Sports competitions are intense and will drain out your energy just to prepare for it. Whether you’re aiming to become a professional athlete or just trying out, sports competitions require a lot of practice beforehand. If you’re entering the world of sports for the first time, and have no idea how to prepare for the competitions aside from intensified trainings, we have some tips that might benefit you for the D-day.

 

Stretch More Often

As said before, preparing for sports competitions require intensified trainings. You could go from the usual 2 hours training to 4 and 6 hours of training. This is going to strain your muscle a lot,and the last thing you want is your muscles cramming up during the day of the competition. We recommend increasing the number of times you stretch along with the increased duration of training. Don’t just stretch and warm up before the training, but also stretch a few times during the training and after the training to prevent joint pain. Some athletes like to take a swim after training to relax the muscles. We also recommend stretching before going to bed and after waking up in the morning.

 

Rest as Usual

It is crucial not to tire yourself out before the competition. Of course, this requires time management. Aim for a 6 to 8 hours sleep every night, so if you train early in the morning, make sure you tuck in early in the evening too. If you don’t get that 6 to 8 hours sleep the night before, you can sneak in little naps during the day. Effective power naps should only go for thirty minutes to an hour, because if you sleep longer than that your body will think that it’s time for the usual hours of sleep, and if you wake up suddenly, its going to throw your body’s balance. You’ll end up feeling lousy for the rest of the day.

 

Avoid Certain Drugs

This is the most important tip of all. Even if you think you’re taking medication for illnesses, the wrong drugs can disqualify you from the competition. Try not to consume any medication aside from vitamin supplements prior to the competition. Try home remedies instead. Steroids should also be off the table around two weeks before the event.