High Performance

High performance means just that - performing at a high level. This can mean a number of things for different athletes and teams, for example:

• Winning the Premiership or Championship
• Getting promoted to a higher league
• Selection for Regional, National or International teams
• Performing a personal best
• Achieving something for the first time eg running a marathon

For you to achieve your dreams there are four key areas to attend to in your training:

1. Fitness Levels
2. Sports Nutrition
3. Strong Sportsmind
4. Freedom from Disease

1. Fitness Levels

It is important that when you plan to reach a high performance level in any sport that you consider these fitness principles:

Specificity
Every sport has to be considered specifically for its unique nature. Different sports put different demands on your energy systems, muscle groups and recovery times. For example there is little value lifting heavy weights in the gym if you are planning to run the London Marathon.

Are you training your energy systems in a well planned and effective manner so that you do not run out of energy? Are you developing strength in the muscles that are required for your sport?

Individuality
Everyone is unique. It is important that a program is designed to get the best out of you. Even if you are playing in a team your training will need to be different to that of team mates.

By planning carefully a program is designed that will help you to improve your performance and to minimise injuries.

Should you be doing something different in training to avoid heavier loads and thus reducing your injury rates?

Periodisation
Periodisation is the methodology behind year-round training programs that enables you to be in the best physical shape when you need to be. It is important in sport to plan your annual season or even a 4-year Olympic cycle to maximise each training session.

It is essential that you consider time between competitions to ensure that you do not burn out mid-season.

(See Strength and Conditioning)

2. Sports Nutrition

Nutrition is a critical foundation for any athlete. If you do not eat correctly or eat at the correct times your performance will suffer in both training and more importantly competition.

Sports Nutrition Guidelines

• Enjoy a wide variety of nutritious foods
• Eat plenty of breads and cereals (preferably wholegrain), vegetables (including legumes) and fruits
• Eat a diet low in fat and particularly low in saturated fat
• Maintain a healthy body weight by balancing physical activity and food intake
• If you drink alcohol limit your intake
• Eat only moderate amount of sugars and foods containing added sugars
• Choose low salt foods and use salt sparingly
• Ensure that you are adequately hydrated
• Eat foods containing calcium
• Eat foods containing iron

Are you eating at the correct time pre and post exercise to reach high performance and to enhance recovery?
Are you eating the correct foods for your sport?

Fast Fact: Iron deficiency (anaemia) is a common condition; if you are anaemic oxygen will not be transported effectively to your muscles thus lowering your capacity to exercise. Blood tests will identify deficiencies.

3. Sportsmind

(See Sportsmind)

4. Freedom from Disease

Unfortunately there is never a guarantee that you can be free from disease. However there are key elements in helping prevent disease:

Maintain a Healthy Body Weight and Aerobic Fitness Level
(See strength and conditioning)

Eat Healthily
If you follow the Guidelines for Sports Nutrition you are one step towards keeping the body healthy. It is important when looking at what foods to eat that you keep all foods in moderation and eat less of the "bad" foods

Are you eating foods that are low in sugar?
Do the foods that you eat have a low Glycaemic Index?
Are you getting enough vitamins and minerals in your meals along with good fats, carbohydrates and protein?

Avoid Pollution
When you breathe in polluted air you breathe in carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide along with other cell damaging particles. This prevents the lungs from breathing in life-giving Oxygen. Cigarette smoke (inc passive smoking) needs to be avoided completely.

Eating healthy will ensure that you eat foods rich in antioxidants that help reduce damage from these free radicals and air borne pollutants.

Do you exercise in areas away from roads and heavy traffic?

Fast fact: The two most common sources of pollution are car exhausts and cigarette smoking. Both of these areas can be reduced or avoided totally.

The Exercise
The following exercise is quite simple to do but will require a concerted effort from yourself to master. It is closely related to meditation and provides the mind an opportunity to come back to the present moment and not to be concerned about either the future or the past.

As you allow the mind to fall still anxiety is removed and the opportunity to perform at your peak is enhanced.

It is important that you go through this following process slowly and calmly. Consciously rest or pause at each stage of "The Exercise":

• Allow your body to fall still, bring your attention to your breathing (preferably breathe through your nose)
• Breathe deeply noticing your chest rise and fall with each breath
• Let go of the concerns that at present possess your mind, do not let your mind be detained by thoughts of the future or the past
• Come into the present
• Become aware of your body, sit upright have a strong posture, allow the physical tension in your muscles dissolve and fall away
• Allow your shoulders to relax and your facial muscles to release tension
• If your eyes are open simply look around you, become aware of colour, shapes of objects, light and space around you
• Listen to sound, listen to noises around you and those from further away
• Be aware of any tastes or smells
• Rest in the awareness of all that is around you
• Become conscious of the power of the present

When was the last time you were able to sit back and feel stress in your body just dissolve away?

Fast Fact: By practicing "The Exercise" on a regular day-to-day basis you will enhance your ability to get into "A Zone for High Performance" and reduce stress levels.