It may seem counterintuitive to say the internet can help you become better at sport; after all, the essence of sport is that it’s a physical pursuit that you have to perform in the real world. So, how can online information help enhance your physical skills? There are actually several key ways in which the internet can provide considerable benefits when you’re looking to improve physical performance, that you could find invaluable.
Technique
Learning technique in sport is critical to success. If your golf swing isn’t quite right, the ball will end up in the rough or the bunker; if you hit the sweet spot, your ball lands on the green. When you have lessons with a knowledgeable coach, they can show you technique, and even demonstrate it for you. They can help you adjust your stance, the angle of your wrists, and observe whether you keep your eye on the ball. These are essential aids to improving technique, but resources on the web can provide even more.
Coaches have used video replay since it was invented to show their pupils how to master technique and strategy, using examples from real matches and in some cases, video of the pupil themselves. This is great, but online you can go even further. You can analyze frame by frame, look at diagnostics that show you angles, positions, and other relevant data, and even use tools that help you analyze and adjust your own technique. With the development of virtual reality technology, you can immerse yourself in practicing your technique in a real-world environment, taking training to a whole new level.
Access to coaching
Having one on one coaching isn’t cheap, and in many sports the cost of individual lessons is prohibitive. You also might not be able to access the kind of training you want or the people you admire most, or the logistics may be too daunting. Take horseback riding, for example. If you are a keen rider, finding a trainer can be a challenge, especially if you want to try a specific method. There are many approaches to training horses and improving your riding skills and horsemanship, but getting your horse to a suitable venue is time-consuming, costly, and often inconvenient.
With internet access, training courses from all over the world are now available for riders to make use of at home. For example, if you want to try Clinton Anderson’s horse training from Downunder Horsemanship, you don’t need to be in Australia. Just enroll on one of the courses through the website, and you get all the training delivered to your screen. You can then take as much time as you want to study the videos and practice the methods being taught, with no pressure and at your own pace.
If you thought that you could only learn by being in the same physical space as your trainer, these examples show that’s no longer true. Even watching games online gives you valuable insight into how the professionals excel at their sport, so embrace the tech and see your golf score go down and your dressage score go up!
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