That fateful day led me to become a member of 20 national teams, an eight-time Canadian champion, an Olympian and a multi-medalist on various major Games, spanning a career more than 15 years.
I attribute my quick progression in the high jump to the various sports I played growing up. Had I started specializing in my sport at an earlier age, I doubt I would have lasted for as long as I did or had the same level of success. The path to becoming an Olympian requires a mixture of important ingredients that may vary according to the sport and the individual athlete. Ultimately, for many, the path is navigated through deliberate play and involvement in various sports, developed through a commitment of deliberate practice, and reinforced by support, resources, motivation and effort.
Most importantly, in sports where peak performance occurs after maturation, early sport specialization is not the answer to becoming a super elite athlete. Edition: Available editions United Kingdom. Become an author Sign up as a reader Sign in. Specializing in a specific sport at an early age is not necessary to become an Olympic athlete. In fact, the opposite is true.
Forrester , Ryerson University. Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article methods. Tips and Warnings. Related Articles. Article Summary. Method 1. Get involved in a sport as soon as possible. For example, if you like to run, you might choose a sport like soccer or track where running is a main component of the game.
If you like lifting weights and have good upper body strength, you might consider a strength-based sport like crossfit and powerlifting, or field sports like discus and javelin. If you are able to catch and throw a ball, you could try football or baseball. Devote hours to practicing most days of the week. Becoming an athlete is a huge time commitment, so be prepared to spend a lot of time practicing the different skills that you need. Schedule your practices in 60 minute sessions, and try to do 2 or 3 of them days per week.
Be sure to take at least minutes in between practice sessions to rest your muscles. Ideally, you should space your practice sessions so that you have one in the morning and one in the evening.
Many skilled athletes spend hours per day on practicing their sport. However, if you have other commitments, this might not be possible. Try to make as much time as you can within your schedule. Focus on getting better at specific skills. Repeat that movement or motion over and over until you perfect it. If you play baseball, you might spend 30 minutes working on swinging a bat in the right form without hitting the ball, and then spend 30 minutes hitting the ball.
It may be helpful to practice with a friend or coach so that they can observe you while you practice and provide comments on where you can improve your game. Take minute breaks in between repetitions.
But careers as an elite athlete can be unpredictable and sometimes short. You can choose how many modules you take per trimester.
If you know you have a big competition coming up you can drop down to one module or no modules for a trimester, and build back up to two when you know you will have less competition pressure. You will also have access to our student counselling and advice services. When they came to campus we pitted some of our on-course athletes against each other. Greg taught the rugby players some key brushing techniques, while Greg got used to the high-life in a line-out.
For many, competing means showing up and participating. For others, myself included, competing means giving it everything you got, every play, every minute and never quitting regardless of the score. Not everyone is a winner, and I love winning more than anyone, but there is also a great satisfaction in knowing you gave it everything you had and there was nothing more you could have done.
Everything else will fall into place. Learning how to be an athlete: 5 steps to achieving the impossible. Does the lack of a flawless body make Kyle any less of an athlete? Is he not doing things with his body that most deemed impossible? Being a great competitor outweighs being a great athlete. Great competitors never grow tired of hard work and are always willing to do whatever it takes to be successful.
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