How to Train for the Olympics

Co-authored by Scott Anderson, MA, ATC, SFMA, DNSP

Last Updated: February 15, 2022 References

Athletes who compete in the Olympics don’t just make it on natural talent; they get there because every day they put in the hours of training needed to make it to the international level. If your goal is to qualify for the Olympics, you will have to dedicate yourself completely, centering your days around gym time and training. Training involves not only spending time practicing your sport and strengthening your body, but also getting used to competing in high-pressure situations and becoming mentally and physically as strong as you can be.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Creating a Foundation for Your Training

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Start early. Olympic athletes often start training in their childhood, especially for popular and rigorous sports like gymnastics, where many start around 4 or 5 years of age. If you have not started serious training and are a teen or adult, keep in mind that for many sports, athletes must start training young to be able to compete while their body is in prime physical shape.^{[1]
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- If you’re not sure if you’re too old to be able to make it to the Olympics given your current skill level, consult with a specialist who can evaluate your chances.
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Be prepared to make major life adjustments. Before you commit to a full training schedule, you will have to embrace the fact that you’ll have to make major life changes to be able to compete on an elite level. You may have to get homeschooled if you’re not already so that your training is your primary focus. While you are in training, your education and other commitments will have to take a backseat.
- If you have already finished school, you still may have to make major sacrifices like relocating or quitting your job.
- Keep in mind that to make it to the Olympic level, you will have to hand over a lot of money for coaches, training facilities, travel expenses for competitions, and many other additional and sometimes unforeseen costs.
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3
Find a coach. A coach is an essential element of your training. Even if you’re highly skilled in your sport, you probably don’t know the ins and outs of qualifying for competitions, the most effective training styles, and what it takes to compete on in international standard.^{[2]
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- You may be able to find coaches through the Internet or through a network of athletes in your sport. Make sure that the coach you choose has experience putting athletes through the Olympics.
- A coach acts not only as a fitness trainer, but also as a guide and mentor through the grueling training process.
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Find proper training facilities. Ask your coach to point you to a top caliber training facility where you can practice daily. Make sure the facility has all the equipment that you need to be able to practice all the expected skills in your particular sport.^{[3]
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Learn about the qualifying requirements for your sport. Research what you need to do to qualify for the Olympics in your individual sport. It's best to understand the qualifying requirements as early as you can so that you can structure your schedule and training around them.
- You can also turn to your coach or your gym for information on how to qualify.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Training and Competing

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Warm up properly before you train. Stretching and doing warm ups is an essential component of training. If you start to rigorously train without warming up, you run the risk of hurting yourself and not being able to compete at all.
- Make sure that your warm up includes not only stretching but also light jogging or jump roping, as well as dynamic warm ups like lunges and squats.^{[4]
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- Ask your coach or a fitness trainer what the best warm ups are for your individual sport.
2
Train in your sport six days a week. Come up with a training schedule with your coach that has you in training six days a week. Spend at least a couple hours a day training, and change up your routine so that you’re constantly challenging your body.
- Athletes training for the Olympics often take one day a week off to rest physically and mentally. If another schedule works for you, run it by your coach, but remember that you should rest at least one out of every ten days.^{[5]
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3
Do cardio training and strength training six days a week. According to your coach’s recommendations, also spend time every day you are training doing cardio like running in addition to strength training to supplement your other training.
- What you focus on the most in your training depends on your sport. For instance, long-distance swimmers will focus mostly on distance and endurance, while a power lifter will focus mostly on strength training.^{[6]
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Practice every aspect of your sport at least once a week. Some Olympic sports, such as gymnastics, require athletes to be able to perform a wide range of skills so they can compete in different events within their sport. Make sure that you are practicing each skill required for your sport equally so that you can perform all skills consistently and confidently.^{[7]
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Train with your peers. Try to train with fellow athletes who are also preparing to try out for the Olympics. Training with others will keep you motivated and feeling like you are part of a community that is working toward a common goal. You can also learn from other athletes by watching their techniques and approaches.^{[8]
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- Fellow athletes are also a great source of support, since they understand the physical and mental challenges of training.
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Participate in qualifying competitions. Consult with your coach and enter national competitions that pit you against the nation’s best. Part of training for the Olympics is getting used to performing your athletic feats in front of large audiences and competing against other gifted athletes in high-pressure situations.
- Start with small competitions to get used to the pressure of competition. Then work your way up to bigger tournaments or qualifiers.
- For many sports there is a clear trajectory of competitions that leads up to the Olympic qualifiers.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Keeping Healthy

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Maintain healthy eating habits. Your diet is the fuel that you need to perform. If you don’t eat healthily or if you don’t eat enough, you run the risk of burning yourself out or overworking your body which can be harmful to your health. The recommended calorie intake varies for each sport, so check in with your coach or a dietician for advice.^{[9]
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- Because you are training rigorously, it’s essential to get a second opinion from an expert to help you make nutritional choices.
- Even if you compete in a sport like long-distance running in which it helps to be lean, remember that your calorie intake should be much higher that the average person’s because of the amount you burn daily.
- Always wait at least half an hour between eating and starting your daily training.
2
Hydrate continuously throughout the day. Because athletes training for the Olympics sweat so much throughout their training, they have to drink many more glasses of water than the recommended eight glasses a day to ensure they won’t get dehydrated.
- If you are exercising intensely for several hours a day, aim to drink half your body weight in fluid ounces of water.^{[10]
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- Drink a beverage with a three to one ratio of carbohydrates and protein after your workouts, like chocolate milk. Carbohydrates will restore what you lost during your workout and the protein will help rebuild your muscles.^{[11]
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  Expert Source
  
