Most athletes count repetitions and use a stopwatch to time themselves while running, but there are many other time management techniques you can use while training for sports. One is to plan your workouts for the time of day that you have the most energy. It is also important to make short-term and long-term goals. Planning light workouts for days that you have other things going on in your life will help you stay on track with your training regimen without letting it interfere with your job or other things going on in your life.
Plan Workouts Around Your Life
It is almost impossible to perform well on a test or in an important meeting after you have just completed a long workout. It is best to plan intense workouts for days that you don’t have to work or days that you know will be easy at work or school. You have a finite amount of energy, so planning your workouts according to other events in your life will help you live a balanced life and be able to give your best performances during your workouts and in your non-athletic life.
It is also a good idea to schedule your workouts, meetings, social events and everything else on a single calendar. This allows you to plan your workouts far enough in advance to be in good shape for a marathon or triathlon while keeping up with your job and social obligations. Make sure to say no when necessary so that you don’t end up over-scheduled and burnt out. You may even need to take a break from working out for a couple of days if a crisis at work or within your family demands your time.
Know Your Energy Levels and Plan Accordingly
Some athletes are morning people that get most of their workouts done before the rest of their family is out of bed, while others are full of energy during the afternoon hours. You may not be able to work out at the time you would like to every day, but it’s worth the effort to plan workouts when your energy is at its peak as much as possible. You may be able to take a late lunch to workout in the afternoon or reschedule early morning meetings so that they don’t conflict with your workouts. Making plans as far in advance as possible is the best way to ensure that you will be able to work out during the time of day your energy is highest as much as possible. Working out at the same time each day helps you develop a routine, ensuring that you won’t skip workouts.
Make The Most of Time at The Gym
Unless you enjoy working out in the middle of the night at a 24 hour gym, you will probably not be able to get the machine that you want to use all of the time. If the machines are occupied, it is best to use another machine instead of waiting until the machine you want opens up. Although it allows you to stick to your exact routine, waiting for a machine takes up valuable time that you could be using for your workout.
Most athletes have a very limited amount of time available for their workouts, and every minute you spend waiting for a machine to become available is taking time away from other things in your life that are much more important than waiting. If you do take a break while waiting for a machine, make sure that you time your break so that it doesn’t end up being longer than your actual workout.
Set Short-Term and Long-Term Goals
Most athletes work out because they have a specific goal in mind. Whether you want to decrease your percentage of body fat, decrease your marathon time or complete a triathlon for the first time, setting goals is a step in the right direction. It is a good idea to write down your goals and share them with others. Make sure that your goals are realistic so that you don’t end up being disappointed each week or month when you have not met your goals.
Making both long-term and short-term goals is smart because your short-term goals will help keep you motivated until you have achieved your long-term goals. For example, if your long-term goal is to shave an hour off your marathon time in six months, you may set short-term goals to shave ten minutes off your marathon time each month. This could be broken down even further into weekly goals. If you meet your short-term goals each week you can celebrate the success and it will keep you on track for meeting your long-term goal. Some athletes even break their goals down daily at first so that they see immediate progress.
About the Author
OnlineClock.net offers many free time tools that can assist you with your sports training. If you have a laptop handy, try timing your next practice sessions with one of the handy free online timers found on the Online Clock website. They work right in your web browser and require nothing to download or install.
