3 Tips for Surviving Summer Football Practice

Summer football practice can be grueling. However, with the right preparation, you can not only survive but thrive.

Here are three essential tips to help you tackle the heat and perform at your best.

Nutrition

Do not skip breakfast.  You need to have food in your stomach before your first practice. Not everyone will be able to eat the same thing. Some athletes’ stomachs can handle a full breakfast with eggs and pancakes, while others may only be able to stomach a banana and oatmeal. Find what works best for you and stick with it.

Aside from breakfast, finding time to add in snacks between lunch and dinner to increase your carbs and calorie intake will keep your energy levels high. These can be snacks such as pretzels, trail mix, and beef jerky. The more consistent your eating schedule is, the better you will feel as camp goes on. 

Sleep

Rest plays a major role in recovery.  Finding downtime in your day to sneak in a 30-minute nap can help catapult your recovery compared to sitting on the couch playing video games.

Aside from adding a nap to your daily routine, getting at least eight hours of sleep is paramount.  Sharpening your memory to retain plays in the playbook, improving your mood, and increasing your overall athletic performance are just a few things getting proper sleep will help with.

Hydration

Dehydration will cause performance loss along with an increase in injuries. For every 1% loss in your overall hydration, your performance decreases by 10%.

Always keep a water bottle or jug with you. Hydration doesn’t happen the night before practice. It needs to be something that you are always thinking about.

Including salty snacks in your diet will force you to drink more during camp. Adding in a sports drink with added electrolytes will assist in both muscle performance and muscle recovery.

Conclusion

By focusing on these three areas, you’ll set yourself up for a successful football season. If you’re looking to take your game to the next level, our Sports Performance Coaches create customized plans for athletes of all ages and abilities. Get started today by calling 952-456-7650 or click here.