In order to perform well in any type of sports and prevent injury or burning out from them, one should invest time into strength training in addition to regular drills and practices. Whether you are playing football, curling, or fishing, strength training will provide numerous benefits and you will notice significant improvement in your performance. Roughly speaking, strength training can be divided into three main areas: Physical, Mental, and Intellectual.
The most obvious is physical strength. You need strong muscle cells that can react, in a split second, to what your brain tells you. Strong muscle does not necessarily mean big muscle, as is obvious from comparing sumo wrestlers to marathon runners. Physical strength comes in three forms: Physiological strength, Neurological strength, and Mechanical strength. These factors often overlap and are not mutually exclusive. Physiological strength refers to muscle size, while Neurological strength is about the extent how strong the signal that tells the muscle to contract, and Mechanical strength refers to the muscle's force angle on the lever, moment arm length, and joint capabilities. Physical strength can be improved by targeting certain muscle groups that are used in your sport. Don't neglect strengthening the core muscles that support all the other muscles and joints. The first few weeks of strength training will improve your Neurological strength. After your nervous system becomes more efficient at delivering electronic signals to your muscles, you will start developing Physiological and Mechanical strength.
Mental strength, interchangeably called mental toughness or will-power, is another strength that can improve your performance. It is the strength that sets apart certain athletes from others. Those who can manage and perform consistently well under intense pressure are the ones who succeed in the end. One can improve mental strength by setting exercise goals and sticking with them no matter what. Boxers are known to go through extreme mental training by controlling their diet and drastically increasing their workout regimen.
Intellectual strength is all about making the best judgement under certain situations. For a striker to shoot for a goal or send the ball to other players, the best judgement has to be made in a split second. Such Intellectual strength can be learned by watching others perform, and going through similar scenarios over and over again yourself.
In addition to strength training, one should also pay close attention to the following overlapping fitness components: Power, Agility, Balance, Flexibility, Local Muscle Endurance, Cardiovascular Endurance, Strength Endurance, and Co-ordination.
Last but not least important, the important role Nutrition plays in sports has been recognized. Without proper nutrition, muscles will not grow and you will not be able to train hard.
Whatever your goals are, once you build strength in all the areas above, you will see performance increase in your sport. Good luck and have fun!
