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Volt's Guide to Dominating Your Summer Training
Summer is almost here!
Perhaps you didn’t have the year you were expecting last season, or maybe you’re coming off a historic run! In either case, the summer is a reminder that the past is past, and that next season is right around the corner.
The summer is often the best time for athletes to develop. As a young athlete, there are few times throughout the year where school responsibilities can take a back seat to your performance. Commit yourself to a consistent routine over the summer, and you’ll show up to tryouts/pre-season camp with more power, speed, and control than ever before. Our top 3 steps to your best summer ever (yes, really) are below…
Step 1: Paint the Big (Clear) Picture
This is important. Motivation is fleeting. You might be pumped and ready to train now, but it’s common to lose motivation over time. There are going to be days where you don’t want to go to the gym, friends will invite you to events that get in the way of your training, and lifting might get boring and monotonous. This is why we must keep our sights focused on the big picture, the end game, the WHY behind your commitment to training.
Here’s a simple exercise with a big payout:
- Grab a pen and paper.
- Write down a description of the athlete you want to be.
- Describe how that athlete behaves -- both in practice and competition.
- Create a plan to hold yourself accountable to become that person.
Step 2: Commit as a Team
You don’t have to put all the pressure on yourself. Creating team goals, or goals with a training partner can be a useful method for staying consistent through the ups and downs of the off-season. The teams that we’ve seen do this most effectively typically understand the importance of consistent training, establish participation goals for the team, and have captains/leaders/training partners in place to keep teammates accountable to those goals all before leaving campus for the summer.
Remember, it’s the expectations we fulfill - not the expectations we set - that determines our team culture.
Step 3: Start Now!
What’s the best way to stay consistent with your summer training?
It often takes several weeks to establish a new behavior as part of your “normal” routine. Cortex will automatically keep track of the number of workouts you complete in a row, so you can begin building confidence and momentum going into the summer. Stack your workout streak up to double-digits, and you’ll be more likely to think twice about skipping a workout and breaking your streak to go hang out at the beach. For what it’s worth, we absolutely recommend going to the beach...after you’ve made time for your workout.
The Takeaway
It’s pretty simple, each day is an opportunity for you to get closer to becoming the athlete you want to be. The decisions you make now will either take you closer or further away from your goal. Summer brings no shortage of distractions to an athlete’s life. However, unlike school, these summertime distractions are, for the most part, optional. By making decisions that align with your goals, you take control of your current situation and your future opportunities.
How will you use the summer?
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