If you want to be an Olympic athlete, you have to do the right things. It will be a long and difficult journey, but it will be worth it if you are successful. If you're ready to commit to your sport and to yourself for many years, you may already have the mindset of the next best olympic athlete. Since you've been dreaming of the medal, why wait any longer? Come on!
Step
Part 1 of 3: Preparation
Step 1. Assess your physical fitness
It's easy to see an Olympic athlete on TV and then think, "I can do that!" If you are reading this article with a large snack pack in your lap and 2 liters of Coca Cola at your side, think again. This is a serious matter. This is something people have dedicated their whole lives to. Are you serious?
That said, some Olympic sports require different levels of fitness. If you can't swim 400 meters in 4 minutes, don't sweat it. Lots of other things you can try. What suits you?
Step 2. Choose your sport
So here it is: You might want to pick a sport you've been doing for a long time. This saying about 10,000 hours of practice, 10 years is not 100% true, but the reality is not far off. Athletes generally spend 4 to 8 years training before competing in the Olympics, so it's best if you choose something you're already used to!
- Generally, you want to start as early as possible. However, there's a caveat: start too early and you'll either burn out or reach your peak sooner. However, if the sport you are interested in has an older average age, this may not be a problem for you. Oscar Swahn (shooter) is 72 years old!
- Hate to tell you, but there are several reasons for automatic disqualification. If you are 183 cm tall, you cannot join the women's gymnastics team. If you're blind, you're not going to do archery -- that kind of thing. Not surprising, right?
- Another thing to consider is the popularity of your sport. If you are a man, you have a 1 in 45,487 chance of playing basketball. For women, you have the same chance as men playing basketball, but your best chance is handball -- having a “1 in 40” chance. Think back to your sport!
Step 3. Start practicing every day
Every day. Sometimes twice a day! Even if you're not “training”, you should be doing something related to help you become an Olympic athlete. It could be resting as part of a routine (which is a must), exercising flexibility and strength (rather than just cardiovascular strength, for example), experimenting with your diet, and so on. There's always something to do!
- Take weight lifters, for example. It's unwise to lift 10 hours of weight a day -- that's certainly a way to "not" compete at the Olympics (and a way to "get" into the nearest hospital). But they lift heavy for, say, 2 hours per day -- then spend another 8 hours recovering, rehabilitating, and resting. It can be like a full-time job, of course.
- Maintain self-awareness. You know the old adage, “practice makes us perfect?” They are wrong. Practice making habits or decisions. If you turn off your mind and keep practicing you won't learn a single thing from the steps your body goes through. You should always be aware of your posture, habits, and how you can improve (and how you should improve). These are the benefits of being a coach, but some of that has to come from you too. Therefore…
Step 4. Find a coach
If you are given a brush and learn to paint, you can certainly do it. You can do it every day of your life and maybe you can become quite good at it. But you won't know how to experiment. You don't know any other techniques to try. You don't know where your strengths and weaknesses are. And it's possible that you'll put down your brush and watch TV. Got the meaning right?
You have to get a coach. Even if you are the best swimmer/runner in Solo, no one will know if you don't have a coach and connections. Coaches will not only provide you with motivation, advice and criticism, they will enter you into competitions and act as your agent
Step 5. Keep your job
Yes, really. Keep it up. Or if the work is very inflexible and you're suffering, then don't. Then, look for flexible work. The Olympics is very expensive. You have to pay for the coach, the equipment, then the trip and those are just three big things. Parents of many Olympic athletes hope to go bankrupt so the government can help them. Just make sure your money keeps flowing.
- If you can, find a job that supports your practice -- such as working in a gym or swimming pool. If you can, become a coach! Such work will feel like it is not really working. And make sure the timing is very flexible -- you'll need time to practice.
- For the record, being an olympic athlete, even if you succeed, is not a high paying job. Indonesian League football players who rarely play have a higher salary than you. Many start jobs (military, coach, even waiters) and when past their prime, still have normal, well-paid jobs. If you want to be in the olympics, you don't do it for the money.
Step 6. Dream
Do you know how people say if you want to be an actor, you can't have other plans? What if you want to be something that requires effort, you have to want only that, nothing else? Being an Olympic athlete is like that. You have to desire it so much that eating, sleeping, and breathing are done for it. You have to dream about it every night. This is not just a hobby.
This will be the only thing that makes you do it. There will be days when you train so hard you throw up, days when you don't want to move your body at all, then you wake up and finally practice. Without a dream, you give up, and many are like that
Part 2 of 3: Getting Serious
Step 1. Compete
It's a good thing to have a coach, practice every day, and be serious about it, but you have to put your skills to the test. In many sports, it's the only way to level up and eventually become known (many Olympic sports don't have a “trial”). Start with your city, provincial level, and finally national!
The more often you do something, the more you will get used to it. Imagine when the Olympics was your first competition! Taking part in a lot of competition -- even on a smaller scale -- will prepare you mentally
Step 2. Watch your life 24 hours 7 days
You don't train a few hours per day -- you train 24 hours 7 days. Everything you do -- “everything” will determine your development, performance and success. It requires diligence, perseverance, patience, mental stability, and discipline. Here's the reason:
- Your diet. Everything you eat affects you. Eating too many carbohydrates at the wrong time will make your workouts go wrong. Too much caffeine keeps you from sleeping. Avoid too much or too little of anything that is holding you back 110%.
- Sleep. Olympic athletes should sleep at least -- at least -- 8 hours a day. It would be impossible to train your body without sleep.
- Your lifestyle habits. If you like to consume alcoholic beverages, this is not for you. Leave it.
