Written by Kyle Ballew- V.P. Sports Performance

Train Like a Pro: 5 Tips for Young Athletes to Practice Daily

In today’s busy world our student athletes can often feel buried with the load of their daily lives. Between school, practice, competition and just being a kid it is getting increasingly difficult to manage everything they need to be successful. So what exactly should they prioritize? What should they focus on to help make them the best they can be? Athletic Republic has been at the forefront of athlete performance for over 3 decades. We have compiled a list of the 5 simplest things you can do to improve your game or the game of the young athletes in your life. 

Tip 1: Stay Hydrated

This is arguably one of the easiest and most effective ways to up your game. We have probably all heard that water makes up as much as 70% of our body mass, but what exactly is it doing? Well, water serves a number of purposes in our bodies. Near the top of the list, water makes up a large portion of your blood and as such is responsible for transporting literally everything your cells need to function. This means it helps in distributing energy and oxygen to everything from your brain to your muscles. On top of transportation your blood also acts as a cooling system, moving heat away from your core and to your extremities to prevent overheating like a radiator. Another way your body removes heat is through sweat. Water retains heat very effectively, so when your body expels sweat, it is actually trying to shed excess heat from the body. This is also why it becomes important to prioritize hydration during hot practices and games.

Another important aspect of hydration is electrolyte replenishment. Both liquids and solids in our diet contribute electrolytes. The primary ones important for muscle use and health are Sodium, Potassium, Calcium and Magnesium. Sodium and Potassium specifically play crucial roles in fluid balance within muscle tissue. This is why electrolyte drinks with adequate sodium and potassium can double for muscle function. 

A good practice to get into is drinking 0.5 ounces of water for every pound of body weight, each day. For a 180 pound athlete that would be 90 ounces of water daily. Additionally, athletes should consume 16-24 ounces of water a few hours before training and games to ensure hydration going into physical activity. During exercise or competition, it is important to consume at least 4 ounces of water for every 15 minutes of activity. Finally, after training or competition, it is vital to replenish this fluid. Drinking 16-24 ounces of water for every pound of fluid lost in practice or games helps to promote recovery and future hydration. All of these numbers should be increased when participating on hot days where more fluid is lost during body cooling. 

The easiest way to improve hydration is simply to invest in a reusable water bottle. Find something fun that expresses your personality that makes you want to carry it around. Set goals small at first that include finishing a few ounces of water each hour. Over time this gets easier and the benefits will feel amazing.

Tip 2: Prioritize Sleep

 Sleep can sometimes feel like a hard thing to prioritize in our busy schedules, but it contributes to our overall health just as much as any other factor. Research from the British Journal of Sports Medicine showed that athletes who slept fewer than 8 hours a night had a 1.7x higher risk of injury and a negative effect on recovery after training sessions. While sleep recommendations change with age group, it is undisputed how important sleep is to physical growth, brain development, mental health, academic performance as well as athletic performance. 

 For teenagers ages 13-18, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends 8-10 hours of sleep per night. This can increase slightly for athletes recovering from hard workouts or competition. Unfortunately the average teenager in this age group only gets 6.5-7.5 hours of sleep each night. Some easy ways to help improve your sleep include: 

• Avoiding anything caffeinated in the evening like coffee, tea, soda, and energy drinks. 
• Reduce or eliminate screen time before bed.
• Set a routine. Schedule a regular sleep time to avoid conflicts.
• Prepare for the next day before going to bed. Lay out clothes, prepare school supplies, and plan breakfast to save time and allow yourself to sleep a little longer.

Tip 3: Fuel Up Before and After Workouts

 What you eat before training or a game can make or break your performance. Think of your body like a car—it needs the right fuel to run efficiently. For athletes, pre-workout nutrition isn’t just about having enough energy; it’s about fueling your muscles, staying focused, and maintaining stamina throughout your session.

But what does "the right fuel" look like? The best pre-workout snacks combine carbohydrates for quick energy and a small amount of protein for muscle support. Timing is just as important as what you eat, so aim to eat meals about 2-3 hours before training or competitions and then a snack roughly 30-45 minutes prior. Some well balanced pre-workout snacks include:

• Banana and peanut butter sandwich (whole grain bread)
• Fruit smoothies with nut butters or small amounts of protein powder.
• Yogurt with honey and berries
• Whole grain crackers and hummus
• Apple slices with nut butter
• Oatmeal with almonds or other nuts
• Avocado toast and a hardboiled egg
  
  

 To really bring home your nutritional needs as an athlete, make sure to emphasize refueling afterward as well. Protein is your best friend in a post workout snack to ensure your body can begin the process of protein synthesis. A protein shake or smoothie with about 20 grams of protein right after training can really accelerate the recovery process. Some other easy examples for post workout snacks can be trailmix, jerky (pick a low sodium/sugar flavor), protein bars (again pick low added sugar options), and even hardboiled eggs or a turkey sandwich.

Tip 4: Incorporate Hip Mobility Exercises

 There are a variety of ways to keep your body loose and mobile as you go through the training week. More often than not, all athletes are on their feet for several hours during training whether it be running, weight training, or sport specific drill work. This continued use of the lower extremities puts strain on several muscle and joint groups, but usually none more than those in the hip girdle. The entire musculoskeletal system around the hips includes everything from the lumbar spine, the pelvis, the femur and every muscle that crosses those bone structures. Training can cause tightness and lack of mobility in this extremely vital area of the body. By having a small series of exercises to do daily you can help increase range of motion, increase blood flow and improve recovery overall. Some great and easy hip mobility movements you can do everyday are:

• Hip 90-90 Stretch
• Hip 90-90 Rotation
• Pigeon Stretch
  
  

Tip 5: Master Time Management

 Whether you are a high school athlete or a grown adult we all sometimes need a reminder to set ourselves up for success. It is often making small decisions on what to prioritize that can make all the difference. How often have you found yourself scrolling on your phone and sidetracked from the task at hand or procrastinating? As athletes we spend a lot of our time focused on training. When we finish practice we often want time for ourselves to relax or hang out with friends. When we start to put off things like school work or studying for that test later in the week the stress can grow and the payoff becomes less and less. 

 Try instead to designate a certain time everyday to shut off devices, turn on do not disturb and complete a few tasks. Over time this forms habits that continuously make us more productive. You will quickly find that the sense of fulfillment from finishing a homework assignment or feeling ready for a test will reduce stress, improve sleep and overall make you more alert when you need to be, like the final minutes of that important game. Try some of the following for a few weeks and see how much easier managing daily stresses become:

• Start with 30 minutes of do not disturb/powered off devices.
• Make a list of each of your school assignments in the order they are due.
• After completing one from the list, check it off and reflect on how that makes you feel.
• The next time you go to class prepared, take a moment to acknowledge how fulfilling that is.
• Take some time during the week to yourself. Not for school work or sports, really carve out time for the things you enjoy doing for a high-quality mental health refresher.

As a young athlete, building daily habits might seem overwhelming at first, but starting small and focusing on one tip at a time can make a big difference. These simple routines—hydrating, getting enough sleep, eating right, improving mobility, and staying on top of schoolwork—can set you up for success both on and off the field.