Back in college, I was a machine. A full-ride track scholarship, training 5-6 days a week for over a decade. Sprinting, bounding, lifting, conditioning—you name it, I did it.
(This was me in high school long jumping)->
At my peak, I could dunk a basketball with both hands from a standstill.
Now? Let’s just say life caught up. Work, responsibilities, laziness, and all the usual excuses led me to a point where sprinting feels like running through mud.
This loss of athleticism comes with something else too—a fear of injury. I’ve seen too many friends blow out an Achilles, tear an ACL, or herniate a disc. It’s enough to make you hesitate before pushing your body again.
So, how do you get back that sense of athleticism? How do you regain the confidence to run, jump, and move without fearing injury?
That’s the goal here. I’m not offering a magic formula to have you dunking again or sprinting a 4.45 40-yard dash, but I want to help you rediscover the feeling of being capable, strong, and pain-free.
If this resonates, keep reading.
Understanding the Athletic Decline
Here’s the hard truth: as we age, things slow down. Our performance dips. But it’s not just time working against us—life gets in the way too. You stop prioritizing fitness, maybe you sit more than you should, or you eat like a college kid well into adulthood.
The good news? You can fight back. Not only can you reclaim a lot of what you lost, but you can also build a better, more resilient version of yourself. But it takes more than just wanting it—it takes a smart plan and commitment.
The Four Pillars of Getting Back in the Game
If you're serious about this, there are four core pillars you need to build around: Physical Therapy Rehab/Prehab, Training, Nutrition, and Lifestyle. Each one plays a part in restoring your body to a level where it can handle anything you throw at it.
1. Physical Therapy Rehab/Prehab
Your first step is fixing the foundation. Address the mobility, flexibility, and stability issues that sneak up on you when you haven’t been training like an athlete for years.
Mobility & Flexibility: Forget the static stretches. You need dynamic mobility drills that work through full ranges of motion. Get comfortable being uncomfortable in positions you haven’t hit in a while.
Stability & Balance: It’s not sexy, but a stable core and strong balance will save you from injury. Think Pilates, or focused work on your stabilizer muscles.
Prehab: Look, the best injury is the one you never have. This means prehab routines targeting your body’s weak links—hips, shoulders, knees—before they give out.
2. Training for Athleticism
Now it’s time to get back to work. But the work is different now. We’re not talking about bodybuilder splits. We’re talking about athleticism.
Strength Training: Your goal isn’t to bench 400 pounds. It’s about functional strength—compound movements that make your body work as a unit.
Explosive Power: You’re not training just to be strong. You want to be powerful. That means plyometrics—jumping, sprinting, and explosive movements. Power is the fountain of youth.
Endurance: This doesn’t mean running a marathon. You just need to improve your cardiovascular health so you can keep going when others start sucking wind.
Here is an example of plyo day I did:
Pogo Jumps (3-4 sets x 20-30 seconds)
Focus: Quick, short vertical jumps using just your ankles and calves. Keep your knees slightly bent and spring off the balls of your feet. The goal is fast, rhythmic jumps for reactive power.Box Jumps (3-4 sets x 6-8 reps)Focus: Explode upward, land softly. Start with a box height that challenges you but allows for safe landings.
Lateral Bounds (Skaters) (3-4 sets x 6-8 reps each side)
Focus: Jump side to side with speed and control. Stick the landing, then explode back to the other side.
Tuck Jumps (3 sets x 8-10 reps)
Focus: Jump as high as possible, bringing your knees toward your chest. Reset between each jump for maximum height and form.
Here is an example of an endurance aka conditioning day I did last week:
Assault Bike : 10 rounds: 20 on/ 60 off
Suicide sprints: 10 rounds: (5yd, 10yd, 15yd) with 75 seconds rest
Ski Erg: 5 round: 2 mins on/off
Remember to warm up and work up to these numbers. I've been training, you may not have.
3. Nutrition for Peak Performance
What you put in your body matters. If you’re still eating like you did in college, we need to fix that.
Balanced Diet: Protein to rebuild. Healthy fats to fuel your brain. Complex carbs to keep you going. Don’t forget hydration—it’s more important than you think.
Pre- and Post-Workout Fuel: The timing of what you eat around your workouts is critical. You need the right fuel before, and the right recovery afterward.
Supplements: Keep it simple. Don’t fall for the magic pills. Think protein, creatine, maybe some omega-3s. Keep your focus on real food.
4. Lifestyle Modifications for Recovery and Growth
You’re not 20 anymore. Recovery is a game-changer. And if you’re not prioritizing it, you’ll pay for it.
Sleep Optimization: This is your superpower. You need 7-9 hours of quality sleep—non-negotiable.
Stress Management: Stress is inevitable, but it doesn’t have to wreck you. Meditation, breathing techniques—whatever works to calm the noise in your head.
Active Recovery: Recovery doesn’t mean doing nothing. Walking, swimming, or yoga can help your body recover while keeping you moving.
Bringing It All Together
This isn’t a one-size-fits-all plan. It’s about creating a system that works for you. Mix high-intensity training with smart recovery. Strength with mobility. Power with balance. The goal is to build an adaptable body that can handle whatever comes its way.
Example Weekly Plan
Here’s a sample of how you might structure your week:
Day 1: Strength training + mobility (e.g., goblet squats, Romanian deadlifts, and dynamic stretches)
Day 2: Plyometrics + core stability (e.g., box jumps, bird dogs, planks)
Day 3: Strength training + mobility (e.g., lunges, overhead press, deadlifts)
Day 4: Active recovery (e.g., light walking, stretching, or yoga)
Day 5: Plyometrics + endurance (e.g., broad jumps, interval sprints)
Day 6: Strength training + core (e.g., front squats, Bulgarian split squats, hollow holds)
Day 7: Full rest or recovery (focus on sleep, hydration, and stress management)
Consistency Over Perfection
The most important thing? Show up. Some days will be better than others, but as long as you stay consistent and listen to your body, you’ll start to feel the difference. You don’t need to follow a rigid program—just keep moving, keep adjusting, and keep pushing yourself.
Athleticism is something you can rebuild. It’s not about looking exactly how you did in your prime—it’s about feeling strong, capable, and confident in your body again.
Let’s get to work.
-Zach
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