How to Improve Your Athletic Performance

Whether you’re an athlete wanting to boost your game or a weekend warrior looking to maintain a healthy lifestyle, you need to start with a healthy mindset. Improving your athletic performance requires a combination of exercise, nutrition, consistency, and dedication. “Staying fit and healthy goes way beyond what happens in the gym; improving athletic performance is dependent on establishing a healthy routine where the athlete hydrates regularly, fuels their body appropriately, and optimizes sleep and recovery,” says Mass General Brigham Applied Sport Science & Reconditioning Lead Mark Murphy, DPT. “It’s about committing to improve your health and form better habits of self-care. Exercise is key, but I always speak with athletes about the importance of what they're doing in their down time.”

Sports nutrition fuels your body and supports recovery

Proper nutrition ensures your body has the right fuel to perform at its best during physical activity. It also provides the necessary nutrients to repair and remodel tissues after exercise. Understanding the science behind nutrition is essential for creating a diet optimal for athletic performance.

Why carbs are important for athletes

Carbohydrates are the primary energy source for athletes. They boost energy by providing the muscles with glucose, which is stored locally in the muscle as glycogen for on-demand, explosive power. Well-timed carb consumption is essential for proper recovery, especially for athletes who engage in high-intensity activities. They replenish your glycogen levels, assist in repair of muscles, reduce post-exercise fatigue, and help accelerate recovery.

Excellent carbohydrate sources to enhance an athlete’s performance include:

• Whole grains like oats, barley, and brown rice
• Vegetables rich in starch, including potatoes, beets, and squash
• Fruits such as apples, oranges, bananas, and berries
• Whole wheat bread and pasta
• Legumes like beans and peas

The many benefits of protein

Another key ingredient for athletic performance enhancement is proper protein intake. Proteins make up the building blocks of muscle growth and repair. They also preserve lean muscle mass, support your immune system, boost metabolism, and aid in recovery.

Protein-enriched foods that help power athletic performance include:

• Egg whites
• Chicken, turkey, beef and other lean meats
• Fish
• Whey protein
• Greek yogurt

While animal-based protein isn’t the only way to consume protein, it is the primary choice for many elite performers due to its high bioavailability and ease of absorption. Bioavailability refers to the ease of digestion of a type of protein, based on its amino acid composition. If you choose to rely on alternative or plant-based proteins, it’s important to understand their absorption rates and how effectively your body can use them. This means being careful to ensure you’re getting enough high-quality protein to meet your needs when not eating animal-based options. Read more about how much protein you should have when working out.

Healthy fats to improve athleticism

When combined with carbohydrates and proteins, healthy fats, such as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, create a well-balanced diet for athletic performance. They absorb vitamins, regulate body temperature, produce hormones, and help protect your organs. Consider these good sources of fats:

• Avocadoes
• Eggs
• Nuts and seeds
• Fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, trout, and herring
• Coconut, flaxseed, and olive oil

Proper hydration

Your body needs the right intake of fluids to function correctly. If you’re an athlete, it’s critical to maintain proper hydration before, during, and after exercise to replenish the fluid you sweat out during activity. Staying hydrated regulates your body temperature, increases cardiovascular and cognitive functioning, and keeps your energy level up.

Water is the go-to for most day-to-day workouts. However, consuming a sports drink with electrolytes is helpful when engaging in high-intensity athletic activity for long durations. Electrolytes help prevent dehydration, which can lead to muscle cramps, low body temperature, fatigue, and dizziness.

Find more hydration tips for athletes from a Mass General Brigham sports medicine specialist.

Training and fitness for athletes

Establish clear, measurable goals before building a training regimen to boost your athletic performance. Think about what you most want to achieve. Some measure athleticism based on strength, speed, or endurance. Others focus on technique and skill development. At Mass General Brigham’s Center for Sports Performance and Research, coaches like Murphy work with clients to set reachable goals, refine movement, boost performance, and recover efficiently.

Align your workouts to your specific goals

If your primary goal is to build power, focus on resistance training routines. For speed and agility, try high-intensity aerobic workouts. If you’re refining skills for a specific sport, zero in on related techniques and drills.

Vary your workouts

Repeating the same routine can become monotonous and may not yield the best results. That’s why Thomas Newman, lead performance coach at the Center, recommends following the “rule of three” by changing your workout every third session. Even a small adjustment to your regimen can help prevent plateaus, keep your joints healthy, and reduce the risk of overuse injuries.

Measure your performance

Modern technology makes it easy to track your progress. From wearable devices to state-of-the-art training machines, you can monitor your workouts in real time and use the data to analyze and modify your routines. Reaching established goals and setting new ones are excellent motivators.

Supplement your diet

A healthy, well-balanced diet enhances your overall training regimen. Certain sports supplements and vitamins go even further to help you reach peak athletic performance. Mixing electrolytes, probiotics, fish oil, and other supplements into your sports nutrition diet can provide various benefits, from cardiovascular and joint health to a healthier immune system. However, it’s always best to check with your nutritionist, doctor, or athletic trainer before taking any sports supplements.

Allow for recovery time

When you exercise, your body needs time to heal. Otherwise, you risk injury, which could derail your whole training plan. Give overworked muscles and tendons time to repair and rebuild themselves. Rest, replenishment, and recovery between workout sessions will set you up for physical and mental success.

Learn more about recovery techniques for athletes.