Investing in Yourself

​Russell Wilson is one of the highest paid players the National Football League (NFL). Halfway through the 2020 NFL season, he has already proven that he is worth every cent of his $140 million contract. According to an article released by CBS Sports, the Seahawks quarterback reportedly spends over a million dollars annually on body recovery (i.e. hyperbolic time chamber, two chefs, traveling performance team, full time physical therapist, etc.). This attributes to his 133 consecutive starts (2nd most among active players). 

Investing a million dollars a year on recovery is how the star quarterback has procured a $140 million contract and has remained one of the best players in NFL today. It would help if we all had a million dollars to spend on recovery devices. Luckily, you don’t need a $140 million contract or even a million dollars to start investing in your body on a daily basis. All you need is a consistent commitment to a daily recovery plan. 
Here are 3 ways you can practice investing in your body today:
 
STRETCHING
Stretching is a key component to not only recovery, but also improvement of physical performance. Stretching enhances blood flow, increases range of motion, and improves overall flexibility. Neglecting stretching reduces your overall effectiveness as an athlete. For example, if you have tight hamstrings you may not be able to give that extra effort to chase down the ball carrier for a potential game saving tackle. Investing time in stretching daily can not only reduce the chance of injury, but it can enhance your flexibility. Lack of flexibility or muscle soreness can be detrimental to your performance.  A recommended starting point for young athletes is to stretch for at least 10 minutes, three times a day. Here are examples of good times to stretch:

• In the morning when you wake up;
• pre-workout;
• post workout;
• after sitting down for long periods of time;
• before you go to sleep;

Investing a minimum of 30 minutes a day towards stretching is a small price of emission toward heightened recovery and flexibility improvement.
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PROTEIN AND WATER
Your body needs two key nutrients for recovery; water and protein. The first nutrient water is not only the most important supplement you can drink but it is also the cheapest. Your body needs water to survive. Water prevents dehydration which prepares your body for strenuous workouts and also to recover after serious injuries. You should drink multiple bottles of water daily and frequently. The other nutrient protein is very important as well. Protein contributes to muscle growth and bone strength. Including a protein source in each meal you eat throughout the day can help recovery of broken-down muscles. Examples of protein you can incorporate in your meal is chicken, steak, beef jerky, and other meats. You may not have access to chicken and steak every night but there are many other cost-effective protein sources you can consume:

• peanut butter
• eggs
• yogurt
• Oatmeal
• Milk
• and more…

You do not need two chefs to start practicing healthy and responsible nutrient intake. Athletes should educate themselves on healthy food choices and be conscious about what is being consumed in their bodies. If this means occasionally reading nutrition labels before eating meals or snacks, then trust me it’s worth the time.
 
SLEEP
There is a popular misconception that sleep is for people who are unsuccessful. This could not be further from the truth. There are plenty of successful people who have publicly stated they place a high value on the importance of sleep (i.e. Lebron James, Bill Gates, Tom Brady). Sleep helps allows muscles to recover, enables you to think and react faster, and to function without drowsiness. As an athlete, you want to always be well rested before you are set to compete or train. Most athletes need 7-8 hours of sleep to allow their muscles time to recover and be mentally alert the next day. Sleep is arguably the most important source of recovery your body needs. Attacking any task well rest will produce far better results opposed to if you are half awake just wishing you could go back to bed. Never deny your body the opportunity to rest and recover because it will negatively impact your athletic performance.
    
Properly take the time to invest your money/time into making sure your body is in optimal condition to compete. Investing in your body is something all young athletes should begin putting to practice early. You do not have to wait until you make a million dollars to start making a smart investment toward your body and health!