The experience of becoming an Olympic athlete is amazing and rewarding, but you need to prove that you are on the same level as other international athletes. For this, choose a sport, be persistent and determined and train hard to reach your goal in less time than you think.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Getting Started
Step 1. Determine what your current fitness is
Anyone can watch an Olympic performance on television and think, "Oh, even I can do this!" Well, you better think again - especially if you're reading this while eating a bag of chips and drinking soda. The thing is serious and people dedicate years of their lives to reach the Olympics. Are you willing to make these sacrifices?
That said, every Olympic sport requires a different kind of fitness, flexibility and skill. Swimmers, soccer players and the like undergo specific training regimens
Step 2. Choose the sport
Here's the thing: it's better to choose a sport you've been playing for a while. Nobody is required to have ten years of experience, but it doesn't hurt to be prepared. Ideally, an Olympic athlete should practice the desired sport for 8 to 20 years before reaching full competition.
- Most Olympic athletes start very early, still in their infancy. If you're over 30 and have no experience with competitive sports, try archery and other similar disciplines.
- It's much easier to get to the Olympics in less popular sports like judo (a category in which many Brazilians shine, by the way). On the other hand, it is impossible to be successful in a sport that is not practiced out of passion.
Step 3. Prepare to train for the long term
Good future Olympic athletes devote thousands of hours to training. See an example of a basic routine:
- When a person starts practicing the sport in pre-adolescence: 250 hours of training per year over six months.
- When a person reaches national teams in adolescence: 600 hours of training per year over 9½ months.
- After a person reaches selection in late adolescence or early adulthood: 1,100 hours per year over 11 months.
Step 4. Go after a technician
A good coach is practically indispensable for any Olympic athlete who dreams of competing. This professional optimizes training and helps students avoid injuries and problems, in addition to teaching useful tactics and strategies and better explaining how the world of competition works.
Step 5. Don't stop working
Many elite athletes struggle financially to support themselves. The more a person advances in the sport, the more they have to invest in a good coach, equipment and travel. Therefore, you need to have money to spare or be willing to pursue sponsorship from private companies. Keep reading the article to find out more about this part of the sponsorship.
- If possible, get a job where you have minimal contact with your favorite sport, such as at a gym or club. It's also nice to give lessons to beginners to get some extra money.
- Having a more flexible work routine is also ideal, as you will need many hours of training to reach the national or international level.
Step 6. Live the dream
You know that story that you have to dedicate 100% of your life to your dream? That wanting and having determination are already essential steps for any victory, however small? That's right, that goes for anyone who wants to be an Olympic athlete. Eat, sleep and breathe your sport. Dedicate your entire life to it.
You can't get anywhere without a good team. In this case, count on your family, other athletes, your coach and more people to support your dream and not leave you unmotivated
Part 2 of 3: Getting serious
Step 1. Train hard, but be smart
In the training phase, elite athletes train six days a week - but not all the time. In weight lifting, for example, the ideal is to train for two hours and rest for eight. The body needs this rest to become stronger and healthier - and there's no point pushing it. You will only end up getting hurt badly.
- You can also cross-train. Depending on the sport, you will have to focus on increasing flexibility, strength and endurance.
- The exact training routine depends on the sport and, of course, on a good coach.
Step 2. Participate in competitions
Right: you have a coach, you train every day and you are determined… It's time to put everything into practice! In many sports, participating in bigger and bigger competitions is the only way to get attention with your talent. Start at local events and head to regionals before joining nationals.
The more you get into the sport, the easier it will get. Just imagine starting to participate in competitions directly in the Olympics! Impossible. Go after smaller events to prepare yourself physically and mentally
Step 3. Monitor your life at all times
It's not enough to train a few hours a day, it's all the time. Everything you do will determine your progress, your performance and your success. This requires attention, perseverance, patience, mental stability and, of course, discipline. See what matters most:
- Your food. Everything we eat affects us. For example, if you fill up on carbs at the wrong time, you might end up passing out during your workout; if you drink too much caffeine, you won't sleep; that is: everything that is excessive or lacking hinders an athlete's progress and performance.
- The rest. Most people who dream of participating in the Olympics need eight to ten hours of rest a night, with many also taking a 30 to 90 minute nap in the afternoon. The body needs this to repair itself and recharge its energies.
- Your everyday habits. If you drink and smoke every day, then you are in the wrong area. That simple.
Step 4. Get a good sponsorship
After participating in a few local and regional competitions, you will probably get attention. The crème de la crème of athletics wins good sponsors in the blink of an eye. Don't wait for this to happen to you (even more so with a kiss), but keep an eye out for every opportunity.
Also look for subsidy programs from the government or private companies that encourage the practice of sports
Step 5. Set goals
Think of concrete, realistic, long-term and short-term goals - not in terms of "Getting there" or "Training every day." You can try to break some records, participate in a specific number of competitions or even have goals for each week, month or year.
