How to Get Good at Any Sport Fast

If you've ever wanted to play basketball like Iverson, skateboard like Rob Dyrdek, or play soccer like Freddy Adu in just 30 minutes...this article is not for you. However, if you've ever want to improve in a sport faster than you are at the moment, this article is for you. Using these principles, who knows, maybe you could become the next star athlete very soon.

Note: This article only provides help for skill based sports, such as basketball, soccer, skateboarding, lacrosse, etc. For sport that are basically pure athleticism, such as track & field events, you might be better off reading a fitness article.

List the fundamentals

Sports are sort of like music; in music, you have to master the scales before you can create your own music. Great guitarists like Jimi Hendrix were renowned for their improvisational abilities; this was because they memorized all the scales and could use them at will. The same goes for sports. Great basketball players like Lebron James make the game look so easy because they can create plays out of thin air because of their mastery of the fundamentals. Therefore, what you want to do is list the most fundamental moves in your sport. If you want to learn basketball, it will be a perfect jumpshot, dribbling with both hands, layups, etc. If you are learning soccer, it will be dribbling and kicking with both feet. You get the idea. If you get the fundamentals down, you'll be able to create your own moves, just like a guitarist can create his own music.

Pick a "Master Move"

Bruce Lee once said that he did not fear a man who has practiced a thousand kicks once, but rather a man who has practice one kick a thousand times. When I wanted to join the basketball team in high school, I knew I wasn't that great of a 3 point shooter, and I didn't have much stamina. Most of the other guys on the team did have these traits. What helped me join the team was the double crossover, which was my favorite move. I practiced it all the time until it was second nature. This is what you need. Pick just one fairly basic move in your sport, and make that your "master move". If you have good fundamentals and one go-to move, you'll be hard to stop (or if your sport is something like skateboarding, you'll look really cool).

Go Up Against Tough Competition

The phrase "that which does not kill me makes me stronger" definitely applies to sports. One way to improve your skills extremely quickly is to go up against very tough competition. Why? It forces you to give 120%, everything you have and more, if you want to win. And let me be the first to tell you, you won't win (at first). However, much like weight lifting, the challenge will make you stronger. You don't lift light weights to gain muscle; instead, you "lift big to get big". Therefore, you shouldn't play people on your level or lower to get better. Instead, you should play against the best people in your field. That means play the streetball player who is dunking on everyone. Challenge the sponsored skateboarder to a game of S-K-A-T-E. Yeah, you'll lose. But you'll get better very fast.

If You're On A Role, End Practice Early

Part of sports is muscle memory. While there is a lot of debate on what effects it, I'll just tell you my experiences with it. Whenever I would go skateboarding, there would, without fail, be about a ten minute period where I could land any trick that came to mind. After that short period of time, I would begin to get tired and sloppy until I couldn't even land a pop shove it, one of the most basic moves. The next day, I would be at the same place I was the day before (or even further behind). However, when I came across an article on the internet, I began to end my practices in the middle of my practices, right after I nailed a certain amount of tricks in a row. This way, my muscles would end practice remembering good technique. This principle applies to all sports. I've used it in basketball, skateboarding, and tennis without fail. So remember, whenever you feel like you are doing the best you've ever done, stop right before you begin to feel a decline in your technique.

Stay Confident and Go Play!

Confidence is a huge factor in sports. Football players like Terrell Owens, boxers like Muhammad Ali, and other star athletes are sometimes known for their cockiness. While it may seem that like they believe they are truly better than you, often times this is just something they tell themselves so they won't get anxious during competitions. You are what you say you are. By telling yourself you are the best day in and day out, sooner or later you'll believe it. Don't ever beat up on yourself after a bad session; everyone has one. Instead, analyze your mistakes, and move on. You'll fix them later. And lastly, have fun and go play! No matter what the sport is, it is just a game. There is no reason to be afraid to challenge the best tennis player in your area to a match. The sport does not define who you are, so there's no reason to be embarrassed for losing. Just have fun with it and your guaranteed to improve.