When the pandemic hit, they closed the gyms and said that they would reopen soon enough. At that time, no one could predict the extent of the pandemic and how bad it would hit us, and pretty much every other country in the world.
When things got worse, it became more than obvious that gyms would remain close for an indefinite time. Therefore, canceling the gymnastic season didn’t take us all by surprise.
Whether you are a pro or an amateur gymnastic, you most likely feel very disappointed and dazed. Getting out of that mindset where you are all fired up and prepared to compete and then having no gym is not an easy shift. Everyone has a different coping mechanism, and some take this change much harder than others.
Therefore, we have made a list of tips that can help you through this troublesome time to help you come to terms with this new situation. Hopefully, you will see the value in our tips and accept a new routine. Also, we’ll get you in the best possible state of mind.
Tip #1 Connect Online With Your Coach and Other Gymnasts
First and most important of all is to know that you are not alone in this and that gymnasts from all over the world have to deal with this situation. Regular online meetings can be a powerful coping mechanism. In a way, you can consider them as a support group.
All athletes, including gymnasts, are doing regular online meetings where they discuss openly how they deal with this situation individually, what they miss most, how they spend their time, how they try to keep themselves in shape, how they think it is best to structure their home training and stuff like that.
So, don’t shy away from the opportunity to connect and talk to other gymnasts.
Tip #2 Focus On What You Can Control During This Situation
So yes, the entire season has been canceled, but that doesn’t mean that you need to stop training altogether. For example, when a gymnast is injured, he/she is advised to keep away from training until the injury has been healed. Sometimes that includes no training at all, while other times, some exercises are allowed.
Think of this situation as something like that- downtime because of some injury. Just that in this particular situation, you can’t get back to full training because the gym is not open. However, that doesn’t mean you are helpless.
You can focus on improving your overall physical condition, flexibility, muscle strength, and so on. There are all sorts of smaller aspects of gymnastics that deserve your attention, and that doesn’t require being in a gym.
Therefore, refocus and make the most of the current situation.
Tip #3 Watch Yourself Performing (and Others)
While you are at home, you don’t have to lay on the couch all day long and watch reruns of “Friends.” Instead, start watching videos of your past performances. There is always something to learn, something that you’ve missed in the past, and something that can be improved.
Furthermore, you can start going through other people’s videos and see if there is a lesson to be learned there. Analyze their technique, compare it with yours, and try to think of ways how to get there.
The trick here is to watch videos of gymnasts that are better than you. It doesn’t work the other way.
Tip #4 Start Planning for the New Season
Take your time to create a more thorough training plan that you will implement once the gyms open for training. Get over the fact that there won’t be a gymnastic season this year and start preparing for the next one.
Just make sure you include your trainer and discuss the details with him/her.
Tip #5 Create a New At-Home Routine
Before all this, you probably had your routine. Perhaps you went a few times per week in the gym, and you competed during the weekends. Both of those activities are out of the question, at least for now.
Instead, you can create a home routine. For example, you begin with a warm-up, do some stretching, some conditioning exercises, and you end up doing some of the basic movements. If you want to perform exercises more similar to what you normally do in the gym, websites like fit2bmom can help you with investing in the right gymnastics equipment.
Create a routine, and as time goes by, add new exercises. Just don’t go for any skills at home or anything too challenging. There will be plenty of time for that once the pandemic loosens up, and there aren’t as many restrictions as nowadays. A predictable routine will give you structure and will feel good to you.
Tip #6 Stay Safe
The single most important thing is to try and stay safe. Social distancing works, and that’s a fact. Going for a run in the park is safe as long as you keep your distance from others, even if you see some of your friends jogging in the park.
You might even consider going for a run at odd hours like really early in the morning. You might find other runners as well, but there will be just a few of them, and it is not likely that they will want to socialize that early in the day. If they are at that time, then they are there to make their miles and get back home as soon as possible and avoid other people.
So, mind social distancing and stay safe. This is beyond all tips and lessons!
In Conclusion
These are unprecedented times in which we are all forced to make lifestyle changes. At the same time, that doesn’t mean completely halting everything and being idle until the pandemic ends.
On the contrary, as described above, there is always something to be done. Not just to keep our sanity in check, but to stay physically strong as well.
Apply some of our tips in practice, and you will be able to go through all this easily. Possibly you might even gain a new perspective on your sports career and how to be more successful in the years that come.
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