Updated June 08, 2015.

Getting to peak performance is as much of an art as a science. Individual athletes posses unique traits and skills that, when added to a solid training program, make their sports performance soar. To get to your own peak, it's helpful to mix your strengths with a solid base of overall fitness, and then improve those areas where you have weaknesses. Use these tips to find the right performance training recipe for you.

• Capitalize on Your Strengths
  It's helpful to reflect on your unique skills and talents, and find ways to weave that into both your practice and competition. Maybe you have great endurance, are excellent at taking tight corners at top speed, or maybe you just can anticipate your opponent's next move. Write down those unique skills and talents. What are you great at without trying? What comes naturally to you? Write it down and take a good inventory of what makes your sports performance unique.
  Next reflect on how you currently use those skills and talents in your current sport. Are you using them as much as you can? Are there other opportunities to tap into your talent? When and where do you miss opportunities to excel? If you can find more ways to make use of your skills, you can boost your performance by being smart about the talents you already have. Find ways to do more of those things you are good at.
  
• Train All Planes of Motion.
  It may seem obvious, but many training routines focus exclusively on one or two planes of motion. Many gym workouts incorporate mostly flexing movements, and maybe some extension, but very few add rotation. You need to balance all these movement patterns to have good mobility. You need to master flexion, extension and rotational movements to excel at any sport. Combining all three in one exercise is ideal. So be sure to perform exercises that work a variety of joints and motions at the same time, such as the lunge with twist or the oblique twist.
  Also see: How to Design an Effective Ab Exercise Routine

• Build Core Stability
  The role the core plays in all athletic movements can not be understated. The core is the foundation for all movement, and a strong core is essential for generating power in the lower body, the upper body and any equipment you are attached to (racket, ball, club, skis, bike, kayak).
  By now, most people know that building core strength requires more than just sit-ups. You need to exercise the front, sides and back from the pelvis to the shoulders. Building stability is the first step to building a great core. The plank is the go-to exercise for that sort of stability. Once you master the plank (in all 4 positions: front, back and both sides) you can add dynamic strength and stability exercises.
  
• Build Speed and Power
  Almost all sports require the ability to quickly generate power, whether in the form of a sprint or in moving weight (your own or another). Hitting a golf ball, or a tennis ball requires powerful acceleration. So does hill climbing on a bicycle. During court and field sports, generating power is essential. It is one major factor that separates an average athlete from a top competitor. You may not be a born sprinter, but with training, you can develop the skills to perform better.
  Keep in mind that strength and power are often useless if you don't have core stability. Imagine trying to lift a barbell on a trampoline. You'd likely have a lot more power lifting the same weight on solid ground. This is what building a strong core can offer.
  
  Better core stability can also reduce the risk of injury, and because it makes movements more efficient, it can help reduce fatigue. You can begin to build power with simple jump drills, weighted step-ups, lunges, and stair running.
  
• If Something Hurts, Stop
  If any exercise or activity hurts, stop doing it or you could wind up injured. This doesn't mean burning, fatiguing muscles or breathing hard, mind you. This refers to obvious physical pain, quick twinges, sharp or crunchy sensations, nagging, shooting or otherwise 'bad' sensations. These sensations are warning you of an impending injury and pushing through them is just plain stupid. You don't need to do that so don't. Pay special attention to those nagging, insidious aches and pains If an exercise aggravates a specific body part: a knee or hip or back, but because it’s somewhat tolerable, you may think it’s not that bad. In reality, you are probably just making it worse.