The relationship between proper nutrition and sports performance

There’s no doubt that sports nutrition plays a key role in sports performance, says sports training enthusiast Ryan Shephard. Not having adequate fluid and carbs will lead athletes to quick exhaustion. Without protein, muscles will not be easily rebuilt. And without a steady ingestion of vitamins and minerals, an athlete will not reach his or her maximum potential.

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Indeed, a fine balance of carbs, fluid, minerals, vitamins, and protein in one’s diet is a must for anyone engaged in athletics. Sports nutrition insists on combining these with a healthy dose of vitamin D and calcium for bone health, antioxidants to boost the immune system, and iron to prevent fatigue.

Remember that a performance diet and a healthy diet are basically the same. For example, limiting or restricting your carbohydrates will impact your performance greatly and negatively. Aside from getting plenty of protein, you’ve to supplement your diet with high-quality carb sources like starchy vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. These promote overall health even as provide your body with vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

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Proper nutrition must be maintained before, during, and after competition. Your development in your chosen sport will be stunted if your body doesn’t have the proper nutrients, explains Ryan Shephard. If you’re unsure of how to use nutrition to reach your athletic potential, do get in touch with a registered dietitian or a board-certified specialist in sports dietetics.

University of Michigan student Ryan Shephard has always been fascinated by sports and the way the human body works. He is keen on pursuing an Athletic Training degree to become a sports rehab and training professional someday. For related reads, visit this blog.

What exactly is exercise physiology?

Exercise physiology refers to the integration of exercise and principles of physical activity in areas such as health, rehabilitation, sports performance, and disease prevention. Exercise physiologists therefore work in a wide range of settings, from hospital and healthcare facilities to community organizations, says sports training enthusiast Ryan Shephard.

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What’s important is distinguishing exercise physiology from the related fields of exercise science, kinesiology, and sports medicine. There are distinct differences among these that must be explained. First, kinesiology means the study of human movement and its various biological, behavioral, developmental, and social bases. Those who have a degree in kinesiology tend to specialize in one specific field, and that could very well be exercise physiology. In short, kinesiology is the more umbrella or canopy term and exercise physiology is the specialization.

Sports medicine is concerned with directly dealing with injuries sustained in exercise, sports, other physical activity. This includes prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. While this field used to be populated mainly by physicians, professionals from various, related fields like nutritionists, athletic trainers, physical therapists, and exercise physiologists now work in sports medicine.

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Finally, remember that exercise physiology is not the same as exercise science, adds Ryan Shephard. While both terms are used to describe a field of study aimed at understanding how our body responds to exercise, physical activity, and sport, exercise physiology has a more standardized and physiology-based curriculum. Exercise science often has curricula that vary widely from one program to the next, depending on the focus (from physical education and health to human performance).

University of Michigan student Ryan Shephard is currently pursuing an athletic training degree, hoping to become a certified sports and rehabilitation specialist in the future. He has always been fascinated by sports and the way the human body works. Visit this blog for related posts.

Exercises to focus on when you’re past your peak

I’m Ryan Shephard, and I’m studying the different ways I can help people with their training and rehabilitation in sports. One of the harshest things to accept, especially if you’ve been used to living an incredibly active lifestyle through competitive sports, is that you’ll one day get older and move way past your peak.

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However, this doesn’t mean you’ll have to stop doing physical activities altogether. If anything, you may need to do more just to keep your body in shape, but with lowered intensity.

On that note, here are some great exercises you may want to try if you don’t feel as young as you used to be.

Swimming

I still maintain that swimming is the best exercise known to man. It’s a full-body routine that’s incredibly easy on the joints. It helps you achieve maximum respiratory function and gets your blood pumping like nobody’s business.

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Walking

People often overlook the benefits of walking when it comes to health, which is a shame, really. Walking burns calories and improves overall blood circulation. But for people who are past their peak, the best part is it isn’t as hard on the joints as running.

Golf

You’ll do a lot of walking while playing golf. You’ll also be constantly focusing on your posture. Almost everything you do on the golf course is great for your body.

Hi, my name is Ryan Shephard and I’m a University of Michigan student majoring in Athletic Training. I’m hoping to one day have a career in professional sports training and rehab. For more of my writings and musings on sports training, go to this webpage.

My name is Ryan Shephard, and I’ve studied sports training and rehab. I’ve applied some of my knowledge in local leagues, helping kids recover from injuries. I believe that one of the things that speeds recovery is knowledge. If athletes know their injuries, they know what and what not to do.

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On that note, here are some common basketball injuries and how they can be immediately treated.


Sprain (foot or ankle)

In basketball, foot or ankle sprains are quite common. The trick is to determine the degree and pain prevention via support. First off, having players were ankle support (or tape) is a great way of keeping the ankle stable. Combine this with good basketball sneakers (ones that provide good ankle support) and you’ll be safe. If a sprain occurs, ice it quickly. Allow it to rest for a few days with compression and elevation to make sure it heals well. If it doesn’t, you should go see a doctor.

