CHENNAI: The nation-wide lockdown has forced athletes to resort to innovative and restricted training routines. But it has also forced top coaches to explore ways which they had never thought of before. Without proper training sessions, digital coaching is the most common trend in various disciplines. With limitations, many of these mentors are finding it hard to communicate with their wards. But it is something that they all have come to terms with. Whether on the training ground or through WhatsApp calls, their job as a coach is to make sure that athletes are in the best of shape. And it’s not just physical fitness that they are focusing on. To keep them motivated, a lot of fun activities have been introduced.
“We have never imagined a situation like this. But its something that we have to do,” said World Championships bronze-medallist and former long jumper Anju Bobby George. “In a way, I am enjoying this. We are not just sending training videos. Sometimes, we use dance moves and dig up old photos of athletes to keep their minds engaged and happy.”
Every discipline does not have the same training routines and nutrition. Boxing coach CA Kuttappa has assigned three coaches per five boxers. Each of them is designated to concentrate on different aspects; shadow-boxing, cross-punching and other such aspects. The boxers are even sent videos of their potential opponents in different categories.
But the hardest part for Kuttappa & Co is to make sure that athletes remain motivated. “We keep talking to them about their family and many other things. We keep telling them that there is a long way to go before realising their dream of an Olympic medal. But there is only so much that we can do through videos.”While normal training has stopped, coaches are more tensed than ever. Their jobs, in fact, have become more tedious, according to the Dronacharya awardee. “We are concerned about our athletes’ health. We worry if they are stepping out of their homes. So the tension is always there.”
Speaking of tension, the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics has reduced pressure on these coaches. With International Olympic Committee (IOC) announcing fresh dates, there is more clarity as to what has to be done.According to shooting coach Jaspal Rana, despite having advanced equipment for training at home, it won’t be the same as competitions.
While yoga sessions and physical fitness exercises are useful, they need to be on the field to improve. That is why the postponement has come as a relief to these coaches.“Now we can plan something. Otherwise, there was this dilemma as to what’s next. Now, there is no need to rush. We can slow down. We don’t need to put them through the same rigorous routines immediately.”