Six Things We Can Learn From Olympic Athletes
I like this. Chris Sebelski, a professor of physical therapy and athletic t training at St. Louis University, offers six things we can learn from Olympic athletes:
1. Set a Goal and Break it Down
Olympic-level athletes train for their next gold medal as a part of a four-year process. After setting a goal to medal or set a world record, athletes and their coaches will break the process down into tasks and time periods with smaller goals that mark progress along the way, Sebelski says.
2. Cross-train
Olympians may be unrivaled within their skill-set, but they use other skills along the way. Cross-training reduces risks of overtraining and helps avoid injury. It also enhances muscle performance and stimulates the mind so you don’t become bored by too much repetition.
3. Work Out with Others
Olympic athletes don’t train alone and they don’t train only with those at the same skill level. Not only will you find that the spirit of competition and encouragement will keep your motivation high, but there are also training benefits to working out with others who compete at different levels.
4. Create a Team
Olympic athletes are under no illusions that they can do it on their own, and you shouldn’t be either. Think about the people who can help you accomplish your goal. You might find that you’ll benefit from working with a trainer, a nutritionist, a physical therapist or a physician.
5. Find your Motivation
You may feel silly rocking out to your iPod at the gym, but remember how gold medalist Michael Phelps made music a major part of his mental preparation, psyching up with Lil’ Wayne before he hit the water.
6. Put on an Olympic Attitude
For most of us, our jobs, families and personal commitments mean we can’t devote as many waking hours to training as a world champion might. But you can adopt the mentality of an Olympian during the time you set aside for training, approaching that hour with the single-minded focus of a full-time athlete. The results will be encouraging, Sebelski says. ‘Train for a couple of weeks with focus and discipline, and lo and behold, you’ll be surprised by what you can do,’ Sebelski said.” Read more here.
I watched some of the Olympics this year and was inspired, as always, by the athletes’ dedication and self-discipline. Imagine what we could accomplish if we applied that kind of focus and determination to our own learning and performance!