Step 3. Earn money
If you've been competing for a long time, it's possible that you'll be recognized. Once you are known, you can receive money for your efforts. It really depends on your country, but the best athletes usually get something for the time they spend. This money will come in the form of sponsorship or from your government.
Therefore, be part of the Menpora for any purpose. The more you are known, the better
Step 4. Set goals
Real, achievable, short-term and long-term goals. You need goals to work toward that aren't “be cool” or “practice every day”. There are many records to be broken. There are many matches to take part in. Set your goals for this week. Set your goals for this month. And set goals for this year. This will be a motivation for you.
The best thing about this is that you will be dealing with a lot of numbers. Whether it's going faster, harder, or doing more, there's a number in it. So pay attention to yourself and what you can do. If you know where to start, you know how far you've come -- and how far you can go
Step 5. Evaluate yourself realistically
Lots of great athletes. Millions of people in the great world. To find out if you really are Olympic qualified you have to look at yourself realistically. How do you compare to others? How long did it take you to start comparing? Is the time you spent worth it? How far have you progressed? What is possible to achieve? What did your coach say about this?
It is important to do this regularly. It's not fun, of course -- but that's what happens when you get serious. You must know where you stand at all times. You have to take suggestions and use them to get better. All of this is meant to put your mind at ease, right? So in addition to your good physical condition, make sure your mental condition is also good
Step 6. Let go of your social life
The Olympics is not something to be taken lightly. There are times when you just practice to get better. That is the moment that takes up most of your time! Then there comes the time when the Olympics are only six months away and that's “your whole life”. Say goodbye to your friends (your friends are likely your coach and teammates, so there's no need). Forget the Saturday night show. Forget lazy Sunday mornings. You have work to do.
This is not an easy thing. There will be times when you feel it's not worth the effort. That's when you have to fight those thoughts. You haven't reached your goal. You can get together to watch a movie with your old friends later
Step 7. Understand the pain
You don't have to love it, but you have to know it, endure it, and sometimes even ask for it. You have to soak yourself in a tub of ice cubes, sweat until you almost pass out, run until you throw up. You almost have to want it. It will become an everyday thing. At some point you won't be able to lift your arms above your head. However, the pain will go away and when it happens again, it will not be as bad as before.
Injuries are not something to be taken lightly here. We're talking wasting years of training if you get injured. And sometimes, it takes a little pain to prevent bigger pain. If you can pull something from here, "be careful". Never injure yourself so that you cannot recover. Know what your body can accept and what it can't. And be careful
Part 3 of 3: Aiming for Medals
Step 1. Take part in a national level championship
National level championships of each sport is the key to going even higher. There you will be seen for the olympics and secure the next few years of your life. After you've entered a few other minor competitions, it's time to enter the big ones or quit.
Not all sports are the same. Some sports have olympic trials. But being part of the national team, although not a guarantee of being an Olympic athlete, is a very good step
Step 2. Pass and dominate the olympic tryouts
While not all sports have trials, you may have to take the Olympic qualifying trials. And there you have to be the best of all participants -- not just do it well. Once you're on top, you're now officially in! WOW! Look where you are now.
Step 3. Get used to traveling
Between matches, training and visiting different training centers, you will always be on the move. Not only does it take a lot of money, but it can be tiring too. It's hard to maintain a relationship and it's annoying to live off a suitcase -- but look on the bright side, you can see a lot!
The Olympic training center in Indonesia is in Jakarta. Apart from that, you will also be traveling around the world. It is common for future Olympic athletes to visit competitors and their training grounds to get a feel for what it's like on the international scene. Exciting
Step 4. Rest
Not kidding. Many Olympic athletes are more relaxed when near the Olympics. “Relaxing more” here, of course, is more difficult than ordinary people can do. You don't want to hurt yourself, burn out, or take risks. So, enjoy. The hardest thing is coming. You deserve some free time right now.
Step 5. Imagine
An important part of being successful at the Olympics is imagining. Envision each step of the process and how you want it to work. Imagining every inch of your moment, every movement of your body, every smile you make for the camera. Thinking things through in your head before you start can calm you down too. And not being scared is part of your game!
Every athlete has their own ritual. Your ritual could be meditation, yoga, or singing your favorite song. Whatever feels right in your mind is what you should be doing. You'll know it when you taste it
Step 6. Keep it in your heart
Sounds cheap, but it's the truth. Even people with natural talent fail when they don't have victory in their hearts. An average athlete who wants to win more than anything in this world can beat an athlete whose mind is 1,600 km away, wishing he was somewhere else. So plant it in yourself. This can be decisive for you.
Okay, if you want something more scientific, we have it: a study in the UK says it's not talent that determines everything. “Differences in experience, preferences, opportunities, habits, and practice are the determinants of success.” So if you don't believe in cheesy words, science provides the proof. Even if you weren't born to be the best, you can be the best
Tips
- Do not give up! Push yourself. You never know how far you can progress.
- Always do the best.
- Support from family members can help.
- Faith, as said before, is the most important thing. You have to have this bigger than anything.
- You will need a lot of money for expenses and training equipment.
- You have to be willing to do things you might not want to do. This is no joke. Make sure that this is what you want in your life.
- If you have a disability, you may still be able to participate, so find a club or organization that can help you.
Warning
- Injuries are an ever-present danger, never train harder than you can afford, even if your coach tells you to. Sprains, muscle cramps, fractures, brain damage, and more. Never let other people tell you to do things beyond your limits, unless you are lazy;).
- Mental disorders can occur if you are injured in training. There's nothing worse than spending 20 years of your life training, only to fail or lose the function of your legs and arms.
