Holiday Training Tips

Staying in shape can already be tough to do with a normal schedule, but how do you stay fit over the holidays? This can be extremely difficult for athletes to do, because it is essentially a break from sports. Most teams will have a few practices over break, but most of the time is spent however you choose to use it. When deciding between working out and staying home to watch some television, most of us are going to like the idea of sitting at home better. There are many ways to motivate yourself to work out during the couple of weeks you're off.

If you are a high school athlete you might struggle to motivate yourself throughout break, but as a college athlete this is not acceptable. College athletes are in charge of making themselves follow a strict workout schedule that must be done or they will suffer the consequences. I have learned from my cousin, who attends a Division 1 school that working out is extremely important and that they have to weigh in to prove they have stayed in shape. It is a lot easier to find yourself skipping workouts when you are in college, because the breaks last up to a month. Your fitness can decrease a ton in this amount of time.

One way you can find some motivation to workout is by going to sleep early so that you are able to wake up early. Instead of going to bed at 12:00am you can go to bed at 10:00pm. This will allow you to wake up around 8:00 with no problem and let you start your day off early. Waking up early always seems to help me get tasks done throughout the day. If I wake up at 11:00am I usually don't start doing anything until around 12:30pm, because I need to eat lunch. Starting your day off early could help you get the motivation you need.

Another way you could gain some motivation is by getting a membership to a gym. This will put pressure on you to actually go since you are paying for it. No one wants their money to go to waste. Seeing other people around you putting in hard work might push you to work a little harder as well. It is always nice to get a little encouragement every now and then as well.

Finding motivation can be very difficult and it's a whole lot easier to just sit on the couch and play on your phone. Think about all the time you spend on your phone compared to how much time you spend working out during break. If more time is spent on your phone and you are an athlete you are doing something wrong. Think of the consequences not working out will have on your body. Lifting weights is extremely beneficial in sports and is something I believe all athletes should do.