How to Be Energetic when You Are Playing a Sport

Replace fluids lost from sweat., Maintain your muscles' energy source., Consume some running gel., Use your emotions to enhance your performance., Smile and laugh., Become absorbed in the game.

6 Steps 5 min read Medium

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Replace fluids lost from sweat.

    During a game you will continually to need to drink fluids to replace what you have lost in sweat.

    If the game, sport, or competition will last for more than 1 hour, drink ½-1 cup of sports drink every 15-20 minutes.Drinks like Gatorade, Powerade, Isostar, or Lucozade Sport to replace lost sodium and electrolytes, which should help you to keep up your energy levels.Be sure to drink in small but frequent amounts so that you don't accidentally make yourself sick., It is possible that you might run into a situation where you're playing two games back to back, say in a tournament, and you'll find yourself unable to take the time to go eat a full meal--or maybe you just end up hungry during a regular game.

    In these cases, you will need to replenish your energy periodically during and between games with small, healthy snacks.

    You will want to pick a healthy food, like a banana, a handful of nuts, or a seed-based bar for example, that can fuel you for 6 to 8 hours ideally.Try using your practices to experiment to find out which foods satisfy your energy needs best.

    Make sure you don't choose foods that upset your stomach or cause you discomfort.

    Be sure to eat small amounts of food often, say during your time spent on the bench or if your coach calls for a huddle, and bring multiple options to pick and choose from. , People who participate in marathons or long-distance sports may find their energy flagging over time but without the ability to stop.

    For endurance athletes who need to replenish energy they've already used, invest in and eat some special gel made of concentrated carbs to get that quick fuel that you need to keep going.It's generally recommended to start taking the gels early on, within the first 45 to 60 minutes of your race, but not to use them as a substitute for a good breakfast.Continue consuming the gels at a rate of 45 to 60 minutes per packet.

    Those with sensitive stomachs will want to make the time between snacks longer to avoid any potential stomach problems.If you have stomach issues, try to consume the gels at a rate of ¼ a packet every 20 minutes to make the digestive process easier on your stomach.

    Be careful; when you eat these gels, you will need to take them with water, and never with a sports drink.GU, Huma, Honey Stinger, and Clif are just a few of many brands that produce gel shots you can take.

    Try looking for them at Walmart, on Amazon, or any sporting goods store.

    Be sure to only use these for long distance running; even runners participating in 5k events do not need these products. , It is natural to become invested in the competition aspect of the game.

    This can make it hard to take losses well, but losing your cool could result in you losing your focus and potentially making mistakes.

    Instead of shouting and stomping and getting thrown out of the game, return to your position even more determined to win.

    Focus only on what is your job and what you can control--what's already happened is done.

    Remember to play within the scope of your game's rules: you don't want to be thrown out because of unsportsmanlike behavior such as elbowing someone in the face. , If you're feeling down, anxious, or angry during the game and you are unable to refocus it into a positive spin, you should smile or laugh to shake the negative effects off.

    These actions stimulate chemicals that make us feel good, fight off stress, and act as anti-depressants.You will find it helps to elevate your mood, which will in turn improve your performance.

    Try thinking back to a good memory, maybe a time you had fun with your friends, or some goal you recently achieved in your sport.

    Try thinking of a joke that made you laugh, or asking someone to tell you one.

    Tell someone else a joke--laughter and happiness are infectious, and if you can make them laugh, chances are you will at least smile if not laugh yourself., If you really want to reach your peak performance, you'll need to set aside all thoughts about other things.

    Forget about your worries about tests or that fight you had with your girlfriend/boyfriend.

    Ignore the crowd, the jeering from the other team or their fans, even distractions from other sources like loudspeakers or planes overhead.

    Concentrate only on the task that you have to do, and feel confident that you can do it, so that all of your energy and all of you is focused solely on the game.

    This is all part of what many athletes commonly refer to as "getting in 'the zone.'" If you can get into the zone, your negative thoughts and worries will all fall away and you will become more self-confident.
  2. Step 2: Maintain your muscles' energy source.

