| Keeping a healthy body isn't just about training for the athlete. Body maintenance is a whole workout in itself, requiring one or two hours a day of extra effort. Sometimes, it is really difficult to find the energy to keep your body fine tuned, but as you get older, you need to make it your priority, more so than getting an extra hour of training in a day.
Tip #1 - Maximize Mobility
Mobility basically refers to the flexibility of your joints and muscles. One of the best ways to maximize mobility is via yoga. I go to yoga classes three times a week. I take Hatha yoga, which is often referred to as a healthy back class, and Vinyasa yoga, which incorporates strength, flexibility, muscle control, and balance. Yoga helps keep your finer, stabilizer muscles strong and in balance.
Tip #2 - Be Well Adjusted
I go to a chiropractor two or three times a week to get adjusted. The visits are not only to adjust the spine joints, but also to get Active Release Technique (ART), a hands-on therapy treatment that corrects muscular and soft tissue problems.
Tip #3 - Address Your Ailments
Every athlete has some sort of ailment. For me, I get such bad lower back problems that I get physical therapy for my hip capsule and sacrum are to address it. But, if you are going to overcome it, you must make it a daily routine and stick to your exercises.
Tip #4 - Snack Often and Right
A lot of athletes flat out do not get enough calories. You can take up your entire day working and then training. A lot of times an athlete will miss a meal or go five or six hours without any calories. When I finish a workout, I feel my muscles are depleted, especially if I don't put energy back into them. I make a protein shake each day that helps my muscles repair and recover a little bit better. I also snack on such foods as cottage cheese with peaches and pasta salad throughout the day.
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