40 Factors of Sport Performance

Yes, you read that right. There are over 40 factors that contribute to sport performance! Some of these factors include endurance, coachability, competitiveness, concentration, rest, practice, mental toughness, and “heart.” One other factor is weight.

It makes sense that weight plays a role in sport performance, but it is not the only factor and certainly not the most important factor. However, we see that coaches, athletes, and parents over emphasize weight when it comes to sport performance. Statistically, it doesn’t make sense to put that much thought and emotional energy into just one factor. It especially doesn’t make sense when this is the one factor that will put an athlete at an increased risk for an eating disorder.

Eating disorders cause physical, emotional, and performance issues. While some may notice small benefits to weight manipulation in sport in the short-term, the long-term consequences are negative and dangerous. There are many successful athletes out there who have recovered from their eating disorder and have debunked the myth that “being thinner will make me stronger/faster/more agile.”

So this is a reminder that when it comes to sport performance and honing in on the details, focus on one of the 39 other factors, not weight.