In It To Win It!

In It To Win It!

The 2020 Olympics kick off July 23rd in Tokyo Japan and we can’t wait to cheer on the most gifted and devoted athletes from Team USA!  What captures our imagination even more than the feats of athleticism by these world-class athletes, are the stories that led them on this unprecedented 4-year journey to greatness.  

 

 

 

 

These stories embody the concept of Olympism, which “seeks to create a way of life based on the joy found in effort, the educational value of good example and respect for universal fundamental ethical principles”.  We’d like to help you to harness your inner Olympian and create your own story of success in fitness, wellness, and performance.  Our Explosive Performance program has trained over 3 dozen Olympians over the years, with 21 Gold Medals since 2012.  Here are the secrets to success we’ve learned from working with Olympic Champions and their coaches, and we hope to help you achieve uncommon results: 

 

 

 

  1. It’s A Team Effort

 

 

Behind every Olympic Champion there is a team of coaches and support staff completely dedicated to the success of that one athlete or team.  Strength coach, nutritionist, biomechanics expert, skill coach, sport psychologist, sports medicine team, and of course their training partners.  In many cases, these relationships become lifelong friends and a kind of “sport family”.  Athletes also embrace technology including, sleep monitoring (#1 performance enhancer), GPS/Heart Rate monitors, and recovery tools.  They get the best results because they are gifted AND because they have an amazing team.   

Build your team!!   

  • Get expert advice from a coach/trainer. 
  • Recruit multiple training partners to push and support you, and make training social and fun. 
  • Use free apps like Sleep Cycle and Vitabot (ask your Fitness Director). 
  • Recover better with your yoga, foam rolling, and/or Hyperice products. 

 

 

  1. Focus On Your Inner Drive

 

 

Every world champion we have ever worked with has set themselves apart with their inner drive to succeed.  Their relationship with their team is a collaboration of highly motivated people, not an angry coach screaming at the athletes to be great and dragging them across the finish line.  The create a vision of success for themselves, and they feed their vision and starve their fear.  “I will reach my goal one way or another.”  When we think of Olympic champions, we usually think of celebrity athletes like Katie Ledecky and the US Women’s Soccer team.  However, most Olympians are just like you and me, tirelessly working toward their goal with little or no fanfare, for the “love of the game”.  Their inner drive is what keeps them motivated and engaged throughout the process. 

  • Create a “why” board for your fitness goals with images and/or mantras that capture why these goals are important to you. 
  • Find a mentor who inspires you. 
  • Mentor someone else and inspire them with your effort and results. 

     

     

  1. Embrace The Competition

 

 

This concept is baked into Olympic sports.  Run faster, jump higher, throw farther, beat your opponent, set a personal record…  Competition with ourselves and others lets us track our progress, celebrate an accomplishment, and make training FUN.  You don’t have to win all the time, but you should want to win chance to compete and test yourself. 

  • Create simple goals and metrics that can give you some winning momentum. 
  • Have a deadline or an actual competition date to highlight your progress. 
  • Challenge your training partners with some friendly wagers (20 pushups, post workout smoothie, etc.) 
  • Track your progress by testing something every 8 weeks.  Re-evaluate and set new goals. 

     

  1. Enjoy The Process-Be Consistent!

 

 

Unlike our Olympic hopefuls we can mix things up whenever we want, to listed to our favorite music while we train, and to socialize with our friends and family during training.  These are the most important parts of the workout that make it enjoyable!  If I enjoy it, I will be more consistent and motivated to never miss workouts.  Olympians who attend 90% of their workouts in a 4-year cycle before the next Olympics are 5 times more likely to reach their goal than those who don’t due to injury or motivation.  The same goes for you and me.  So how do I make my fitness journey enjoyable and a priority in my life? 

  • Be your personal DJ and create playlists that you cannot wait to listen to. 
  • Find your favorite parts of the gym and make sure you include them at least a little every session. 
  • Keep a note on your phone where you highlight small victories and things you are thankful for before or after your workout. 

 

The are many ways to go for the win, what are some of your favorites from this article that you already do? What are some new ones you’ve learned that you’ll implement into your existing routine?

Post your answers to your Instagram & Facebook stories and tag us with the caption, “In it to win it!” and we’ll repost them to our pages! Make sure you follow us @onelifefit | @onelifefitness to see your story featured on our page!