Every athlete can relate to feeling totally exhausted when it comes to playing their sport of choice, especially with how busy things can get when you are in-season. For professional golf players, or players who are aspiring to become professional, sometimes the amount of training that must occur can become overwhelming, or simply too much! You must implement self-care.

Why? In order to be the best player on the course that you can be, you must work hard but also learn how to incorporate rest and recovery, and implement self-care, into your routine, so your body can get the break it deserves.

If you are feeling burnt out and not sure how to implement self-care techniques into your routine, check out some of our tips: 

Learn healthy ways to cope. 

If a practice or game did not go how you planned, you must train your mind to cope in healthy ways so that you are able to bounce back quickly and efficiently. Learn how to relax your mind mentally, and channel stress or anger through healthy coping mechanisms. When things go wrong, try not to get too far off course and ruin the progress that you have worked so hard to achieve. 

Avoid junk food. 

We all love indulging in junk food, but regularly eating junk food can not only have an effect on your body, but on your overall mental health as well. Junk food can make you feel tired, so if you are already feeling burnt out, it will have an extremely negative impact. Eating junk food can cause you to feel lazier than you would if you were feeding your body the proper nutrients it needs. So, in times of stress, try and stick to healthy foods – which do not always have to be boring ones! 

Get a massage. 

Many people view massages as something that should only be done every so often to treat themselves. However, if you are an athlete, regularly getting massages is a great way to recover, and is sometimes totally necessary. Massages give your muscles the recovery that they need to properly strengthen themselves. So, if you are feeling extra sore, and your budget allows, think about implementing massages into your weekly or monthly routine. Investing in yourself is always worth it!

Stretch. 

Before and after every golf practice and game, and even on your own time when you are at home, make time for yourself to fully stretch. If you do not stretch, you will risk pulling a muscle on the course. Plus, not regularly stretching is one way to risk an injury, which could be serious, and the sorer you are, the less likely you will be able to successfully perform on the course. Once you make stretching a habit and part of your routine, you will not know how to live without it! 

Go for a walk each day. 

Walking is a great way to recover, boost some endorphins, and get yourself out into the sunshine! Not only is walking great for recovery and your mental health, but you are also simultaneously burning calories and strengthening your bones and muscles. If you have a busy schedule, even a 10 or 15-minute walk can make a difference in your day.

Take an Epsom salt bath. 

A great way to relieve any muscle soreness or pain is to take an Epsom salt bath. Soaking in an Epsom salt bath for 15 or 30 minutes can relieve soreness, help your body relax, and speed up the recovery process for you. So, grab your favorite book, or an iPad to watch your favorite show, and sit back and relax! 

After you implement self-care into your healthy habits, we know you’ll see a difference in your recovery and athletic ability.

Author: HGL Media Support