Finding the Competitive Edge

Winning athletes will tell you that nothing beats the exhilaration of competition, and that’s just as true for weekend golfers as it is for elite Olympians. Even a workout in the gym is an athletic contest: after all, you can only make gains by bettering your own personal best.

We’re all looking for a competitive edge, and that’s why successful athletes train as hard as they do. And yet, you might be surprised to learn that there are many things that may be preventing you from reaching peak athletic performance. These include:

Poor nutrition – There’s a large body of evidence showing a relationship between diet and athletic performance, yet many athletes make poor food choices based on misinformation. For example, many people feel athletes need a high-protein diet to support muscle growth despite the fact that
researchers have repeatedly proved this false. The body tends to convert excess protein into body fat, and that’s the last thing an athlete wants. Only strength training and exercise will promote changes in muscle, and a well-balanced diet will serve the needs of most active people.

Insufficient hydration – Water is the most important, yet over-looked, nutrient by athletes. Water and fluids are essential to maintaining good hydration and body temperature. Sweat losses to keep the body cool can exceed several liters in a 1-hour period.

Inadequate sleep – Adequate sleep is critical for athletic recovery, as the body’s maintenance and repair functions occur mainly at night. An ongoing Stanford University study has shown that a little more high-quality sleep can result in dramatic improvements in athletic performance, mood, and alertness.

Low energy and poor stamina – Everyone runs out of energy sooner or later, but the best athletes are able to fight through fatigue to reach that “second wind.”

Impaired focus and concentration – Athletic competition is both mentally and physically challenging. Great athletes learn to tune out distractions by sharpening their focus and concentration.

Free-radical damage – Working muscles generate large quantities of harmful free radicals that, if left unchecked, can cause premature aging of the body’s healthy cells. This is why it is essential for athletes to maintain high blood levels of the body’s own protective antioxidants superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase.

Here are some tips that can help you to reach peak
performance:

• Follow a balanced athletic conditioning program to
  build strength, cardiovascular fitness, flexibility, core development,
  and resistance to injury.


• Eat a sensible and balanced diet.


• Drink plenty of water.


• Drink 4 ounces (120 ml) of GoChi every day!