1. Believe in Yourself

Believing in yourself is critical if you are looking for tips to becoming a better athlete. If you do not believe in yourself, you will be disappointing and disappointed in everything you do. But if you just believe, you will always pick yourself up when you are down and never accept failure.

2. Always Give It Your All

If you want to become the best athlete, you must always give it your all. No matter how you feel, you must find the inner strength to give it your all. If you put 100% in your athletics and all aspects of your life, you will never be disappointed with the outcome because you earned it.

3. Embrace the Truth

In athletics you will have many ups and downs, but know that when you have a setback, if you continue to work hard, there will always be a breakthrough. All hard work pays off so just look up and there will be light. Accept the good and the bad, and never give up!

4. Vary Your Workouts

To see a continuous improvement in your athletic performance, you must vary your workouts. Every workout for the week should be different in some form so that you can get the best results. And if you are in doubt about how to do this, contact a trainer to customize a program for you.

5. Listen to Your Body

An athlete knows their body, so listen up if you are not feeling 100%. For example, if you are feeling pain in your knee, refrain from exercise. Or if your hamstring is pulling, stretch it out. In the twenty plus years I have been a runner, I have only had one injury because I always listen to my body. When my knees are bothering me I choose to do squats instead of lunges. Or if my body hurts, I take a day off and use this as a recovery day. Listening to your body is a sign of a true athlete.

6. Fuel and Refuel

Fueling before a workout is vital to maintain your blood glucose level and keep you from crashing. Fueling will help you to have an effective workout. After you complete your workout, you should refuel with quality protein within 30-45 minutes. This simple step will help you to become a better athlete!

7. Get Plenty of Sleep

Studies show sleeping 9 hours a night will greatly improve your athletic performance. Since this is not always possible for those with chaotic schedules, aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night to become the best athlete.

Now that you are aware of the ways to become a better athlete, do you have what it takes to dedicate yourself to this? If you follow these tips, you will see great improvement. Just train hard, believe and work your butt off!