  Scott Anderson, MA, ATC, SFMA, DNSP
  Sports Medicine & Injury Prevention Specialist
  Expert Interview. 24 March 2020.}
3
Have a consistent sleep schedule. Aim to get eight to 10 hours of sleep each night and try to fall asleep and wake up around the same time. The consistency is good for your body and will make you feel more energized.^{[12]
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- To get to sleep faster and feel more rested, try not to look at screens or watch TV at least 30 minutes before you go to bed.
4
Have a strong support system. A good support system is an often-overlooked aspect of being a successful athlete. You will need friends and family in addition to coaches and trainers in your life who support your dream. Being an Olympic hopeful requires a lot of mental energy, so it’s important to have people around who understand you and who you can unwind with.
5
Keep your balance mentally. Training for the Olympics is not only physically challenging: it also requires an incredible amount of mental strength. Keeping your focus while still taking care of yourself and maintaining your relationships with others isn't easy. That's why many people training for the Olympics try out a number of techniques to stay healthy mentally.
- Meditation is also a good way to relax your body and your mind, especially when practiced regularly. Learn how to meditate through a class or by reading resources online.^{[13]
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- Visualization, or imagining yourself achieving your goal, is a powerful technique that can help you before a major competition.
- Remember to always listen to your body and to your own needs.
6
See a sports psychologist. Many people aiming for the Olympics find it helpful to see a sports psychologist. The pressure of competing on such a high level is something that not many people have to go through. This is why it can help to talk to a specialist who is used to talking to people in high-stakes situations.^{[14]
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Use physical trainers and massage therapists to prevent injury. Training for the Olympics puts you more at risk of injury than the average athlete, both because of the stunts that you may perform and the sheer number of hours that you spend training. Meet with a physical trainer who can do an assessment of your fitness and your risk of injury.^{[15]
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- The physical trainer may assign you exercises that reduce your risk of injury for preventative care.
- Many athletes also find that having weekly massages as well as visiting the sauna helps to relax muscles, which in turn reduces the chance of injury.
- Always consult with a physical therapist or movement specialist before engaging in any kind of high-intensity training. They'll be able to assess your physical history and warn you of any risks to your body associated with working out intensely.^{[16]
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  Expert Source
  
  Scott Anderson, MA, ATC, SFMA, DNSP
  Sports Medicine & Injury Prevention Specialist
  Expert Interview. 24 March 2020.}

Expert Q&A
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Question

Do Olympians train everyday?

Scott Anderson, MA, ATC, SFMA, DNSP
Sports Medicine & Injury Prevention Specialist
Scott Anderson is the Chief Clinical Officer at SyncThink, an award winning startup founded out of Stanford University. Scott previously served as the Director of Sports Medicine/Athletic Training for Stanford University for over ten years from 2007 to 2017. Scott has over 18 years of clinical and management experience, and is a recognized international speaker on topics of clinical specialization, which include developmental kinesiology, neuroscience/concussion, and movement dysfunction. He is a certified Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization Practitioner (DNSP), Sports Safety Specialist and is certified to conduct Selective Functional Movement Assessments (SFMA), and Functional Movement Screenings (FMS). He earned a BS in Athletic Training from Washington State University in 2000 and an MA in Athletic Administration from Saint Mary's College in 2002.

Scott Anderson, MA, ATC, SFMA, DNSP

Sports Medicine & Injury Prevention Specialist

Expert Answer

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Most athletes still do some type of physical activity on their recovery days. Do something that challenges you but is only about 50% of the intensity of your regular workouts. Being completely sedentary on rest days will cause your muscles to stiffen up.
Question

How can I keep training even when I feel unmotivated?

Scott Anderson, MA, ATC, SFMA, DNSP
Sports Medicine & Injury Prevention Specialist
Scott Anderson is the Chief Clinical Officer at SyncThink, an award winning startup founded out of Stanford University. Scott previously served as the Director of Sports Medicine/Athletic Training for Stanford University for over ten years from 2007 to 2017. Scott has over 18 years of clinical and management experience, and is a recognized international speaker on topics of clinical specialization, which include developmental kinesiology, neuroscience/concussion, and movement dysfunction. He is a certified Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization Practitioner (DNSP), Sports Safety Specialist and is certified to conduct Selective Functional Movement Assessments (SFMA), and Functional Movement Screenings (FMS). He earned a BS in Athletic Training from Washington State University in 2000 and an MA in Athletic Administration from Saint Mary's College in 2002.

Scott Anderson, MA, ATC, SFMA, DNSP

Sports Medicine & Injury Prevention Specialist

Expert Answer

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It's important to take a look at what's causing you to feel unmotivated. If you're feeling overtrained and it's taking a toll on your mental health, take a break and focus on other things for a bit. Try refocusing on your goals and what you were trying to accomplish when you started.
Question

How much do coaches usually cost?

Michele Dolan
Certified Fitness Trainer
Michele Dolan is a BCRPA certified Personal Trainer in British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002.

Michele Dolan

Certified Fitness Trainer

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Coaching costs vary from place to place and sport to sport but you can expect to pay anywhere from $50 to $100 US per hour for an Olympic level coach. Many young athletes who are talented end up attracting the attention of higher level coaches and manage to convince sponsors from their community to help cover some of their training.

Warnings

Listen to your body, and stop if something is hurting you, or if you feel like you’re pushing yourself too far.

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Always perform stunts or difficult feats with your coach or with someone to spot you.

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