How Easy it Is to Atrophy

No matter the subject, it is remarkable how quickly the body and mind fade from peak performance.

Consider, for example, the state of the brain after summer vacation. Instead of diving into complicated math equations or new foreign language conjugations, September often seems like a month of review to reignite the brain for higher learning.

Likewise, consider the last time your daily run became inconsistent. Soon, the length and time of each run diminishes and much work is required to reestablish your high level of performance.

When training for individual or team sport, you are faced with an impressive amount of upkeep to maintain a high level of performance. Your muscles need strength and conditioning; your mechanics need fine-tuning; your mental approach needs attention.

If You Are not Improving, Then You Are Losing

But in competition, maintaining performance is not enough. If you are not improving, then you are losing.

Improvement should always permeate your mind as your train. Truthfully, you can get better every day.

Without sacrificing other aspects of your training, the mindset of getting better every day inspires you to think deeper about your training and helps you diagnose ways for you to improve.

Getting better every day doesn’t mean setting a personal best daily; it means dedicating yourself to the small improvements in order to increase your competitive performance gains. Getting better every day means setting out to make improvements no matter how big or how small.

It might mean an extra push-up; it might mean shaving a half second off a lap around the track; it might mean analyzing a golf swing and committing a new mechanic to muscle memory. Getting better every day also means committing to mental development. It means working toward a positive outlook or developing the confidence necessary to come through in clutch situations.

The Little Improvements Make a Big Difference

Your time between competition allows opportunity for development. The little improvements you make daily create exponential advances on the field of competition. It’s the little things that make a difference in the end. We are rewarded with the prize when the small things are mastered first.

Just like the student who needs a month of review to regain peak mental abilities, don’t let your skills atrophy. Every day provides an opportunity for improvement.

So as you get ready to train today, what will you do to get better?