The Importance of Fitness in Sports When we think about sports, a common consensus comes up: you need to be fit and strong to succeed as an athlete. Since the creation of organized sports, fitness has played an integral role in helping elevate the standards of athletes. However, the importance of fitness in sports is now discussed more than ever before. From cricket to basketball to football,
having the necessary endurance and fitness has become a vital component to triumph in modern day sports. So how does physical fitness help athletes? The word ”fitness” has a broad meaning but what it boils down to is a couple core tenants: having endurance as well as muscle mass.
By conditioning their body using a variety of drills, athletes can strengthen their muscles, fixing any existing imbalances. Doing this would allow an athlete to become sturdier and less prone to serious muscular injuries. Key ligaments and tendons can be strengthened, allowing athletes to have a longer, more illustrious careers.
Some sports like cricket or baseball were looked as those that did not require as much fitness as other sports. If we look at the history of cricket, players were far from what we would today call “phyically fit.”
Don’t get me wrong, they were still fantastic cricketers but we wouldn’t consider them elite athletes. Yet, as nutrition and sports science evolved, fitness took a core role in cricket.
Modern day cricketers like Virat Kohli or Dhoni have more toned muscular bodies through numerous years of strength conditioning. All that strength definitely helps. Dhoni’s muscles help him put brutal power into his shot, sending the ball into the heavens.
Many cricketers nowadays follow routines of conditioning and endurance tests to prepare themselves for the tough, long matches ahead. On the other hand, sports like football always required diligent conditioning and training. While training tactics and basic shooting passing drills is vital in creating a successful football team, players needed to be in proper shape.
Imagine this; 90 minutes of running up and down a 100 yard long field, trying to run plays to get your team to score a goal. It requires a high level of stamina that can only be gained by serious conditioning. In addition, especially for smaller players–having a good amount of muscle will help protect your body from those large brooding defenders.
Take Lionel Messi, for example. Once a small, skinny winger he put on a lot of muscle to withstand the blows and keep his body safe. This mixture of building muscle and hardcore endurance is a core tenant if you want to succeed as a professional footballer.
While strength and conditioning may not be vital for every sport, it plays an important role in helping athletes extend and improve their careers. From beginners to the star athletes, these exercises have to be part of everbody’s training routine. I know, many of us are lazy to run those laps or lift those weights.
However, focussing on fitness for a few hours during training sessions can add numerous years as well as accolades to your career. At SPSA, we understand the importance of fitness in improving player performances. Learn more about our fitness programs to get stronger and more flexible
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