The best part of the process is that you're probably going to have to deal with a bunch of numbers: which measure your speed, your strength, and so on. Pay attention to what you can do to get a sense of where you can go with the proper effort
Step 6. Conduct an honest self-assessment
Millions of athletes have enough skills to participate in some kind of competition. Therefore, you have to make a sensible and realistic self-assessment of your chances of making it to the Olympics. How long will this take? Is it worth investing this time? How has your progress been? What is feasible? What does your technician think about it?
Do this regularly. It's not a lot of fun, but at least you'll make decisions that affect years of your life. It's important to get a good feel for your chances to compete. To do this, seek feedback, assess your own progress and understand the sacrifices you will have to make to get where you expect
Step 7. Take a break from your social life
You don't have to try to participate in every edition of the Olympics. It's better to train and optimize your performance before anything else! Other times, of course, it might be time to take a chance and put your training from the past few months or years into practice. In any case, prepare yourself mentally and devote all the time in the world to sport - even if you have to put your family and friends aside.
It won't be easy and you'll certainly consider giving up from time to time. Sometimes you might even want to shut down your brain and body altogether. But don't give up! Think you'll be able to get back together with your friends and do what you love after a while
Step 8. Familiarize yourself with the pain
You don't have to enjoy feeling pain, but at least you have to learn to know it, tolerate it, and even want to feel it. Japanese runner and writer Haruki Murakami said it's the pain that "gives us the feeling of being alive." Sometimes it's hard to even lift your arms, but the feeling will go away and next time it won't be as strong.
That's not why you can be careless. A sport injury can have lifelong consequences, and sometimes it takes a slight discomfort to avoid immense pain. Always be careful and try not to get hurt. Your body is worth more than that
Part 3 of 3: Winning Medals
Step 1. Participate in national championships
Many athletes see national championships as the gateway to success. It is at these events that the Olympics lookout. So, after participating in local and smaller competitions, take it a step further.
Of course, this is not true for all sports. Certain modalities have stricter tests. Anyway, being able to integrate the national team of your category is already a big step forward
Step 2. Do your best to represent Brazil in your sport
An athlete can only represent a country of which he is an official citizen. So use your patriotism to get even more motivated to succeed.
There are some exceptions, such as those who live in European Union countries and the United States. In Brazil, the rule is clearer and more straightforward
Step 3. Qualify and master the tests for the Olympics
Again: although not all sports are the same, you may have to take part in tests for the Olympics. On this occasion, the evaluators and scouts will choose the best of the best candidates. Try and see what happens!
This is not always true. For example, in boxing, even when a candidate slams the test, he may still have to participate in a national championship. Anyway, having a good performance in the test is already a big advantage
Step 4. Get used to traveling a lot
Many athletes travel a lot - between competitions, events, training opportunities and so on. This is not only expensive, but also tiring and creates a burden on people's relationships. At least you will be able to visit several different places.
Step 5. Try to live near an Olympic training facility
Many countries build training centers or Olympic villages to house athletes and delegations, both during competitions and outside. These places provide physical trainers and state-of-the-art equipment, in addition to promoting interaction between people from different places and cultures. If you live in a big city, find out if there's anything like that around.
In terms of curiosity, Brazil built the largest Olympic villa in history for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. After the Games, it was converted into a luxury condominium
Step 6. Get plenty of rest
Seriously: many Olympic athletes get less rest than necessary, as they want to optimize their performance. However, remember the tips in this article and be careful not to get hurt or anything like that. Enjoy the rest periods, as the hardest part is yet to come. You deserve rest!
Step 7. Visualize your success.
Visualize every step of the process and how you want things to happen, every second of the event, every movement of your body, every smile you'll give when you're victorious. Imagine everything before the events themselves to relax and not lose your cool!
Many professional athletes have their own relaxation rituals. You can meditate, do yoga or even listen to quiet music. Do whatever you think is necessary to get your brain in order
Step 8. Dedicate yourself from the heart
It's mushy, but it's true. Even the most talented people in the world fail when they don't dedicate themselves body and soul to their goals. A good athlete who just wants to win can beat another who would rather be doing something else. Think carefully; makes all the difference.
It's okay for you to be pragmatic! Studies indicate that "innate talent" doesn't solve a lot. What makes a difference are experiences, preferences, opportunities, habits, training and the like. So believe in science at the very least, even if you doubt your heart
Tips
- If you have a physical or intellectual disability, even if it is a vision problem or lack of muscle control, train to participate in the Paralympics. This event is as competitive as the Olympics, but it has some different rules that accommodate the participants.
- Once you've decided which edition of the Olympics you want to participate in, do some research on where the event will take place. For example: a Brazilian athlete may find it difficult to adapt to the Canadian climate.