The global pandemic has largely affected the world of fitness and sports. Sports competitions and events usually being held at school or your local sports centers have been canceled. Meanwhile, athletes and kids who indulge in sports activities are forced to stay home and participate in social distancing.
With the current circumstances, staying active is becoming a real challenge for everyone, even those used to exercising and staying active. As the parents of these young athletes, it is your duty to monitor the maintenance of their health and fitness to help them stay consistent and conditioned for when the pandemic is over. They can get back to training for competitions and events.
Consistency for keeping active can be done by making personal workout routines for your athletes and using any available materials or equipment to assist their physical activities. Here are some useful tips to keep in mind for young athletes who aim to stay active during the quarantine.
Keep them motivated
For young athletes who are stuck at home, staying fit and exercising may seem impossible due to the lack of motivation and competitiveness. Training at home will feel a lot more different than training with teammates and a coach in places like the gym or a field. Young athletes will lose the will to push through with their workouts because of the distracting temptations at home.
As a result, the quality and quantity of training are compromised, and an athlete’s physical performance will undoubtedly be affected. Thus, it is crucial to motivate and encourage your children to maintain a healthy and conditioned routine at home throughout quarantine.
Simultaneously, making sure their mental health and wellbeing are stable and healthy is just as important to keep them motivated to stay active. Being stuck at home might be incredibly difficult, especially for student-athletes who are used to going out to train and practice. This sudden change, along with the current troubling events happening in the world, can result in a significant amount of stress and tension for your children. Therefore, it is vital to offer support and comfort or even professional help like counseling and therapy when faced with these kinds of problems at home.
Activities you can do at home
The easiest and most accessible way to work out at home is through fitness and exercise videos. Zumba or yoga classes are also available on the internet, no matter where you are located. This can be an excellent substitute for cardio and aerobic exercises usually done with their teammates at school. Ensure that your athlete is keeping in touch with their coaches or trainers. Thus, their daily workout routines can be similar to what they are used to. Zoom meetings can be held online with their teammates and coaches to be better trained and monitored in their pace and progress.
The whole family can also participate in physical activities like gardening, walking the dog, going on hikes, or setting up a backyard basketball court so you can enjoy playing basketball in your own homes. You can easily transform empty spaces at home like the garage or the back and front yards into playing fields where you can play all sorts of physical sports and activities. Additionally, outdoor nature walks in secluded areas in your neighborhood can be a great way to exercise. Just make sure to wear your mask and maintain distance from any other person you may encounter outside.
Conclusion
To conclude, the current unfortunate circumstances should not hinder the young athletes at home in keeping fit and active during their time at home. Convenient and straightforward alternatives can be done within the safety and protection of your homes. This can also be an excellent opportunity for the family to bond and spend some valuable time together. Furthermore, maintaining fitness is essential today as it can help improve and boost immunity to prevent sickness and diseases.