Everyone wants to become a better athlete. Whether you play sports on the weekend with your friends or want to improve your fitness level, anyone can be a better athlete. Unfortunately, not all of us were skilled athletes in our youth, which makes becoming a better athlete as an adult difficult but not impossible.

Becoming a better athlete through exercise can benefit all aspects of your life, from improving your mood to promoting better health. Here’s how you can become the best athlete you can be.

1. Add Variety to Your Training

If your training only focuses on running and cardio, you could be losing out on quality opportunities to be a better athlete. Weight training, yoga, and other workouts can improve your athletic performance as well as practicing specific sports. Variety allows you to train all of your muscles, which will make you a better athlete and improve your endurance levels. No matter your fitness level, adding different types of workouts to your routine can benefit you immensely.

2. Rest

The key to building muscle and becoming a better athlete is to rest your muscles. While you don’t have to take an entire day off, you can choose to meditate, do yoga, or go for a walk to burn extra calories and keep your body loose.

Resting your muscles helps them heal and recover as tiny tears occur from exercise and muscle building. These tears are then healed and replaced with stronger fibers, building muscle.

3. Invite the Family

Your family can help keep you motivated while you show them great ways to stay in shape and get active. Family workouts can teach your children valuable health and wellness lessons while you continue to focus on your training. Not only that, but showing your family how hard work and dedication can help you achieve your goals will set them on the right path when it comes to achieving their dreams.

4. Wear the Proper Shoes

The right shoes are necessary for every part of your life. Whether you work on your feet or go running every morning before work, you need the best walking shoes for men or women to support your feet and legs and prevent injury.

5. Use the Right Supplements

While supplements aren’t completely necessary to help you become the best athlete, you must be able to provide your body with adequate nutrition in order to build muscle and improve your athletic performance.

Remember, while burning more calories than you take in is important for weight loss, athletic goals will require different amounts of calories and macronutrients. It’s always best to speak with your healthcare provider or a nutritionist to help you determine your nutritional needs while you train.

6. Track Your Goals and Progress

A workout tracker can help you achieve your goals and track both short-term and long-term goals along your journey to become the best athlete you can be. A training diary can help you track how your training feels, what your recovery time is, alongside any overall progress you’ve made. When you’re trying to find the right supplemental workouts, your diary can help you learn what works for your body and what doesn’t.

Your diary can be a great source for strategizing how you can make yourself a great athlete, providing you with valuable information about your workouts and their values.