As a strength coach, I know one thing for sure - results come from consistency. Whether you’re aiming to improve your lifts, shed body fat, or just lead a healthier life, habits are the foundation. Habits aren’t just the little things you do now and then; they’re the routines you stick with day in and day out. And if you want to achieve lasting results, you need to understand how to build the right ones.
Amateur to Elite, How Habits Help the Modern Athlete
Habits are the backbone of athletic performance. Every top athlete knows that talent alone isn’t enough to sustain success—consistent, disciplined habits are what make the difference. These daily routines, whether it’s sticking to a structured warm-up, focusing on post-training recovery and sleep, or fueling properly with nutrition, are often what separate good athletes from great ones.
One of the key reasons habits are so powerful for athletes is because they help streamline decision-making. Instead of relying on fluctuating motivation or willpower, athletes who have ingrained strong habits can perform essential tasks automatically. For example, waking up at the same time every morning, preparing meals in advance, or adhering to a strict recovery routine reduces the mental load and creates more room for focus and performance during training and competition.
Additionally, habits play a huge role in mental resilience. Athletes face immense pressure, both physically and mentally. By developing strong habits, they can stay calm and focused, even in high-stakes situations. For instance, a solid pre-game routine helps athletes manage nerves, while consistent visualization or mindfulness practices can sharpen mental clarity during competition.
Believe it or not, habits can be the engine behind sustained athletic success. They minimize the need for constant decision-making, allow for consistent progress, and foster mental toughness. By tracking and optimizing daily habits, athletes can build the structure necessary for long-term success, creating the discipline needed to continually push their limits.
A favorite quote I use among athletes who continually strive to improve is, "Consistency is key."
The Habit Loop
Let’s break it down. Habits work in a simple loop: cue, routine, and reward. Charles Duhigg’s book The Power of Habit does a great job explaining this. The cue is what triggers your habit, the routine is the action you take, and the reward is what you get out of it—something that makes you feel good enough to keep going. Take a morning workout, for example. Your alarm going off is the cue, getting up and heading to the gym is the routine, and the feeling of accomplishment and energy afterward is the reward. This loop helps solidify the habit. If you miss the workout, the habit starts to break down.
Focus on Keystone Habits
Not all habits are created equal. Some habits, known as keystone habits, have a bigger impact on your life. These are the habits that, once established, help you build other good habits. For example, regular exercise is a keystone habit. When you train consistently, you’re more likely to eat better, sleep better, and feel better overall. Duhigg’s book emphasizes that focusing on these core habits can have a ripple effect on the rest of your life.
Start Small, Build Big
James Clear, in his book Atomic Habits, talks about how massive changes don’t come from big, sudden actions. Instead, they come from small, consistent habits that compound over time. It’s about making 1% improvements every day. If you want to get stronger, start by committing to simple things—like showing up to the gym regularly or focusing on adding 5 pounds to the bar each week. Over time, those little steps add up to massive gains. Clear’s advice is to keep it simple: make habits obvious, easy, attractive, and satisfying. This makes them much easier to stick with. If you set a goal to lose 10 pounds, break it down into smaller, manageable habits—like drinking more water, prepping meals, or doing 20 minutes of cardio three times a week.
Discipline Over Motivation
Relying on motivation won’t get you far. Some days, you’ll feel pumped up to train, and other days, you won’t. But here’s the truth: motivation comes and goes, but discipline is what keeps you moving forward. This is where habits come into play. When you’ve built a strong routine, you don’t need to rely on feeling motivated - you just get the work done. Jocko Willink, former Navy SEAL and author of Discipline Equals Freedom, drives this point home. He emphasizes that discipline is freedom: the more disciplined you are with your habits, the more freedom you have to reach your goals.
The Bottom Line: Build Strong Habits
If you want to change your body, your strength, or your life, start with your habits. Focus on the basics, create routines that support your goals, and stick with them. Build one habit at a time, and let the momentum carry you forward. As Duhigg, Clear, and Willink all suggest—success isn’t about talent or motivation. It’s about showing up every day and putting in the work.
So, let’s get started. What habit will you build today?
Nutrition & Hydration
Fueling the body is as essential as training itself. By creating consistent habits around meal prep, hydration, and recovery nutrition, athletes ensure their body is primed to perform. Small habits, like drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning or planning meals for the week, can make a significant impact on energy levels, endurance, and muscle recovery.
Mental Conditioning
Sleep & Recovery
Time Management & Productivity
Building Relationships & Community
Learning & Self-Improvement
About the Author:
Nathan Albright is the owner of XI Sports Performance, where he works with youth, high school, and college-level athletes offering a wide variety of training with various sports, including Soccer, Football, Basketball, Baseball, Volleyball, and more. Nathan has a BSc. in Exercise Kinesiology from the University of Toledo, and currently resides in Northwest Ohio.
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