How to Prepare for Athletics

Whether you are preparing for a marathon, sports game, bodybuilding competition or other type of athletic event, it is important to plan ahead so that you know how much time you have to train for it. People who train for athletic events give themselves as much preparatory time as possible so that they can work on conditioning their muscles and building their physical endurance while putting themselves on a dietary regimen that complements the type of athletic goals they are seeking.

Instructions

    • 1

      Set your athletic goals. Examples of athletic goals may be to finish a 10K by running the entire time, regardless of how long it takes you, or another goal may be to run a 10K within 70 minutes. Your preparation strategy depends on the things you want to accomplish from the athletic event.

    • 2

      Develop a training schedule. Decide how many days per week you need to practice or exercise to get to your ultimate goals. Schedule rest days into your weekly training schedule. Rest days are necessary for giving your muscles a break and a chance to recover.

    • 3

      Map out your workout regimen. For each training day, you may want to perform different workouts or exercises. For instance, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays may be designated for running outdoors or on a treadmill, while Tuesdays and Saturdays are the days that you do strength-training workouts, such as weight lifting, squats, pushups and kettle bell exercises.

    • 4

      Solicit the support of friends, relatives or people who are on your athletic team. Having moral support along the way can make those long or tedious workouts easier to finish.

    • 5

      Plan out a dietary regimen that abets your athletic goals. If your athletic goal is to perform in a bodybuilding competition, you may need to cut down on carbohydrates and foods that are rich in sodium while you train, and especially as your competition approaches. If you are preparing for a marathon, however, you will need to eat carbohydrates to provide consistent fuel. Stick to your dietary regimen as closely as you can. If you wish to give yourself permission to have cheat meals, write those into your meal plan.

    • 6

      Drink plenty of water while you train. Staying hydrated is vital to your athletic success. If you become dehydrated, your performance will suffer, and it is also becomes dangerous for your health.

    • 7

      Get a lot of rest. With all of this training, your body and mind will be tired by the end of the day. On your rest days, do not exercise, not even a little. Try to get eight hours of sleep a night.

    • 8

      Review the rules, guidelines or any information for the athletic event so that you know what to do the day of the competition. A marathon may inform runners to arrive one hour early, or a cycling event may suggest that cyclists pack snack bars in their bike pouches. You want to be as prepared as possible.

    • 9

      Talk to others. If you know someone who has trained for the athletic event in the past, ask him questions. Getting real feedback from someone with personal experience may be able to help you tailor your exercise or dietary regimen so that you can be even more successful.