BECOMING AN ELITE ATHLETE

Posted by Coach Excellence on June 23, 2017 in Competition | ∞

7 Steps to Becoming an Elite Athlete

Don’t assume you’re too old or out of shape to make your dream of becoming an elite athlete come true. The oldest Olympic medallist was 72! Here are steps you can take towards living your dream:

Critically assess your physical condition

The first step is to determine what shape you are currently in. This will help you to select the best training program you will need to follow. If you are 35 years old and your favourite activity is sitting on the couch with a six pack and a bag of chips, you probably aren’t cut out to become an Olympian. However, if you are willing to make a few lifestyle changes……. You can get an assessment of your current level of fitness by visiting a local gym and consulting with one of the trainers.

Choose a discipline

Are you interested in Air Rifle, 3P and/or Prone. If you are an older athlete, you are more likely to achieve success in a sport that focuses on “mental” rather than purely “physical” strength aspects.

Find a place to train

Once you decide which discipline to pursue, you need to start developing your skills. Make the effort to attend the range whenever possible—use the best ammunition that you can afford, and make each shot worth it! Home dry firing works well also. Success comes from the level of work you are prepared to offer.

Start competing

If you haven’t already started competing at the State and National level, now is the time to do it. It is important in many sports to build a national “ranking” by competing at certain competitions. TRA/SA is no different. Many State have a State-based ranking also.

Get a coach

This step should be taken at the same time as you start competing. A coach can help you develop your skills, so you can progress to the next level. A coach is sounding board for you to bounce your ideas against—in essence, an essential element of successful shooting.

6. Visualize your success

A training technique used by top athletes is visualization. According to one theory, if you see a perfect golf swing 1,000 times in your mind, it’s better practice than actually swinging the golf club 10,000 times. Your coach and the internet are full of valuable information to help you learn about visualization and how it will prepare you to achieve the result you want.

Attend the National Championships

Most States run the TRA National Championships in a similar format to the Olympic Games so it is good, high quality practice. Often, the National coaches are present and they will be happy to help or advise—or even conduct a session with you.

THE REST……. IS UP TO YOU

TIP OF THE WEEK…. How to win a Gold medal.

Take 500g of talent—add 1500g of sheer effort. Mix together carefully. Then fold 75g of luck and 400g of positive attitude into the mix. Put this mixture aside, and let it rise for a bit. Check progress frequently.

This mixture will also now need a sprinkle of opportunity and approximately 300g of sheer mental toughness. This last ingredient is essential and must be added.

Your mix is now ready for the “cooking” process. Remember that the cooking may take anything from 2-5 years to reach its optimum flavour. Again, check progress constantly to prevent burn-out.

Remove from container, and let loose on the competition circuit. You have a winner with this recipe.

Enjoy the challenge
Tricia