Sports specific training

People work out for numerous different reasons, but they all have one thing in common - they need a plan in order to have any chance of making good progress. Nowhere is this truer than for sports specific workouts. Sports specific workouts place extra demands on an athlete. Not only do you have to cover the basics - stamina, strength, flexibility - you also have to take into account the demands of your particular sport.

Not convinced? Compare the training programs of a football lineman with a soccer player. The lineman needs massive explosive power to blast his opponent off the line, while the soccer player needs to be able to run up to six miles in a game, yet still have the ability to sprint in the 90th minute of a game.

Sports specific workouts should be designed around the particulars of the activity, with two main goals in mind.

1. Improved performance. The primary goal of any such workout is to help you perform better on the field, court or rink. If your workouts aren't making you a better player, then they are a waste of time.
   
   
2. Injury prevention. Sports, by their very nature, place great demands on the body. A well-designed program will train the athlete in such a way that they can avoid many of the common injuries that occur in their sport. This is done by increasing the strength, flexibility, and so on, in the key areas.

So if you are a regular participant in a sport, check out our sports specific workout sections for tips on how to use your workouts to get the best from your sport.