Training Smart for the Long Run
Whether it is football, running, badminton, or martial arts, it is important to train smart for the long run. Every now and then, minor injuries can occur in the world of sports. In the spirit of helping you to unleash your potential during training, here are some tips that can help you stay injury-free. If you train smart, you can enjoy your favorite passion even that much more!
Gradual Adaptation
The human body is an incredible machine that adapts remarkably to change. The key word is adapt. The more physical stress that your body undergoes on a regular basis, the more that the body will toughen up in terms of muscle, bones, respiratory system, etc. It is important to train gradually in terms of increasing the intensity and output so that your body has the time to adapt. Increasing your body's workload during a workout is best done over a period of weeks, months, and years. In this manner, you will maximize the chances of staying injury-free. We must train ourselves mentally too. Typically, you are most alert at the beginning of your workout. However, as you fatigue, you can lose focus. With diminished focus, we tend to be careless towards the end of our workouts. Easing ourselves into training is a wise way to allow the body and mind to catch up with our training regimen. The key is to increase your workout load gradually over time so that your body and mind can adapt.
Mental State
Being alert is one facet of training that is often overlooked. Ironically, the lack of alertness often features prominently in a lot of mishaps we face in daily life - be it car accidents, food spills, etc. It is therefore crucial for us to stay alert and aware of our surroundings at all times so that we can avoid any such unnecessary occurrences. Mental preparation ahead of a workout is a way to avoid this drop in alertness; self-awareness is the key. If you tell yourself ahead of time to put 100% focus throughout a workout, it can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. And when you are fatigued during a workout, you should make a mental note to yourself to raise your alertness.
Proper Technique
It is vital to train using only the proper technique. This focus on technique will reinforce positive and efficient bio-mechanical patterns. On top of that, the body's adaptation will result in gradual efficiency gains too. Ultimately, proper technique helps us to unleash optimal performance out of our bodies. Additionally, great technique also ensures the longevity of our bodies since it minimizes the imbalances in our bodies that can occur from improper technique. When our body moves as it’s supposed to, then our joints do not undergo undue stress. This fact not only preserves our body for long-term use, but keeps it in a state where long-term training-induced adaptations can occur.
Training Gear
As you know, safety is the top priority at Evolve MMA. We do our best to create a safe, fun, and supportive environment so that everyone can enjoy the benefits of martial arts. Often times students can take safety for granted and choose to do things that are most convenient at the moment. For example, students might forget to bring their handwraps or gloves and opt to train without them. Would you go for a 10 km run if you forgot your shoes at home? The same logic applies for training gear. It is better to be safe than sorry! The convenience of going without training gear does not outweigh the risks of injury. The safety equipment is to protect your body and to minimize the risk of injury. So please do your best to bring your training gear without fail and to exercise proper caution at all times.
In conclusion, these simple tips can help you to train smart for the long run! Here is to Achieving Greatness Within together!
Evolve Mixed Martial Arts® is Asia's premier brand of MMA academies. Evolve MMA ranks among the best academies in the world for Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Mixed Martial Arts.
