An Olympic team of a country is provided the best facilities, training, coaching and supporting staff to ensure that they are in their best shape to win glory for the nation. Besides physical fitness, the mental wellness of the athletes is important. Most countries have even included sleep therapists in their support staff to help athletes get good sleep. The support staff for the Indian Olympic team includes coaches, nutritionists, physiotherapists as well as sleep therapists. How do they help the Olympians stay fit and perform their best?
Techniques of sleep therapy
Getting good rest for your body is as important as intense practice and training. Most athletes may find it impossible to fall asleep, due to stress or anxiety, the night before their event. Lack of sleep often affects their performance too. So, the sleep therapist helps them relax and catch a good night’s sleep before their event. Sleep therapists use various techniques like playing the athlete’s favourite music, meditation and lighter exercises that induce sleep. They evaluate the sleep patterns of each athlete with the help of the technical team to design unique techniques for each of them. Earlier, psychologists were hired for this; however, now, specialised therapists are there just to ensure that the athletes get enough sleep and rest.
Physio's role in recovery
A physiotherapist ensures the physical fitness of the athletes, gives them medical assistance and helps them recover after an injury. Every athlete or teams have physios with them during training sessions or the main events. Besides physios, some athletes would have strength and conditioning trainers too.
Nutritionists design diets
A nutritionist’s job is to ensure a nutrient-rich diet for the athletes. They design unique diet patterns as per the nutrition requirements and physical features of each athlete.
Mental conditioning coach
Athletes need to be mentally fit to face the challenges on the field or ground. A mental conditioning coach helps them prepare mentally for their events. Various techniques like exercises, yoga and meditation are used to help the athletes relax and improve their mental strength and confidence.
Video analyst
A video analyst analyses the performance of each athlete and alerts the coaches about the aspects which need improvement. The visuals of the athlete’s performances are recorded and are closely scrutinised by the video analysts.