Bridget Moroney  00:00

If you're listening to this podcast, I can tell you this means that you are driven by that burning passion for excellence in your sport or fitness. But guess what, there's more to your athletic journey than meets the eye. You're part of a larger world of athlete archetypes, each with their own unique strengths and challenges. And so I want to invite you to take a deep dive into your athletic or fitness identity by taking my exclusive quiz. Discover your athlete archetype. This quiz is designed for you to discover and uncover the hidden aspects of your athletic persona. And by taking this quiz, you'll unlock insights into your personal approach to training, motivation, and performance optimization. But that's not all. You'll also receive a personalized podcast playlist tailored just for your archetype. So just imagine having a playlist curated just for you filled with episodes that align with your unique goals and aspirations. So if you're ready to gain a deeper understanding of yourself as an athlete and access a treasure trove of podcast episodes that will elevate your game, head over to aspire to coaching.com backslash athlete archetype that's WWW dot aspire to coaching.com backslash athlete archetype and take the Discover your athlete archetype quiz today now for today's episode. Welcome to the performance arcs podcast the ultimate destination for anyone who wants to perform better in the gym and live a better life outside it. Whether you're just starting your journey or you're a seasoned pro. This show covers a wide range of topics to help you reach your potential and live your best life. Each week on this podcast. I'll be bringing you expert interviews, personal stories and actionable advice to inspire, educate and empower you to reach your goals. So hit follow. Grab your headphones and get ready to take your health and performance to the next level. Hey everyone, welcome to today's episode of the performance RX podcast powered by aspire to coaching. I'm your host, Bridget Moroney. And today's podcast is all about actionable advice and insights for dedicated enthusiasts like you who are committed to taking their athletic pursuits to new heights. So if you live and breathe fitness or your sport and are always trying to be your best, then you've come to the right place. Today I'm diving into how you can elevate your game and maintain that unwavering dedication. Let's get started. So the first step for being a dedicated enthusiast is setting goals and benchmarking success, you know that progress starts with clear and achievable goals. So for example, let's say you are a long distance runner and endurance athlete setting a goal to complete a marathon in under four hours within the next six months would be an example of getting clear on achievable goals. And by setting a specific target, you have something tangible to work towards increasing your motivation and focus. One of my favorite quotes from Cory Gregory, who is another fitness influencer is always have a date on the calendar. So whether it's improving your technique, increasing your speed, mastering is challenging skill set specific objectives that excite you and establishing a plan and standards to track your progress is going to be essential. In that process, I would consider conducting regular performance tests to evaluate your growth and make adjustments accordingly, especially if you are going for something specific like a running time or a new PR on your lift. And of course, working with a coach can be invaluable in aligning your goals and setting up accountability benchmarks to achieve the success you're after. So doing something like the SMART Goal Setting approach ensures that your objectives are well defined, realistic and time bound which leads to greater success and enhance performance. And the SMART framework has been proven time and again to be effective in guiding you towards realistic and time bound objectives. The next thing I would say for dedicated enthusiasts is embrace asking for help. So as they say, the path to greatness is rarely traveled alone. People who are serious like you recognize the importance of seeking help and guidance, so don't hesitate to collaborate with experienced coaches, and nutritionists who can provide expert insights into your training, nutrition and just overall performance. There's a lot of benefits to working with these people. A coach can analyze your technique and develop a personalized training program while a nutritionist can advise on the best dietary choices for your performance. And just remember that asking for help is not a sign of weakness. It's actually the first step towards pushing your boundaries and achieving extraordinary results. Studies have shown that people who work with qualified coaches and mentors experience faster improvement and better overall performance compared to those who go it alone. And of course, all of these people's expertise can identify areas for improvement and provide tailored feedback, helping you advance faster and more efficiently. I know I'm showing my own bias to being a coach myself, but it really is the ultimate performance hack. Next on the list of things that you should do as a devoted enthusiast to elevate your game is build a supportive community. So this is why people get hooked on things like CrossFit, it has much more to do with the community, then the training methodology so surrounding yourselves with a like minded community is vital to your athletic and fitness journey. It doesn't have to be CrossFit you could do something like join a local running club, where everyone shares training tips, offers encouragement and participates in competitions and races together and being part of a supportive community fosters a sense of belonging and motivates you to stay consistent in your training. As humans we are social creatures. And so we crave this type of community and just this sense of belonging. So seek out fellow dedicated enthusiast who share your passion and ambition and they're going to become your support system, your inspiration and your competitive edge. And together, you'll motivate each other to reach new heights, and you can celebrate each milestone along the way. Research