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Cintron Starts Training At Historic Ali Camp
Cintron Starts Training At Historic Ali Camp by: Jeff Julian on June 20, 2004 Welterweight contender Kermit “The Killer” Cintron started his training camp on June 14th at the site of Muhammad Ali’s former training camp at Deer Lake, Pennsylvania....
Exercise - An Effective Way To Lose Weight
Are you trying to lose weight? Have you tried exercising? In
case you do not know, exercising regularly is the most effective
way to lose weight. Dieting is another way to do it and people
choose it very often because it helps them to achieve...
I Hope it Rains in Heaven
I've been hunting for as long as I can remember. The first hunt I ever went on with my dad, he had to change my diapers. My first real hunting memory is sitting on a tree stand and snuggling under my dad's coat. To this day, I can still smell the...
Is your personal trainer any good?
Hiring a personal trainer can be a significant investment – even with hourly rates differing vastly across regions and countries – you are still paying a fair amount of money for the expert knowledge that will help you achieve your health and...
Robotic Vacuum Cleaners Work Great on Pool Tables
A friend of mine bought a robotic vaccum cleaner as a gag. It's actually pretty fun to watch it semi randomly roaming around the room. It seems to have about 15 different direction change sequences, which allow it to eventually cover about 98% of a...
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Why am I doing this; again?
All athletes train for various reasons. These reasons are what keep us going. It is important to regularly examine your motives and ambitions and to keep them close to you. Without an internal purpose to our training we are like old plow mules; slogging along because we always have. Without a purpose your enthusiasm to train and compete will eventually fade.
The first thing you must realize is that your motivations are unique and personal. You may train for social reasons, but not because your friend is making you. You may enjoy the support of your parents, but can not compete for them. This is one of the reasons children who are pushed too hard by the imposed ambitions of overzealous parents often lose interest in a sport. The child has lost the internal motivation to participate (fun) and generally does not stay involved long term. Make sure reasons you train are your reasons.
Secondly, define your reason. Be specific and write them down. Visualize the payoff of your training. If one of your reasons is fitness, visualize yourself as the fit and hardened individual you will become. Perhaps you have a specific personal goal in mind. Constantly remind yourself what that goal is, and how the work out you are performing now will get you there.
There are so many positive aspects to being an athlete beyond the physical benefits. I personally believe the characteristics of a successful athlete transfer to many areas of life outside the competitive arena. Characteristics such as discipline, overcoming adversity,
risk taking, personal sacrifice, sportsmanship, consistency, and hard work reinforce good character. These reasons may not be as concrete as winning a race, but I believe they will carry you farther.
If you are training mainly for the joy of competing, you may wake up one morning and realize that it is no longer fun for you. If that is the case, it is time to move on to something else, perhaps another sport, something new and interesting. This change in motivation is natural, and is not a result of deficient character, it is part of life.
Endurance athletes are unique animals. The training takes more hours than most sports, and is usually solitary. Successful training for endurance sports requires you to train through all seasons, terrible weather, and early mornings when you would rather be in bed. Even the pros make little money relative to other sports, and receive little recognition beyond the endurance sport community. If fame, fortune, and adoration are your motivators you are in the wrong sport. Endurance sports arguably require greater fortitude and discipline. Know what the payoff is for your efforts, and you will be a more motivated, successful, and happy athlete.
About the Author
Matt Russ has coached and trained athletes around the country and internationally. He currently holds licenses by USAT, USATF, and is an Expert level USAC coach. Matt has coached athletes for CTS (Carmichael Training Systems), is an Ultrafit Associate. Visit www.thesportfactory.com for more information.
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