastia Liukin to Michael Phelps to Lebron James and you find that their muscle compositions are very different. Each of these Olympians has found a way to build not just muscle, but also the right muscles. When looking to increase muscle mass it is important to make sure athletes are training the correct type of muscle fiber specific to their sport and event. Specificity is key in strength training and vital for success.

When elite athletes are faced with a tough workout or practice they often times have to dig deep and find the strength to finish it, no matter what it takes. It is not uncommon for athletes to experience this feeling on a semi-regular basis. But what is happening in thes instances to make their muscles feel like they are about to give out? It’s the process of peripheral fatigue.

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. 

Whether athletes incorporate naps into their daily routine or choose to opt for them when they're are overly exhausted, naps can have a profound affect 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.

Lemon-lime, Fruit Punch, Cool Blue, Pomegranate-Berry, Grape--the list goes on. Today, sports drinks come in endless flavors, dozens of brands and various sizes-making it a task choosing which one. The sports drink industry continues to grow, providing many different options for the elite athlete. From the low or zero calorie options to new brands growing in popularity, the market is larger than ever.

Explosive speed and power are major assets to athletes during competition. Adding plyometric exercises in your strength training program can enhance athletic performance and propel your athletes to the next level. Implementing plyometric exercises will improve contraction efficiency and increase explosiveness in an athlete's start and change of direction.

For athletes, there are many difficulties that go along with exercising in hot temperatures. Whether you are a football player, track athletic or a year-round swimmer, it is extremely important to consider the environment in which you train.

January 1st inspires many athletes to dream big and set goals for the upcoming year. This symbolic “fresh start” gives many the opportunity to reflect on last year’s performance while looking toward the future. In this post, we explore the different types of goals and their effectiveness, as well as provide a few goal-setting tips to help you reach your full potential in the new year.