Train the way you want to perform.

Many athletes try to improve their game by spending hours in the gym. It is very important that athletes give 100% during their training and not just in games. Today we see plenty of athletes who feel that they don't need to practice, lift weights, or train hard and that the only thing that matters is how they play during the game. This type of decision can greatly hinder you from achieving optimal results and reaching your full potential.

Training
Whether it be weight lifting or actual practice (sport/skill), how you train can directly affect how you will perform. In order to become fast and agile, one must practice being fast and agile. Specificity is key to improving and developing strength, power, speed, agility, and balance.

It is very important to put in 100% effort during training. If speed is what you are trying to develop, you would  achieve much better results by doing 5 sprints concentrating on perfect form and fluidity than doing 10 sprints where good form has gone out the window and fatigue has set in.

The same can be said about weight lifting. If someone is attempting to get bigger arms and they are doing bicep curls, the focus should be on each individual contraction while maintaining good form. The focus SHOULD NOT be on how much weight you can move or on pushing past fatigue. When we place the focus on simply moving the weight, momentum becomes a major player and therefore the effort is not concentrated on the biceps, but rather on the shoulders or back. Don't let your pride get in the way of developing maximal results.

Again, when we focus on giving our best effort, it is best to go to the point where form is still good. Once we begin to see bad form, we are no longer able to give 100% effort and fatigue sets in (this is also the point at which injury usually occurs).

Key Points

• Work specifically to your goal: If you want to be quicker, all of your movements should be performed quickly.
• Quality is better than Quantity: Focus on each individual contraction/movement and give it your best effort. 5 good reps are better than 10 poor reps.
• Once form has gone, it is best to stop the exercise to ensure that injury does not take place.
• Leave your ego at home!