Facing the COVID-19 Fitness Challenge – Tim Lawson’s Tips

Your Sported Team asked Tim Lawson for some tips on how to stay fit in the face of the restricted climate – and here are some of the tips he revealed.

Things are likely to be ‘different’ for a good while so it is worth making a plan and thinking how you can best use this time away from competition.  

  • Maybe it’s time to give some lingering injuries time to recover and really do those awkward rehab exercises your physio told you to do, but you didn’t because you wanted to go back to ‘proper’ training!
  • Make a plan to improve core stability and find some good Pilates exercises and make a time table to do them.\
  • Do a programme of mental exercises.
  • Eat regular and healthy, get plenty of sleep and do what exercise you can but be consistent and progressive.

Providing you are not putting yourself at risk of catching COVID-19, when normal life resumes there will be people who come out of this better, there will be those who don’t. 

Which do you want to be? There will be opportunities – be ready!!

Exercise ideas in the confines of your home:

  • If you have a turbo trainer then it’s time to get happy with virtual reality cycling – Zwift here we go!!
  • Step ups, or other plyometric exercises using the stairs, or other safe structures.
  • Build up to ‘Pistol Squats’ – if you get there it’s a good party trick and might just help your performance!
  • Don’t forget those rehab and pilates exercises and spending time on your roller whilst listening to an uplifting podcast.

Extra (Sports) Nutritional Tips

  • Same rules for training still apply; some you do with carb loading (the hard stuff), some you do faster (the easier stuff).
  • A good recovery drink after a hard session.
  • Stay well hydrated.
  • If you are really stuck inside then there is a strong case for vitamin D supplements. “
Tim Lawson is the founder of Secret Training and previously founding director of SiS (Science in Sport) Limited. He has a lifetime interest in Sport and Nutrition for Sport and Exercise Performance, a Masters Degree in Sport and Exercise Physiology. He is also an Honours graduate in Sport Science and is a member of the British Association of Sport and Exercise Scientists. His main sport is cycling, in which he has competed in most disciplines and still competes regularly at high level.
Posted on 26th Mar 2020