Shaping Up For the Summer
No matter what sports or activities you plan on participating in or doing this summer, it is best to get into the appropriate shape the ensure that you are in the best shape for performance.
Whether your sport of choice is track, crew, or any of the many other sports that occur during the summer months, or simply hiking and family or friend events, being in shape can help you to prevent injury. For those who slacked off during the off season, the road ahead of you may seem a little rocky at first, but with diligence and determination, you will be in shape for anything that summer throws your way.
Workouts
When you are preparing for summer activities and sports, your workouts should remain general at first to raise endurance, then begin to specialize your workouts every other day to ensure that you are getting the proper exercise for your activity. This will allow you to work on your perfect baseball swing, tennis serve, soccer drills, and so much more without slacking off on your general exercises for strength and endurance which will put you in the best possible shape. The first thing you will want to do is stretch before any exercise as a strained muscle can be extremely painful and may end up with you reaching for those pain pills in the medicine cabinet. Orif you tear a tendon or damage a joint,you could even find yourself sitting in front of the doctor as he writes out a prescription for serious painkillers like co-codamol. The trick to avoiding all this unnecessary pain is to take it slowly at first and avoid the temptation to try pick up on where you were at the end of last summer. After stretching and warm-up exercises, you need to work on your cardio which will help you with track and field as well as endurance during your games. Add on various strength training exercises and you have the perfect generalized workout to help you get back into fighting form for any summer activity that comes along, sport or otherwise.
Group Workouts
For those of us who are extremely competitive, group workouts with friends and family can be a lot of fun and help us get into shape a little faster as our competitive nature can lead us to new heights. Working out with your friends can be a lot more fun than simply working out on your own, especially if you are working out with teammates as the stakes will always seem slightly higher. You can also have practices for the summer sports you are participating in even if it isn’t preseason or during the playing season. These group activities can allow you to not only enjoy your workout even more but also allow you to catch in some practice time with your buds, without your coach breathing down your neck to perform like it is a life or death situation.
Solo Workouts
Those who fly solo when working out are generally more likely to stay focused on the routine of working out and stretching than those who work out in groups to get into shape for their summer fun. The simple act of putting on your workout clothes, stretching, and putting in your headphones with your favorite music is enough to get you pumped up for the long haul. You may even be able to get further into your workout than your group working counterparts as you are more focused and determined to reach your goals. However, depending on the activity you intend to get into shape for, like a 5 or 10 K race, or hiking with friends, you may still want to get a little group activity going to practice as a team rather than simply an individual as team bonding is part of any sport you play.
Reasons to Get in Shape
While many people are getting in shape for the swimsuit weather that is around the corner, getting into shape for any sport or activity is generally a great idea. If you are not in your best physical shape you will be more likely to get injured on the field or court, or while having fun with friends. Injuries during sporting games are not fun but can be quickly cared for with the numerous people around, injuries get dangerous once there is almost nobody around and can cause problems for others in your group. If you are out hiking and an accident occurs due to your poor shape, you could put everyone in your group at risk. This is part of what makes getting into shape not only important but a priority for anyone who has plans this season.
