Aging athletes looking to maintain or improve their athletic performance must know that there are a few tips and tricks to always consider for success. These tips and tricks range from basic practices, such as getting adequate sleep and drinking plenty of water, to something more complex, like going for injections and maintaining a strong core. Keep reading to know more.
Here are five tips for aging athletes who want to maintain their athletic performance.
1. Build Stronger Bones
According to experts, stronger bones will not just help you age gracefully but also plays a role in improving athletic performance. It is, therefore, important that you focus on building them if you want to stay in the game. But, how exactly do you build stronger bones? Well, according to fitness enthusiasts, the best and most reliable way to make your bones stronger is to go for strength training and weight-bearing exercises. That is because both of them put stress on the bones. By so doing, these workouts stimulate the growth of bones, plus make them stronger. Furthermore, Boris Gilzon, who is a physical therapist and an owner of a clinic in Brooklyn, says that older athletes should consider brief and high-intensity bursts. That is because they are not only good at making bones stronger but also help boost the capacity of the lungs and the heart.
2. Boosting Aerobic Capacity
Boosting your aerobic capacity is good too since it addresses the diminishing amount of oxygen, which your body requires to make your muscles active and work smoothly. Well, one cardio workout session you should focus on for easy boosting of aerobic capacity is HIIT. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) shifts between highly intense workout sessions and slower, highly effortless recovery periods. HIIT is steadily growing in popularity, which has led to gyms offering classes both for experienced and new athletes. This makes it easy to include it in your list of tips to consider to stay in the game despite your age.
3. Use Steam for Your Recovery Process
People have been using steam and heat therapy since ancient times. Needless to say, it is a trick you can rely on for a warm recovery process. Applying intermittent heat after a workout can help reduce systematic soreness of muscles. Well, this is just a fancy way of describing the soreness you feel after a workout session. One study conducted on endurance runners found that only a couple of intermittent wet heat sessions helped improve endurance by a whopping 32% in athletes who took part in the study that went on for three weeks. Another good thing about using steam for warm recovery is that you do not need to visit the gym; you can create your own at-home steam session.
4. Build a Strong Core
Simply put, a strong core improves stability, which, in turn, ensures fewer falls as you get older. Aging athletes are, therefore, encouraged to maintain their core since this comes with a lot of benefits. Well, some of these benefits include reduced risk of lower back injury and improved posture, balance & stability. All sports demand that you have a stable spine and pelvis since these two play a huge role in channeling power to your extremities. What’s more, building a strong core helps you perform better without exposing yourself to repercussions. Plus, it allows you to move efficiently. According to experts, one of the ways to maintain a strong core is to include workout sessions that strengthen the core. These are deadlifts, kettlebell swings, and squats.
5. Consider NAD (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide) Injections
While working out is great, sticking to it can be daunting. It is, therefore, completely normal to stop working out if you feel it is taking a toll on your body. Of course, you can substitute your exercise regimen with supplements and/or a strict diet. But, even these may not deliver the results you are looking for. Well, this is where NAD injections come in handy.
Easy to execute, these types of injections offer a simple way to continue performing at the top of your game. Besides, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide injections have innumerable anti-aging benefits. These include:
- Regenerating cells to slow the aging process
- Helping the body recover quicker from injuries by reducing internal inflammation
- Fighting fatigue and increasing energy levels
- Promoting healthier functioning of the brain
- Boosting metabolism
- Slowing down cognitive decline
Conclusion
Staying in the game, particularly, when age threatens to slow you down is no easy feat. That is why we have come up with the above tips and tricks. They are all practical, not to mention the fact that they are backed by science. With them, age, especially, when it comes to delivering exceptional athletic performance, will remain just a number.