7 minute read
Move 365 - The Sports World
The Sports World Turned
by Jeff Roux B.P.E.; CSCS
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“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.
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, 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.
Turned Upside Down
The Conundrum of Life
Similarly for non-athletic regular people (NARPS), time is often the biggest hurdle to establishing and maintaining a regular fitness program when in fact it is simply making the commitment to establishing a routine in the first place that is the true obstacle. Now that more people are working from home, most recreational sports leagues are cancelled, kid’s school schedules are less intrusive and youth sports are minimized, the grown-ups have more time than ever to focus on themselves as well.
Prioritize Your Health, Fitness & Performance
Whether you are training for a sport or training for life, you need to prioritize your physical needs, set some goals and prioritize a plan to accomplish them over the next 6 months and beyond. What is most important to you; the way you look, the way you feel, the way you perform in your sport or activities...?
There is a difference between being active and training for specific results. Fun recreational activities have their place for everyone but also have their limits as to the benefits we can get from them. What kind of activities and training do you really enjoy doing? Reaching your goals and finding your passion can often go hand-inhand. Some people love running, mountain biking, strength training, yoga and/or Zumba, others, not so much. Whatever your passion is, just make sure it has a plan to help you progress to your actual goals and not just be an activity that takes up more time and energy.
The Skill of Strength
The first element of fitness that is most often left out of the equation and arguably the most important component for everyone is strength.
Strength is about more than simply lifting heavy weights; it is more specifically about the ability to generate and absorb force. As we train strength we challenge the body with increasing loads and the body adapts by getting stronger. This is often seen through the lens of muscle development rather than movement development but the truth is, strength training is movement training and movement is a skill that must be learned and executed efficiently in order to be effective.
This is the key point of difference for developing more functional or athletic Strength that involves the ability to express force and absorb force within an athletic or functional pattern of movement. This kind of strength helps prepare people to move better, not just look better.
Benefits of Strength Training
• Develop Force Production & Force
Absorption • Maximize Acceleration/Deceleration • Enhance Skill Execution • Aid in Injury Prevention • Increase metabolism
Who Can Benefit from Strength Training? The obvious answer is everyone! The demands of sport and day to day life require functional strength, stability and coordination. The demands of sport require athletic strength and the ability to express strength quickly as explosive power. Modifications can be made to the intensity and complexity of training demands based on individual abilities, goals and objectives. Strength training is appropriate for kids, adults and seniors as long as the programming and focus is developed based on age, experience, skill level and their functional/athletic goals.
There is an art and science to programming and coaching workouts that are practical, purposeful and progressive and ensure that your time is being used efficiently and effectively. We cannot flip the sports world back on its feet but we can ensure that you are as prepared as possible on yours, whenever it is safe to get going again.
Now is the perfect time to take advantage of this unique opportunity to focus on the things that are often missing or difficult to stay consistent with during a regular year or sport season. We cannot give you back more time to do the things you need to do, but we can ensure that the time you spend with us is worth every second.
PHONE US Call 905-217-0664
EMAIL US info@move365.com
We are conveniently located at 104 Byron Street South in Whitby, Ontario. Street Parking is available and there is a P Parking on the corner.
