5 Factors That Influence Sports Performance

The life of an athlete is all about challenging one’s limits and setting new standards. Athletes are always on a quest to improve their performance to become better. They also have to live an active life to always stay ready. But what are those key factors that influence an athlete’s performance? Today, we discuss the five factors affecting sports performance.

Strength

Strength is the main component of any sports performance. Greater muscular strength enhances the ability to perform general sports activities such as jumping, sprinting, and changing direction. Strength training helps prevent muscle, ligament, tendon, and bone injuries. Improved strength can help absorb the impact forces in sports and avoid injury. Great strength also allows an athlete to hold a skill position better and longer. It also provides for repetitive movements for optimal body positioning.

Strength training can make you physically stronger than your opponent. For example, in football, if a defensive lineman is stronger than the offensive linemen, it will give him an advantage. Strength training also improves your running speed and jumping length, which are all used in every sport. Hence, every athlete should at be involved in athletic performance strength training.

Endurance

Endurance is essential when it comes to sports performance. It helps athletes push through and challenge their limits. High levels of endurance are built through repetitive movements performed by the skills of the chosen sport. For an athlete to improve their endurance levels beyond their ordinary skills, they should follow a properly designed conditioning program.

The endurance program should mimic the actions of the sport that the athlete plays. For example, a baseball player wouldn’t endurance train by running 5 miles a day because it does not mimic what he would do during a game. Instead, a baseball player should perform short sprints in repetition. This now mimics running down a flyball and then leading off the next inning with a triple. Therefore, to build endurance, athletes should perform an endurance program that closely mimics the actions of the sport they play.

Skill

Practice makes progress is the famous quote for mastering any skill. Thus, if you are to master your sport, building your skills should be your top priority. Training for your specific sport is the only way to grow your skill set. You will only go so far even if you are good at all the sports performance factors. You may know an athlete who is good at football but not basketball. This is because the athlete lacks the skills training to be good at basketball.

Athletes develop their skills and improve their performance by learning from a skilled coach, working on their motor skills, proper body positioning, starting and stopping, Rhythm, coordination, and body stabilization can be learned to enhance athletic performance. This is why it is necessary for athletes to practice 5 -6 days a week, performing repetitive drills to hone their skills. You need to practice your sport to be better.

Flexibility

Flexibility is the ability of a joint to easily move through a specific range of movements. Generally, women have greater flexibility than men. Flexibility can be improved through several ways, such as dynamic stretching, active stretching, statistic stretching, self-myofascial release, and massage. In sports, improved flexibility can prevent injury by allowing the muscles to stretch to the right length and at the correct rate. Having the right length-tension relationship in a joint enhances the performance of the muscles.

Stretching tight muscles allows for an optimum length-tension relationship in the joints. Proper joint alignment and soft tissue flexibility reduce injury while also improving performance. Thus, every employee should work properly to improve their overall sports performance.

Body Structure

The body structure is the only factor influencing sports performance that cannot be controlled. You cannot get taller, make your arms longer, or have your hands grow any bigger. Genetics control this factor, which in turn may control the sport or position you play. If you are 5’5”, you are not likely to be a professional basketball player or an NFL quarterback. This is because you won’t be able to see over the linemen or get a shoot-off.

Height is only one aspect of body proportion; bone structure is another. If you have a narrow frame, your body can only gain so much muscle through strength training and still have the flexibility to keep your athleticism no matter how much you practice, how much muscle you pack on, or how excellent your skills are. The body structure is a limiting factor that influences sports performance. Therefore, you want to choose a sport and a position that fits your body. If you are tall, you can go for basketball or volleyball. If you have a broad frame, a football lineman or a linebacker may be a good option.

Take Away

In conclusion, these are the factors influencing sports performance. All the factors except the body structure can be improved. If you are poor at one factor, you can always work on it and become better. There are some factors you cannot control, but you can always outwork your opponent. Going to the gym and doing athletic performance training can significantly improve your sports performance.

Next Level Fitness is one of the best gyms in Nashville. Our aim is to help people become the best they can be. Our certified trainers are committed to helping you reach your personal training, weight loss, and fitness goals. We also have several training programs, including; functional training, high-interval intensity training, corrective exercises, strength training, and athletic performance training, to name a few. Thus, if you want to improve your sports performance, you enroll in our sports performance training program, and we will help you actualize your dreams. We will also keep your diet in check so that your weight is also checked. Contact us today to turn around your sports performance.