Train Like a Pro: 10 Habits You Can Steal From Elite Athletes

Professional athletes have trainers, coaches, nutritionists, physical therapists, recovery specialists, and entire teams of people whose job is to help them perform at their best. That may give them a few advantages, but you don’t actually need a personal chef and a sports science lab to borrow some habits that help the pros stay strong and competitive.

No matter what your fitness goals are—from training for your next race to improving your tennis game to chasing a new PR—there are plenty of pro-level tips worth stealing.

1. Stop Relying on Motivation and Start Scheduling Your Workouts

Pro athletes don’t wake up every morning and ask themselves if they're really feeling like training today. They keep their training routines on a tight schedule, building the habit that keeps them on track. Of course, that doesn’t mean they never have bad workouts or days when they’d rather stay in bed. It means they’ve built exercise into their regular routine instead of leaving it up to willpower. 

If you wait until you have a free hour to work out, there’s a pretty good chance that hour will disappear. Between work, family, errands, and all the other surprises that pop up during the day, “I’ll do it later” can quickly become “I’ll do it tomorrow.” 

A structured workout schedule reduces the amount of mental energy spent deciding when or whether to work out. Treat your workout like any other appointment. Put it on your calendar. Go at the same time when you can. 

2. Consistency Beats the Perfect Workout

Here's another not-so-secret secret: professional athletes don't get better because of incredible workouts every single day. They get better because they train consistently over a long period of time.

The same goes for you.

Thirty minutes of exercise today is better than doing nothing because you couldn't fit in a 90-minute workout. A short strength session is better than skipping the entire week because you didn't have time for your complete routine. Something is better than nothing.

If you’re the kind of person who takes an "all or nothing" approach to exercise and tends to skip a workout because you can't do your full workout, give yourself permission to do less. You might be surprised how much that adds up over time.

One of the easiest ways to build consistency is to create a routine you can realistically maintain. If working out at 5:00am sounds miserable, you probably aren't going to magically become a 5:00am person. Find a time that works for your life and stick with it.

3. Treat Recovery Like Part of Your Training

Here's something professional athletes figured out a long time ago: training is only part of the equation. You can work hard in the gym, on the court, or out on the road, but your body also needs to recover from that work.

That's why professional athletes often build recovery into their routines through things like stretching, mobility work, massage, foam rolling, breathwork, sleep, and other recovery techniques. Today, athletes and everyday exercisers also have access to an expanding menu of recovery services, including cryotherapy, red light therapy, and other modalities.

And remember, recovery shouldn't be viewed as a day off or something you need to earn by working hard enough. It's simply another tool that supports your ability to stay consistent with your workouts, helps to prevent injuries, and keeps your body feeling good.

If you’re training frequently, feeling unusually fatigued or constantly sore, it’s time to make recovery a priority. 

Want to learn more about how breathwork can fit into an athlete's routine? Check out our guest blog from Ana Kat about her work with the Green Bay Blizzard.

4. Find Your People

A lot of professional athletes train with other people, and it’s not just because having teammates makes practice more fun.

When someone else is expecting you to show up, it's a little harder to convince yourself to skip your workout. And when you're working toward a goal together, you get encouragement, friendly competition, and someone who understands exactly why you're voluntarily doing squats at 6:00am.

Your workout buddy doesn't have to have the exact same goals as you. They just need to be someone who makes you more likely to show up.

You can also take this a step further with group fitness classes and personal training. There's something powerful and motivating about having other people around you who are working toward their fitness goals.

If you frequently talk yourself out of workouts or find exercise boring when you’re doing it alone, grab a friend, join a class, or set up training sessions that make you want to show up.

5. Build a Strong Core

If you're a runner, you need to run. If you're a tennis player, you need to work on your serve and footwork. If you're a swimmer, you need to spend time in the pool. Your training should absolutely reflect your goals. But there's one area that nearly every athlete benefits from strengthening: your core. And we're not just talking about getting six-pack abs.

Your core includes the muscles that help stabilize your trunk and connect the movement of your upper and lower body. A strong core can support stability, balance, posture, and efficient movement, while helping you maintain control no matter what other exercises are in your training regimen.

6. Cross-train

If you love running, you should run. If you love lifting, keep lifting. If you live for tennis, keep hitting the court. But don't be afraid to mix things up.

Professional athletes use cross-training to develop different aspects of fitness while reducing the repetitive stress that comes from doing the exact same activity all the time. A runner might incorporate strength training and cycling. A tennis player might work on strength, mobility, and conditioning outside of the court. A basketball player might use swimming or cycling as part of their conditioning.

For recreational athletes, cross-training can also make exercise more interesting. If you’ve hit a plateau or you’re getting bored with your workouts, add something completely different to the mix.

7. Protect Your Sleep

Professional athletes don't just train hard. They sleep hard too.

That's because sleep is when your body gets a chance to recover from the physical and mental demands of the day. Getting enough quality sleep supports recovery, energy, concentration, and overall performance.

Despite living in a society where operating on little sleep is often something people brag about, you don't get bonus points for being exhausted. Aim for a consistent sleep schedule, create a relaxing bedtime routine, and give yourself enough time to get the sleep your body needs.

If you’re constantly tired or rely on caffeine to make it through your workouts, take a look at your sleep hygiene. Sometimes the most athletic thing you can do is go to bed.

8. Push Through Discomfort—Not Injury

Professional athletes understand that improvement often requires getting comfortable with being uncomfortable. There will be challenging workouts. Your muscles will burn. You'll have moments when you want to quit. Sometimes, the last few reps or final mile will require a little extra mental toughness.

Take marathon great Eliud Kipchoge, for example. When he starts feeling pain during a run, he simply smiles—yes, smiles! He uses this technique as a way to shift his mindset and keep his focus from being consumed by discomfort.

It's a simple idea: Sometimes changing your mental response can change how you experience a difficult moment. You don't have to literally smile through every squat set, but you can practice staying calm and focused when a workout gets tough.

Learning to distinguish discomfort from pain that should give you pause helps you build your mental resilience without ignoring what your body is telling you.

9. Train Your Brain, Too

Being physically fit is only part of athletic performance. The mental side matters too.

Professional athletes use visualization, goal-setting, breathing techniques, routines and other mental strategies to help manage nerves, stay focused and perform under pressure. You can borrow these techniques, too.

Before a workout, think about what you want to accomplish. Before a big race or competition, visualize yourself executing the skills you've practiced. When a workout gets difficult, focus on the next step rather than the entire routine. And don't underestimate the power of simply paying attention to how you talk to yourself.

Instead of “I’m awful at this,” try “I’m still learning this.” Instead of “I’ll never be able to do this,” try “I’m getting better every time I try.” Reframing the way you experience a workout and giving yourself grace creates a mindset that will help you persevere through pressure, setbacks, and physical demands. Progress isn’t always linear, but training your mental resilience can help you stay confident and committed.

10. Eat a Banana…or Two…or Three!

And finally, take this sage wisdom from former Toronto Blue Jays infielder Menenori Kawasaki. After all, you’ve never seen a monkey with a cramp, have you?