indicates that athletes who are part of a supportive sports community experienced increased motivation, confidence and enjoyment in their training, and the camaraderie and encouragement from your fellow enthusiast can positively influence your commitment and dedication to your goals. Next up, we have one of my favorite bits of advice, and that is prioritizing recovery. So if you're at this point in your fitness or athletic journey, then you're naturally going to be pushing yourself to be better every day. However, it's essential to strike a balance between dedication and recovery. Overtraining is a real thing, and it can lead to burnout and injuries which derail your progress. So embrace the importance of rest, proper nutrition, and hashtag self care. I always recommend scheduling regular rest days, maybe incorporating some sort of mobility, stretching, yoga routines, and of course, my favorite thing to emphasize prioritizing adequate sleep. So recovery is not a sign of slacking off, it is a strategic move to ensure sustain peak performance. And of course, there are plenty of studies to back that up. So research has shown that adequate rest and recovery practices play a critical role in muscle repair, glycogen replenishment and just overall athletic performance. And so I cannot emphasize this enough that recovery not only reduces your risk of injury, but also enhances your long term progress and success. Speaking of recovery, let's talk about what your training should look like in the first place. So one thing that I highly recommend is to periodized your training. So periodization involves dividing your training program into distinct phases with a specific focus. And it doesn't have to be as nuanced as a formal strength and conditioning program. Although I highly advocate for that, I think you could make some really great progress. But a simple example could just be as simple as in season and offseason. And so for example, during the offseason, you're going to prioritize things like strength training to build a more solid foundation. And then as your competition approaches, you would transition into a phase focused on fine tuning your skills and improving your performance. So one thing I like about periodization is it prevents burnout, it minimizes the risk of overtraining, and it optimizes your progress by ensuring your body is getting the adequate rest and recovery at various points throughout the year. So you're not just constantly going, going going until you burn out. And of course, research shows that incorporating periodization and things like cross training into your training program improves your overall athletic performance and reduces the likelihood of overuse injuries. And by diversifying your training activities. You engage different muscle groups and movements, you promote overall well rounded fitness. And again, I can't emphasize this enough, you're going to reduce the risk of overuse injuries because you're not doing as many repetitive motions. Speaking of building that solid foundation, of course, you all know I'm going to advocate for strength training and it doesn't matter if you are a strength athlete or not. If you do endurance training CrossFit BJJ strength training is crucial for you because it's going to enhance your muscular endurance, power and of course, prevent injuries. I'm always a fan of the classic compound movements, the big three We have the squat deadlift and benchpress because they engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously, which improves your overall strength and stability. Bottom line strong muscles not only improve your performance in your primary sport, but they also reduce the risk of common sports related injuries. One of my favorite quotes is strong people are harder to kill and more useful in general. And I'm sure it's not a surprise to many of you that there are tons of studies out there that have demonstrated strength training improves your athletic performance by increasing force production, enhancing neuro muscular coordination and preventing musculoskeletal injuries, just so you don't think that I'm all about lifting heavy weights. I'm also going to advocate for cross training, engaging in cross training activities outside of your main sport can complement your training routine, and again, promote overall fitness. This is where the magic of the training methodology of CrossFit comes into play. Because you're doing activities that are outside of your sport, like swimming, cycling, yoga, you're going to get more diverse movement patterns and challenge your body in different ways. And again, this is going to reduce the risk of burnout from reach repetitive training, and just improve your overall cardiovascular fitness, flexibility and muscular balance. There's also a lot of research that shows that by challenging your body and new ways you can prevent imbalances and just increase your overall athleticism next on the list for training tips is interval training. So high intensity interval training or HIIT, has been very popular over the past decade. It basically involves alternating short bursts of intense activity with brief recovery period. So it's highly effective for improving your cardiovascular fitness, increasing anaerobic capacity. And of course, a big reason why it's so popular, it burns calories in a shorter amount of time. So adding an interval training sessions to your routine can enhance your performance and just boost your endurance for competitions. It's not just some silly fitness trend, there are a lot of studies that have confirmed that hit improves vo two max which is the maximum oxygen consumption of your body. And like I said, you're an aerobic capacity, which basically results in greater overall endurance and better performance in sports that have bursts of high intensity efforts. So moving on from training, let's go ahead and get into nutrition and supplements for optimal performance for the dedicated enthusiast. So first things first, you need to fuel for performance. So that means having a well balanced diet rich in carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats that's going to provide energy necessary for intense training and optimal athletic performance. I