5 tips to help you prepare for fall sports

Fall sports are just around the corner. To help athletes make the most out of their time this summer, strength and conditioning coach Stephen Venogupal shared five tips to help you prepare.

1. Get accustomed to your sleep schedule. It is great to sleep in until the early afternoon during the summer, but once fall comes around and it’s time for early morning classes or training sessions it’s important for your body to be adjusted and prepared.

2. Take the summer to target injury prevention exercises. Focus on balance, stability and isometric training. To prepare for a rigorous season, work to prioritize stabilizing muscles through movements including push-up holds and lunge holds.

3. Focus on nutrition and hydration. This will give your body its ideal environment for growth and building. As an athlete you always want your body to be healthy and strong, not depleted from nutrients. This means focus on fueling your body weeks before practice and camps begin so that it can perform even better than before.

4. Skills, skills, skills. Working on proper strength and conditioning is great and these translate directly into your skills. Your summer training will help you execute your sport specific skills once fall practice rolls around where you can show off all your summer preparation.

5. Visualize success. Picture yourself making that winning catch or having a great play. If you can see it, you can do it.