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TOTAL SPORTS DURHAM
The Sports World Tu
by Jeff Roux B.P.E.; CSCS “If life seems jolly rotten There’s something you’ve forgotten And that’s to laugh and smile and dance and sing. When you’re feeling in the dumps, Don’t be silly chumps, Just purse your lips and whistle, that’s the thing. And... Always look on the bright side of life” - Monty Python - “ Every sport, activity and public event looks different right now. People are unsure about heading inside any building, including gyms and restaurants, even when they are allowed. Physical distancing, group size restrictions and regional outbreak concerns have altered rules of training and practices. They have also recently canceled the Canadian University Sports season, put most competitive teams sports seasons on hold and sports for 2021 in doubt as we all navigate the unique world of Covid-19. The negative aspects of this situation are obvious and well documented. Everyone is feeling the effects of this virus and the hold it has placed on all aspects of our lives. I am an optimist. I believe every problem has a solution. I choose to look at the glass as half-full and make the best of every bad situation in order to come out of it better than I came in. Instead of being angry, sad, or de-motivated by the impact this all has on the ability to play sports, let’s explore the opportunity this situation creates and take advantage of the one the one thing all of this generates more of for everyone — time.
scheduling appropriately around them, and then managing energy, effort, and recovery. Are you using the time you have to get better or is the clock just ticking away? Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours in the day as everyone else. The question is how do you spend your time? Is it efficient? Are you making the most of it? Are you getting the kind of quality, whole foods you need to fuel yourself properly? Are you getting the sleep you need to recover effectively? In reality, it is often energy, lack of planning and prioritization and the ability to establish a high performance routine, not time, that actually holds us back. Now, thanks to the pandemic, time is one thing we have available more than ever and that means NOW is the perfect time to take advantage of this opportunity. Now is the perfect time to focus on our individual physical needs. Now is the perfect time to commit to a properly designed strength and conditioning plan that can help deliver the kind of results we often miss out on during a regular year.
The Conundrum of Sport Which came first the athlete, or the skills? Which one can we affect the most by training and practice? What is the priority?
A traditional year for student athletes includes academics, school sports, practices, games, skill sessions, tournaments, and then, if they can fit it in, strength and conditioning. In fact, a strength and conditioning program is arguably the element that offers the most long-term impact to overall performance. It builds resilience, tunes the athletic engine and provides the raw materials the athlete needs to maximize skill development and yet it is often the first thing to be sacrificed. A properly designed, progressive, strength and conditioning programs arms each athlete with the foundations to execute their athletic skills and provides a physical, mental and structural defense mechanism to help them continue to perform and progress. Kids are often so over-scheduled with games, tournaments, practices, and activities that aim to improve specific areas of focus (skill development, power skating, speed development...) that there is little time left to build the foundations of what makes them successful as athletes. Practices are often team, system skill, and tactical based. Skill sessions are focussed on technique and repetition of specific skills. There is little time for strength development, fitness and conditioning and even less for developing the strength, power and resilience that can minimize injury risk and arguably have the most positive long-term benefit to all aspects of overall performance.
The pandemic is the perfect opportunity to step back and look at what we each need to prepare, develop and improve our personal levels of health, fitness and performance. The biggest obstacle people cite as a reason they do not participate in regular fitness programs or athletes do not take part in strength and conditioning programs is time. In reality the issue is often prioritizing actual needs and goals,
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