can't say this enough, do not be afraid of carbs. Carbohydrates are the primary fuel source for endurance activities. So if you're looking for any serious athletic or fitness performance gains, you're going to need carbs research confirms that proper nutrition especially carbohydrate intake before and during exercise improves your endurance performance delays, fatigue and enhances your overall capacity. Speaking about pre, intra and post workout nutrition, let's talk about timing. So proper timing of meals and snacks is essential to support energy levels during training and of course, enhance your recovery afterwards. So I usually recommend consuming a balanced meal containing carbohydrates and protein two to three meals before exercise so that you can get that sustained energy and then having a post workout meal with protein to facilitate muscle repair. And of course, carbohydrates for glycogen replenishment. I know a lot of people like to make a big deal about the post anabolic window. They're honestly having that meal two to three hours before you train. And then another decent meal with fast digesting carbs and some protein within two hours afterward is going to be more than for the majority of devoted enthusiasts. And then the last thing I'll mention on the nutrition side is about supplements. So everyone likes to make a big deal about supplements, a lot of supplements out there are complete garbage. However, when it comes to sports performance, there are a handful that could be beneficial. So again, can't emphasize this enough, while a well balanced diet should be the foundation of your nutrition. There are certain evidence based supplements that can support you with your athletic and fitness performance. So I of course, highly recommend incorporating creatine make sure it's creatine monohydrate to enhance your power and strength. And then you can also consider things like beta alanine to delay muscle fatigue and then some caffeine to improve endurance and focus. Just keep in mind with caffeine that can actually turn into a pretty sticky situation. If you want to hear more about caffeine and the proper dosages, and whether it's a good idea or not, check out the performance RX podcast episode 11. I did with Christina Hackett. And we go into all of the supplements for health performance and longevity and caffeine is on there. And she has some pretty surprising and interesting insight there on what caffeine can actually do to you and also for you. And as far as the last bits of tips and advice for the dedicated enthusiast, let's talk about your mindset. So as I always mentioned, it's not only about training and eating right, your mind plays a critical role in achieving your goals, especially when you're at the level of being incredibly dedicated towards your sport or fitness. So the first thing I would say is to embrace a growth mindset and just learn from your setbacks. So there's a lot of psychological research out there that suggests that adopting a growth mindset and viewing your challenges as opportunities for learning lead to increased resilience and perseverance. And if you embrace the process with a positive and open mindset, it's going to enhance your ability to adapt and thrive in the face of obstacles later on, which of course, has been linked to increased long term success in athletes and other fitness enthusiasts, speaking of learning, the world of sport and fitness is ever evolving. And as a dedicated enthusiast, you gotta be adaptable. So what does this look like? Well, I would say stay informed about the latest training methods, sports science and nutrition. And then be open to trying new approaches and techniques. Allow yourself to grow and evolve as an athlete, attend workshops, read research articles, listen to podcasts, whatever gets you excited and interested, I say, go for it. And you know, if you embrace that continuous learning and adaptability, you're going to perform better and experience fewer training plateaus. And of course, staying informed and experimenting with different training methods can help you optimize your performance, and it might actually lead to some breakthroughs in your journey. The last thing I would say, when it comes to your mindset as a dedicated enthusiast is celebrate your progress. You know, we're always chasing the next goal. We're always looking at the next competition. But amid this pursuit of new heights, just remember to celebrate your progress each step forward, no matter how small is a testament to your dedication and hard work. So celebrate your victories and don't be too hard on yourself during your setbacks. Every experience is an opportunity to learn and improve. And I've talked about this on other podcasts with other coaches research suggests that celebrating progress and practicing self compassion can contribute to overall greater well being and just overall life satisfaction. So again, I just can't emphasize this enough, acknowledge your achievements, this is going to foster positive reinforcement. And again, that resilience in the face of challenges. That's a wrap for today's episode of the performance RX podcast. I hope you found this evidence base advice valuable and actionable in your journey. Just remember that everything that you want is within reach. If you set clear goals, seek help build a supportive community, prioritize your training, nutrition recovery, and just stay adaptable and celebrate your progress along the way. Thank you so much for tuning in. And until next time, keep striving keep pushing and keep being the person that sets the standard for greatness. We'll see you next time. Hey, really quick before you go, I need you to do one thing for me. If there was something in this episode that you think would be a value to someone else, please share it for me. My goal is to empower as many people as possible on their health and fitness journeys and one of the best ways to do it is to share awesome information like what you heard in today's episode out with many others. So do me a favor, copy and paste that link, send it to one of your friends, your family or anyone who you think would get some enjoyment and value out of this. I appreciate you for listening. I'll see you next time.