  3. Step 3: Consume some running gel.

  4. Step 4: Use your emotions to enhance your performance.

  5. Step 5: Smile and laugh.

  6. Step 6: Become absorbed in the game.

Detailed Guide

During a game you will continually to need to drink fluids to replace what you have lost in sweat.

If the game, sport, or competition will last for more than 1 hour, drink ½-1 cup of sports drink every 15-20 minutes.Drinks like Gatorade, Powerade, Isostar, or Lucozade Sport to replace lost sodium and electrolytes, which should help you to keep up your energy levels.Be sure to drink in small but frequent amounts so that you don't accidentally make yourself sick., It is possible that you might run into a situation where you're playing two games back to back, say in a tournament, and you'll find yourself unable to take the time to go eat a full meal--or maybe you just end up hungry during a regular game.

In these cases, you will need to replenish your energy periodically during and between games with small, healthy snacks.

You will want to pick a healthy food, like a banana, a handful of nuts, or a seed-based bar for example, that can fuel you for 6 to 8 hours ideally.Try using your practices to experiment to find out which foods satisfy your energy needs best.

Make sure you don't choose foods that upset your stomach or cause you discomfort.

Be sure to eat small amounts of food often, say during your time spent on the bench or if your coach calls for a huddle, and bring multiple options to pick and choose from. , People who participate in marathons or long-distance sports may find their energy flagging over time but without the ability to stop.

For endurance athletes who need to replenish energy they've already used, invest in and eat some special gel made of concentrated carbs to get that quick fuel that you need to keep going.It's generally recommended to start taking the gels early on, within the first 45 to 60 minutes of your race, but not to use them as a substitute for a good breakfast.Continue consuming the gels at a rate of 45 to 60 minutes per packet.

Those with sensitive stomachs will want to make the time between snacks longer to avoid any potential stomach problems.If you have stomach issues, try to consume the gels at a rate of ¼ a packet every 20 minutes to make the digestive process easier on your stomach.

Be careful; when you eat these gels, you will need to take them with water, and never with a sports drink.GU, Huma, Honey Stinger, and Clif are just a few of many brands that produce gel shots you can take.

Try looking for them at Walmart, on Amazon, or any sporting goods store.

Be sure to only use these for long distance running; even runners participating in 5k events do not need these products. , It is natural to become invested in the competition aspect of the game.

This can make it hard to take losses well, but losing your cool could result in you losing your focus and potentially making mistakes.

Instead of shouting and stomping and getting thrown out of the game, return to your position even more determined to win.

Focus only on what is your job and what you can control--what's already happened is done.

Remember to play within the scope of your game's rules: you don't want to be thrown out because of unsportsmanlike behavior such as elbowing someone in the face. , If you're feeling down, anxious, or angry during the game and you are unable to refocus it into a positive spin, you should smile or laugh to shake the negative effects off.

These actions stimulate chemicals that make us feel good, fight off stress, and act as anti-depressants.You will find it helps to elevate your mood, which will in turn improve your performance.

Try thinking back to a good memory, maybe a time you had fun with your friends, or some goal you recently achieved in your sport.

Try thinking of a joke that made you laugh, or asking someone to tell you one.

Tell someone else a joke--laughter and happiness are infectious, and if you can make them laugh, chances are you will at least smile if not laugh yourself., If you really want to reach your peak performance, you'll need to set aside all thoughts about other things.

Forget about your worries about tests or that fight you had with your girlfriend/boyfriend.

Ignore the crowd, the jeering from the other team or their fans, even distractions from other sources like loudspeakers or planes overhead.

Concentrate only on the task that you have to do, and feel confident that you can do it, so that all of your energy and all of you is focused solely on the game.

This is all part of what many athletes commonly refer to as "getting in 'the zone.'" If you can get into the zone, your negative thoughts and worries will all fall away and you will become more self-confident.

About the Author

T

Teresa Robinson

A seasoned expert in lifestyle and practical guides, Teresa Robinson combines 13 years of experience with a passion for teaching. Teresa's guides are known for their clarity and practical value.

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