Athletic Life
Kim Brown provides an insight into the life of male and female athletes.
Sprinting, jogging, lifting weights, and drinking supplements are a regular part of an athlete's life. It seems that athletes keep themselves maintained through fitness plans only to perform well in their respective contests. Although it might seem easy, it requires a lot of steadiness and a will to stay firm on the plans. Athletic life is much more than we see on the screens of our TVs and tablets. Not only do they have to perform exemplary in the field or courts but also in their personal life because both parts of their life are interlinked with each other.
In the early '90s, when athletes began receiving importance in the form of sponsorships and media attention, then was the time sports became more and more critical. All of us know what every single tennis match or even a football match means to us. But we are unaware of the ongoing in the life of a sportsman. It is much more than what we are shown.
Importance of adequate nutrition for sportsmen
Both male and female athletes must take care of their nutritional intakes. Nutrition is the most crucial block in the jigsaw puzzle of sports. Without nutrients, it is impossible to exercise and gain fitness. Fitness is the second step, whereas nutrition is the first. The significance of nutrients cannot be neglected at all.
Although both men and women must have an adequate supply of iron, women need to have extra effort in this regard. They are more prone to build iron deficiency as compared to men. Hence, the intake of iron-rich food is essential. Secondly, the carbohydrates which are called fuel-makers of our body must be taken in handsome quantity.
Too much intake can lead to adverse results. Thus, a check by coaches and dieticians must be maintained. Carbohydrates help in increasing the threshold. Pain and fatigue do not take over quickly, and the limit of exercising also stretches.
How to combat the injuries
Most importantly, an athlete should make sure that he takes a day off from practices and warm-ups. Playing regularly for seven days a week makes them not only exhausted but also they feel weak mentally. A quality sleep followed by a quality meal is essential to stay active. This minimizes the occurrence of injuries.
In case of injuries, it is crucial to follow the strategy of RICE. RICE is a physiotherapy technique that stands for Rest-Ice-Compress-Elevate. The method is applied when the injury occurs in the leg or arm. This is a very effective method and gives relief in a few days. There is no need to rush into the game. Players must give themselves some time and space to understand what exactly happened to them and how is it going to be treated.
Sports physiotherapists help them rehabilitate by conducting short courses of exercises for quick relief and recovery. Instead of self-treating or getting dependent on physiotherapists, it is important to begin the treatment as soon as possible. RICE is an immediate response to injury, which can be continued when taking proper medicines. Even in the absence of a physiotherapist, a player can practice RICE. Before the athletes step into the game again, they must begin with small steps before the big day.
How to cope with the mental stress
The life of a sportsperson is hung between winning and losing. However, it is easy to say that it is a part of the game, but realistically, players go through a lot of hard work to only lift the winning trophy in their hands. For them, it is not easy to cope with the stress. In the contests which gain world-class coverage and attention, the players are under immense pressure. They keep themselves composed for they do not want to lose focus and lose a game. Bigger game, bigger pressure! The tricky part here is that a player is not allowed to take drugs of any kind before or during the competition.
It is counted as cheating, and the player is fined. They have to deal with the stress themselves. There is an even trickier part where one team or player loses the contest. The viewers are furious and upset for their teams, but the players by then reach the next level of anxiety. The psychological impact of defeat is too harsh to accept. The agonizing pain can only be put away by prescribing them anti-depressants. The players need to come back stronger and better prepared. Therefore, they cannot be left sulking in the dressing room without the support of their coach.
Coaches play an influential role here where they not only inject energy and motivation into them but also prepare them to stand up boldly. The sportsman can now take anti-psychotic drugs such as Valium which would soothe their nerves. It is essential to take care of a sportsman's mental health because one lost trophy does not mean the end of a career. They have to keep playing to prove themselves worth every title. Letting them have some good family time, vacations, and a pat on the back by the coach would do wonders. Valium is supposed to be taken for a few days only or as prescribed by the doctor. Valium takes care of the psychological fitness of a sportsman.
What an athlete must avoid
When we talk about sports, we quickly stereotype it as high spirits and energetic influence. A sportsman has no time to be lazy. He can be tired but never lazy. An attitude of laziness brings an athlete to procrastination and ultimately gives up his fitness. Thus every sports coach makes sure that his players are always seen as agile and motivated. To keep yourself physically and mentally active, it is important to drink well and eat well. Mismanaged food habits can affect your fitness and push an athlete towards laziness.
Fast foods and alcohol are strictly not sportsman's food. Junk food contains fat which alters the fitness of players. They have elements that disturb the shape and weight of athletes. It takes a lot of effort and hard work to put an athlete into the frame of fitness. Since these foods taste and smell so good, it becomes irresistible to avoid them. Therefore, it is allowed to enjoy them only once a month. As far as alcohol is concerned, it is allowed only occasionally. Otherwise, it has a dramatic impact on players changing their response to practices and exercises.
Once it gets disturbed, a sportsman is at risk of being dropped from the playing team. This is indeed a nightmare for an athlete. Lastly, a sportsman is not supposed to take anti-anxiety drugs frequently unless medicated. Anti-depressants such as Valium is an effective drug that can put you to rest and help you wake up mentally stronger. Frequent intake without the prescription of a doctor can put a player in serious business because your apparent behaviour and your tests would show traces.
Page Reference
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- BROWN, K. (2019) Athletic Life [WWW] Available from: https://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/article455.htm [Accessed
About the Author
Kim Brown is a freelance writer who finds inspiration in fascinating facts and statistics that create compelling stories. When Kim is not writing, she enjoys spending time outdoors camping, fishing, and walking her dog.