7 Ways to Keep Your Sports Team Active During COVID-19
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, life as we know it has dramatically changed. This is especially true when it comes to industries like sports. Many sports teams had to put their competitions and matches on hold, gyms closed their doors, and sports seasons throughout the world have been postponed.
However, staying fit and active is even more important in times of a global pandemic. Regular physical activity can not only boost your immune system, it also helps you maintain a positive mentality and reduce stress.
So how do you keep your sports team active during COVID-19 while making sure you’re following the latest health and safety recommendations?
In this post, we’ll share ways to safely keep your sports team active so that they can be ready to jump back into the game once the pandemic subsides.
Seven Ways To Keep Your Sports Team Active During COVID-19 Pandemic
As mentioned earlier, staying fit in times of a global pandemic is very important, especially for athletes. Finding and maintaining a routine are the best way to ensure your body doesn’t become deconditioned and more prone to injuries once you’re able to return to normal training activities.
Here are seven ways to keep your sports team active and remain safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Find Ways To Exercise Safely
Despite the fact that your training sessions have been postponed and that many gyms are now closed, it’s still important to exercise regularly. Exercising during Covid-19 is important but it’s also important to do it safely and follow your local guidelines on social distancing and other health measures. A few ways to exercise safely include:
- Go for a bike ride or a run and remember to keep yourself and others safe. Maintain physical distance and wear a mask while doing so to help reduce the chances of spreading or catching the virus.
- Encourage family members to join you in shooting hoops, kicking around a soccer ball or play a simple game of catch.
- Make use of household items to help you train or use whatever gear you have on hand. For example, water bottles can double as weights and there are plenty of ways to use your body weight for weight training.
- Find some workout videos on YouTube and follow along. You can also turn to Facebook or Instagram as many gyms and fitness trainers are offering free or low-cost virtual workouts.
Host Virtual Trainings
Another way to stay physically active is to move your regular training sessions into a virtual environment. You can use Zoom or Skype to host virtual training sessions on a weekly basis.
Alternatively, consider using various sports and fitness apps to add accountability into solo workouts. Apps like Strava, Hustle At Home Sports Training, Runtastic, and others can be a great way to provide your team with the needed exercise, introduce a little competition into the training, and foster a sense of team connection even when you can’t physically train together.
Factor in Rest And Recovery Time
Staying active is important but don’t forget to account for rest and recovery time. This will help your team members recover after an intense training as well as give them time to address any previous injuries.
Stress the importance of having a good stretching routine and consider implementing an injury prevention program that will help your athletes avoid and prevent some of the most common sports injuries.
Stay Connected With The Team
Regular training helps your team members bond together and build team spirit. With quarantine rules in place, you can no longer rely on regular practice to keep your team members connected.
We mentioned Zoom and Skype as a way of hosting virtual training practice but that’s not all you can use those platforms for. You can also use them to schedule some good old chat and connection time.
Simply checking in with your team members and talking about the mundane things or current events is a good way to help them deal with the challenges of life under quarantine rules as well as strengthen the relationships between individual members.
Don’t Forget To Train Your Mind
As many professional athletes will tell you, training your mind is just as important as training your body. Mike Phelps, Lyndon Rush, and others have used visualization to help them improve their performance and achieve great results during competitions.
Now is the best time to encourage your team members to turn to visualization and mental imagery techniques to practice mindfulness and train your mind. You can make mindfulness a part of your regular training or daily routine with the help of apps like Calm or Headspace.
Livestream Your Workout Sessions For The Community
Don’t forget that your community is probably facing the same issues as your sports team. Use this time to give back to your community and livestream your workout sessions. You can invite your neighbors as well as fans to join in and help them maintain physical activity as well.
Alternatively, make sure your fans stay connected with your team by watching your workout sessions instead of watching you play matches as they normally would.
Find And Maintain A Routine
Finally, the most important piece of advice is to find, establish, and maintain an exercise routine for you and your team members. Keeping a regular schedule will ensure that your team members are getting enough exercise to keep them fit and healthy.
A few tips to help you find a routine include:
- Keeping a consistent bedtime and wake up schedule to help your body get enough rest both physically and mentally.
- Maintaining a healthy diet and drinking plenty of water.
- Keeping a positive attitude by focusing on things you can control instead of worrying about things that are beyond your control.
- Keeping a line of communication with your teammates open for moral support and encouragement.
Final Thoughts
Keeping your team active during COVID-19 is crucial if you want your team to stay in shape and be ready to jump back into the game once things return back to normal. Be sure to grab our cheatsheet so you can keep it handy and use it as a reference or a reminder.
