COVID-19 - How to Stay on Top of Your Game During the Downtime

I must confess that, some weeks ago, I downplayed the severity of the worldwide Coronavirus spread. I was one of those who thought that it was just something blown up by the media, and that people’s concerns were ill-informed. However, upon reading the statistics of how quickly it was spreading and how many had died as a result, as well as how quickly it was spreading in my own country, I realised that I was wrong to think that it wasn’t a serious issue. My wife is a Virologist as well, so if she says that we should take it seriously, then we should listen.

What can athletes do about it in the meantime though? Upon speaking to several athletes in the past week, most of them felt understandably frustrated that they could no longer compete for the time being. That doesn’t mean that they’re giving up though. While we don’t know when the crisis will end, we know that it will, and athletes should be ready when it’s time to compete again. In the meantime, though, here are four things athletes can do to stay on top of their game during downtime.

#1 Maintain High Standards

Many athletes will be tempted to take things easy while coach isn’t watching. This is a recipe for failure. Take this as an opportunity to develop self-discipline while you train alone or in small groups. If you can develop self-discipline and train hard while coach isn’t watching, imagine how well disciplined you’d be when training and competitions resume in the future? I’m excited to see the improvement of athletes when they return to competition once the COVID-19 crisis is under control. I think that it will be obvious to coaches and sports fans as to who slacked off during the downtime, and who took it as an opportunity to get ahead while no one was watching.

#2 Avoid the Gym

Avoiding the gym is a really difficult thing for so many athletes to do at any point in the season. Many athletes rely on regular visits to the gym in order to maintain the high standards I mentioned earlier. Going to the gym while COVID-19 is in your country is a big risk though. If you do, you’ll likely be in a closed environment with a group of strangers, touching equipment that many others have touched before you. This is an ideal environment for the virus to spread. I would suggest that you train at home and try to replicate your training plan as closely as possible while alone or with a training buddy. If you struggle to think of new ways to train while at home, there are loads of training videos and resources available online for you to use.

Many private personal trainers are also making their services available through video chat or by coming to you, so it may be a good idea to enlist their services if you can. Another good alternative to a gym is an Electrical Muscle Stimulation Studio such as Body 20. These studios are much less risky than gyms because of their strict hygiene standards and because training sessions are always one-on-one with your own trainer. Sessions also only last around half an hour as well which limits the amount of time you’d need to be out the house.

#3 Visualise, Visualise, Visualise

You can’t compete in any competitions for now, but that doesn’t stop you from preparing for the next one though simulation. Much Sport Psychology research and literature support the fact that visualisation not only helps you better prepare for high-pressure situations, but also helps you to learn and maintain the ability perform complex motor skills. Spend five to ten minutes a day immersing yourself in future competitions and games using as many of your five senses as you can.

#4 Play the Long Game

You may be feeling frustrated at no longer being able to compete for the next while, but I want to challenge you to take a moment to re-frame your experience. You now have the opportunity to take the time to refine those parts of your game that have been weaknesses for you in the past. You have the time to try new skills and make mistakes while nobody is watching. Push yourself, experiment with new skills, and fail as many times as you need to on the journey toward mastery while you have fewer distractions and interruptions. I’m excited for you to take this time as an investment into the day when you can return and really prove what you’re capable of.

How are you training during the COVID-19 crisis? Do you have any other suggestions for athletes during this time? If you do, feel free to drop me an email. I’d love to connect with you.

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Dave Roebuck