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Finger jam

Next to foot or ankle sprains, I noticed finger jamming is the most common basketball injury. This can be anywhere from annoying to excruciating. It happens when a ball is passed to you and hits your fingertips head on, causing either a sprain or dislocation in your finger (or fingers). You can ice it right away to lessen the swelling, after which your fingers should be taped to avoid it from being bent at the joints (which can be tearjerkingly painful).


Hey there. My name is Ryan Shephard, and I’m a student at the University of Michigan. Since I was young, I’ve always wanted to work in the sports industry, particularly in the fields of athletic training and sports rehab. For more of my writings, click this link.

Train like your favorite soccer superstar

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So, you followed last year’s FIFA World Cup and are now quite into the beautiful game. For starters, soccer is one of the best sports to take up. It’s very affordable, and all you need is a bit of open space to practice the basic drills. However, just like training for any sport, you’ll need discipline and determination.

Here are some ways your favorite soccer superstars train.

Lower body focus

Since the sport is very demanding on a person’s lower body, soccer players train their legs a lot. They train for speed, endurance, agility, and power. They run and sprint for miles every training session. After that, they do agility drills that help them move laterally and change direction at the drop of a dime.


Kicking power

In line with lower body focus, every soccer player develops kicking power by kicking the ball hundreds of times a day. However, they don’t just kick the ball wherever they feel like kicking it. There usually are targets to help not only increase kicking power, but also improve accuracy and direction.

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Dribbling and ball control

Ball control has always been a big part of a soccer player’s game. If you can’t pass the ball, you have to know how to dribble while running so opposing players won’t relieve you of possession. Dribbling and ball control drills take up a lot of time during training sessions.






Ryan Shephard is a student at the University of Michigan. Since he was young, he has always wanted to work in the sports industry. While he can play sports like basketball, football, baseball, and soccer, he thinks he is better suited for athletic training. To be specific, it is his dream to become an expert in the field of sports rehab and training. For more articles like this, click here.

Exercise choices to keep you optimally fit and healthy

It’s not enough, fitness experts will tell you, to limit your exercise regimen to just one type of activity. In this blog, we’ll look at three most beneficial exercise types to keep you healthy and fit, not to mention active and feeling great about your body.

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The first exercise category is aerobics, which aids in improving your breathing and speeding up your heart rate. Working out your heart and lungs increases your endurance and helps you not feel winded after, say, walking up the stairs. Aerobic exercises likewise lower your blood pressure and blood sugar levels and reduces body fat, effectively aiding in preventing heart disease and stroke. You can have aerobics added to your regimen by walking, dancing, cycling, or joggling.

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Balance exercises like tai chi or yoga are also important, especially as we get older and our vision, leg muscles, and inner ear’s functions begin to deteriorate, causing us to have problems keeping steady. Adding balance exercises does not need you to already have balance issues, of course. These exercise types improve joint flexibility and strengthens hand and leg muscles.

Strength training is key to counter lost mass as we age. It helps immensely in doing everyday tasks, from lifting heavy objects to gardening. It likewise lowers blood sugar and reduces stress and pain in our lower back joints. We suggest doing this regimen two to three times, whether at home or at the gym. Typical strength training routines involve lunges, push-ups, and squats.

Hey, there. I’m Ryan Shephard, a student at the University of Michigan taking up Athletic Training. Thankfully, my courses allow me to learn anatomy, physiology, nutrition, and pharmacology, as I hope to be a professional sports trainer someday. More on me and my interests here.

Three very important safety tips before during and after workouts

The biggest mistake anyone who works out can make is to not prioritize safety. If you find yourself guilty of this, it’s high time you change your methods. Let’s look at some ways to ensure a safe workout before, during, and after training.

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Warm-up, stretch, and cool down

Warming up and stretching your muscles before you train is a must, especially if you’re working out early in the morning. In the early hours of the day, muscles are cold and tight and may be injured easily. Warming them up and stretching them is a way to get them ready.

After workouts, a good stretch and a cool down routine allow blood to flow regularly again. This saves you from a lot of muscle pain in the hours and days to come.

Proper form

Weightlifting form has been developed throughout history to keep the body from injuring itself. Observe proper form, especially when lifting weights to make sure your muscles and skeletal structure support each other in the correct manner.

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Neatness of the place

This is probably the most important rule, especially if you’re training in a public gym. After lifting weights, put them back where you got them. The same thing goes for other equipment such as Bosu balls, plyo boxes, bands, and the like. Even the smallest, most non-threatening pieces of gym equipment may cause a bad fall.

Ryan Shephard here, future sports therapist. I am currently a student at the University of Michigan majoring in athletic training. These days, I have courses in anatomy, physiology, nutrition, and pharmacology. I'm enjoying learning from the industry's best. What's even more interesting is that I also get to work with the country's top athletes. For more insightful reads on training and working out, visit this blog.