How do you stay healthy and ready to go during a lockdown?

Even though we are in the middle of an unheard-of pandemic, that doesn’t mean that players should give up their dreams of playing football also though there is plenty of time for playing online blackjack and making sure that you finish your collection of PS4 or XBox games. Even though everyone needs a specific time to rejuvenate and relax, there are still things you can do to make sure that you are ready to go when the whistle blows again.

The concept of rest is changing

Earlier football players would have actual off-seasons where they would balloon up, do nothing and still manage to get back in shape slowly. Nowadays, football players are practically ready to play year-round, meaning it is more important to get rest where you can.

Eat a mixed, high-quality diet

We get it; you are not actively playing, so what the use of being in shape at a time like this is? While grabbing a snack (and another and another) at a time that many of us are socially isolated may sound tempting, that doesn’t mean that we should eat everything we like.

Try to restrict the overall fat intake to more than 20% of the daily calorie allowance. Given that you are not currently doing Two-A-Days also means that you don’t need a whole lot of carbohydrates. Try to limit your intake of carbohydrates to whole wheat and whole grains. Fresh fruit and vegetables should still be a staple of your diet when you are not currently able to play. If you stick to the general principle of this diet, there is no reason that you shouldn’t be able to enjoy a few ‘lockdown’ treats.

It is important to remember that your actual caloric intake must match the demands of what you are doing. If you are not exercising as much or playing the game, you do not need the same amount of calories. This is something that is extremely important during this period, as well.

Make sure that you stay hydrated as though you were playing

If you are going to stay conditioned, fit, and healthy during this downtime, remember that staying hydrated at all times is essential. Even though having the occasional sports energy drink is alright, most of your hydration should be coming from water. This is the best way to stay hydrated at all times.

Not being able to go to the gym is not the worst thing

It is important for a number of reasons to maintain the overall muscle mass of your body. You can more readily burn calories with a strong upper and lower body. It is also going to serve as protection against certain injuries. Not being able to go to the gym also ensures that you are not at risk of injury. Simply having some leg toners, ab wheels, resistance trainers and dumbbells should be enough to keep your strength levels up without actually needing the gym for anything.

Stay ‘fit’ for football

Staying ‘fit’ for football is quite a bit different than ensuring that you are fit altogether. You have probably been away from the field, returning to competitive action after a few weeks (maybe months) and noticed aching muscles and stiffness afterwards. You need to make sure that your

body goes through the same ‘movements’ that it would as you are playing football. Even though you clearly cannot replicate the impact of football without being able to touch someone, you can mimic the explosiveness.

Rather than simply relying on jogging to stay in shape, for example, perform interval sprinting sessions. This is going to come close to replicating the type of movements your body makes during the average game. When it is finally time to hit the field again, you should be able to hit the grounding running if you follow these tips.