So, after a three month hiatus, coaches and athletes are back in the gym! YAY! But how do we, as coaches, know how hard to push our athletes after such a long break? When does it become too much?
The long, uninvited break that we all went through effected not only gym owners and coaches, but also the athletes. Think about it: Our athletes went from practically living in the gym to being shut out completely for over 3 months. Forget about the physical toll it may have taken on our athletes, what about the Mental impact? It was tremendous! Physical exercise releases endorphins in the brain that trigger a positive feeling in the body, leaving the athlete feeling great after their workouts. Having their regular workout routine suddenly ripped from their lives is enough to stress the body and mind. Now throw in the fact that the athletes realize they may lose skills, strength, and endurance and we have even more reasons to be cautious at first.
The point I am attempting to get across to gym owners and coaches everywhere is: Take it slow. It’s okay if an athlete loses a skill when they first come back. It’s okay if they are a little more apprehensive. It’s okay if they don’t look fantastic and competition ready. Take it one day at time. Each athlete will need to build their confidence back up. They will get back to where they were before. Just give it time! 🙂