Everyone seems to be on a journey to improve their athleticism, however, not everyone is fruitful in their endeavours. Whether you wish to lose weight, become leaner or increase muscle mass, the road to achieving these goals is usually through exercise and a balanced diet. Yet, many people fail to stick to their workout routines. How can you improve your athleticism and stick to your new routine?

Find a Sport You Love

Before you start exercising or changing your existing routine, make sure you research all the options which coincide with your likes. For example, if you’re not a fan of cycling, do not include the cycling machines in your workout. Instead, only consider the factors you enjoy, and work from there. Ideally, you want to find a system you won’t tire from. If you don’t, then you’ll struggle once the novelty has worn off. Once you have found a sport you enjoy, whether it’s running or weights, it’s time to think about ways to improve yourself.

Improve Your Strength

Without improving your strength, you won’t be able to continue excelling in most sports. Strength training does not mean you have to make massive muscle gain; you can remain lean and slender if you please. However, strength training does foster a lot of benefits, which are as follows.

• Keeps you fit – although cardio helps control your calories, strength training helps shred the pounds, too. Also, by using and working out your muscles, you are increasing your metabolism.
• Makes you stronger and fitter – not only will you start to see your body tone from definition, but you will be much more likely to exercise for longer or increase your workout. For example, if you enjoy soccer, you will want to improve the strength of your legs as well as your cardio. This will allow you to run for longer.
• Improves coordination – by exercising, you will be improving your posture, as well as bettering your balance and coordination. If you participate in yoga, your flexibility will also progress.
• Boosts energy levels and mood – all exercise will release endorphins, however, cardio can be easy to lose faith in, especially if you don’t see results quickly. By improving your strength, even the smallest of workouts can benefit you and boost your mood.

Know How to Warm Up and Cool Down

Before you start any exercise, remember to warm up and cool down appropriately. If you’re tight, then your muscles and joints are locked up and this may cause injury. It’s important to remember that exercise can be dangerous if not performed properly – if you’re on the leg press at the gym or going for a quick workout, both require proper warm ups and cool downs. If you’re a professional athlete (or hoping to become one), then ensure you compare your private medical insurance, in case of any life-changing injuries.

Experts have found that when warming up, dynamic stretching proves more effective than static stretching. They also suggest performing low-intensity exercise also works – for example, take a brisk walk five minutes before you start running. By warming up beforehand, you’re able to reduce the risk of injury.

Once people have completed their workout, many will find it hard to cool down. However, there are many benefits. Not only will it help reduce your heart rate, but it will also prepare your muscles for the next exercise session and reduce cramping and soreness. A proper cool down takes around 5 to 10 minutes. Reduce your workout to low-intensity impact and focus on breathing normally. Then stretch out the muscles you’ve targeted. It’s really that simple!