Get Proactive About Your Body

If you don’t understand your own body, how can you progress when you are playing competitively in soccer or any sport for that matter? I forked out $2,500 last year to study personal training and another couple of thousand a few years back to become an internationally certified fitness instructor. I always felt that growing up as a goalkeeper and training for goalkeeping was totally different than what any outfield player experiences. Over the past few years (including my recent injury) I felt that what I learn about my body, and what I could do to increase my performance through my own studies were invaluable.

By learning about my own body through experiences as a fitness instructor, by gaining knowledge and constantly seeking knowledge, by establishing fitness fact from fitness fiction I am sure that you will benefit also. Anyway, here are some tips on gaining insights into your own body:

• Research scientific journals on fitness. Scientific journals show you tangible results in highly monitored situations. What you gain from these journals is a deep knowledge of recent trends in sports science.

• Believe me, nothing beats a wholesome diet from natural sources. Having said that, there is volumes of scientific research that points to some supplements that can be extremely effective for performance enhancement.

• Investment into a personal training course speaks volumes about how your own search for knowledge can help you attain your best performance. understanding all facets of your body and how it works, really helps you separate facts from fictional advice or marketing hype.

What all of the above information means is that you are searching for specifics. Each and every one of you are inherently different, and therefore there are facets of your game that may need tweaking. For example you discover that you have a strong upper body and can throw the ball out to your outfield players really well. But, you poor kicking game shows you are lacking strength or power in your legs, so what do you do? You research about what specific exercises you need to do to generate better strength or power in your legs. Simple. Performance enhancement is not about the latest designer drugs or fitness fad, it is about polishing off specific facets of your game so that you can progress to the next level.

Therefore, understand your body and you will better understand what you need to do to become a better goalkeeper or athlete.