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Greyhound Racing, Athletics & What We Can Learn From Dogs

Greyhound racing is an old sport, one that people have been engaging in for hundreds of years.It has been around long enough, in fact, for it to become almost ingrained in culture. Many people will place bets on something during their lifetime, and for many a good opportunity to do so is by going to the tracks, watching a game and betting on its results. You can take a look at greyhoundbetting.co.(uk) if you’d like to try your hand at placing your bets.
Greyhound dogsAlso for athletes and people who are experts on the game, there are many benefits to observing a game from the side.Athletes can learn a lot from greyhound racing techniques which have been developed and perfected over hundreds of years. It can teach the athletes about their own bodies, endurance levels and their own exercise techniques.

Here’s more information about just what athletes can learn from greyhound racing – and how it can improve the way they set about their own exercise routine.

Genetic Studies Show…

A recent article by Forbes Magazine explores a study that looked into the genetics of dogs, and why some dogs can be athletes while others can’t –in the same way that some people appear to be naturally-born athletes while others wheeze after a short run around the block.

Of course, everyone should exercise, but the type of exercise and just how much of it your body needs is something that’s up to your genetic makeup and individual body in the same way some dogs are born for the racetrack and others aren’t.

How much a dog (or person) will enjoy their exercise is due to a collection of genes – including those that control in what way and how fast we learn new skills.

Warming Up is Vital

Warming up before you run, exercise or set off on a race is vital – and this is something that all dog trainers know when preparing their dogs for the race. Stretching is important, and if you don’t, you’re only putting yourself at risk of very serious injury.

Do your stretches, do a quick jog around the block, give your muscles a rub: Get your muscles into action before you set off to exercise if you want to avoid shock.

Everyone Needs to Rest

Even a greyhound can’t race all of the time, and literally every dog gets their day. On the bad days, you can’t push your dog to run if their heart isn’t into it – and just the same way, an athlete can’t force themselves into exercise when it’s clear that their bodies need a day off.

If you push yourself past this point, you’re only bound to discourage yourself from exercising – and you’ll likely hurt yourself, too.

Training is Key to Success

 If you don’t put the right amount of work and training into something, you’ll never improve.Dog trainers know the importance of putting their dogs through intensive training to ensure that they’re the best at what they do – without pushing them too far.

Training is key to success for human athletes and dogs alike. If you aren’t training right, you won’t see results – and you should always be adapting your training regimen to your individual needs at that point in time.

It’s About Multiple Disciplines

Racing dogs don’t just train in how to race, and athletes don’t just train in how to run. It’s not a single discipline that leads to success as a racer, rather, it’s a combination of disciplines that lead to eventual success.

Dogs are trained in several disciplines at once: The basics of communicating with their trainers, endurance and strength and you should approach your exercise routine the same way.

Nutritional Focus is Essential

Nutritional focus is essential whether we’re talking about a dog or a human, and if you’re not getting everything you need through the right foods and supplements, the first place where it’ll show is the fact that you can’t put your all into your exercise routine – and you might not be able to tell why.

Improve your diet and focus on getting everything you need. For most people, food isn’t enough – and this is where supplements can be a big help. But just like the greyhound racing world, some supplements are considered taboo – double-check this if you are a competing athlete since any listed and banned substances can get you removed from the game.

Some Injuries Are for Life

Some injuries are for life. It’s common for athletes to retire their game due to injuries, and the same happens to dogs on the racing track – but this doesn’t mean that you should stop exercising. It just means that you should focus on a different part of your exercise routine that your body can handle – staying active remains key, whether or not you’re racing on the track.

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