It's no secret that elite athletes need to train in order to excel in the sports they love. Genetic propensity for success is only part of the equation, and most people who truly want to succeed need to put in the time in order to bring that success about. Abigail Mowen knows this firsthand, and she has spent hours in training as a result. She has also, however, heard her teammates complain about finding time for training in the midst of all of the other activities they are expected to complete in a given day. This is the advice she gives them.
Elite athletes are expected to do some form of training every day. As a swimmer, Abigail Mowen should spend a few hours in the pool each day. However, if she doesn't have the time to change into her suit and get into the pool, she could do some other form of physical conditioning. She could ride a bike, for example, or she could lift weights. She could also go for a long run through her community. All of these other conditioning exercises can help her stay physically fit, but they are tasks that are easy to fit into a standard day, and they don't require elaborate costume changes or travelling to distant pools. On days when athletes are too busy to engage in their sports, Abigail Mowen suggests substitutions like this.
Abigail Mowen also suggests that athletes spend time each week creating a training schedule. By blocking out specific portions of time in which they plan to train, and then ensuring that they stick to these times with regularity, athletes won't be stuck trying to cram in workouts on days that seem filled with other activities. The workout times will be fixed, and all other activities will need to conform to those workout times. It's a better way to ensure that the workouts won't be lost in the shuffle, Abigail Mowen says.
