Researchers at the Institute of Behavioral Sciences, Semmelweis University, at the end of the latest wave of the coronavirus epidemic, nationwide, online survey they tried to find out what physical and mental condition we are in after the ordeals of the quarantine period. They had an interesting finding that
those who experienced closures due to the epidemic as a kind of challenge began to move more, became more active, and thus in a better state of mind when the epidemic subsided, than those who experienced the limitations as a threat, a threat to their physical activity, less movement.
So by all indications, exercise can be a huge help in maintaining not only our physical but also our mental health, so if we haven’t gotten it so far, maybe it’s time, even before the start of a possible fourth wave. Moreover, the sports frenzy has been unavoidable in the recent past: first in the football European Championships and then in the Olympics, and it may even be that not only pride but also pride in Kristóf Milák’s butterfly swim or the women’s kayak quartet gold medal battle came to mind on the couch. it is also stated in us that
should move.
During the epidemic period, not only did movement opportunities narrow, unpredictability and confinement may have contributed to us not feeling or motivating any exercise. But how do we start or (even after a Covid infection) restart the sport as safely as possible, in harmony with our bodies?
“The most important thing is not quantity but quality! If someone has not been active for years and is doing sedentary work, it is very important that they should only start playing sports gradually and consciously. I recommend a coach who is competent in almost all types of movement and who helps you choose the right form of movement and the right level to start from, ”explains coach Laura Kovács, who has been teaching offline in a Buda studio for more than 13 years and transferred her experience during the epidemic. also on the monitor together with a colleague with the establishment of the WIMO online sports center. Whether he takes hours live or virtually, he says he tries to steer people towards smart, conscious movement. (Hence the name, WIMO, meaning wise movement.)
And the condition assessment is not possible, or at least not worth avoiding, and a good trainer is able to map possible muscle imbalances, physical abilities at birth or after birth, and then develop an appropriate training plan taking these into account. These seemingly small steps are very important at the beginning. “The smarter and more trained the body, the more it will be able to withstand, healthy, in the long run, without injury,” explains Laura Kovács.
Dr. Balázs Lohner, an orthopedic traumatologist, sports physician, and an employee of Pasamed, thinks similarly, and warns that anyone with a history of a more serious internal medicine or orthopedic disease, or with a significant overweight, should seek expert advice on choosing a form of exercise. According to the doctor, it is worth seeking the advice of friends and acquaintances familiar with sports, as joint activity always has a good motivating force. “The safest forms of dynamic movement are walking, hiking, jogging, elliptical training, and exercise cycling or cycling. Among static sports, your own weight or weight training is recommended for beginners. It’s important to choose a movement that is pleasurable, motivating in the long run, and helping us achieve our goal. ”
As a novice athlete, it is not difficult to make the mistake of wanting to achieve a significant structural or stamina change in a short period of time, so we start moving too intensely, which can then easily lead to overload illnesses or injuries, and most importantly: frustration. Both the coach and the sports doctor call attention to adhering to the rest period, to warming up, stretching and draining, and to choosing the right clothes and equipment.
“Beginners mostly train only the large, superficial muscles, which is spectacular, but training the stabilizing muscles around the joints and the fascia (e.g., the muscle sheath) would be at least as important, and I even consider it a first step, along with mobilization. A healthy muscle is both strong and flexible, and a healthy spine is mobile and flexible in all directions. People don’t usually care about it, but at least as important is rolling, stretching, resting. Our body is a wonderfully constructed wonderful system, the maintenance of which requires attention and conscious training if we want to avoid injuries and long for internal balance, ”adds Laura Kovács.
© ADRIANA ADIE / NURPHOTO / NURPHOTO VIA AFP
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Online training is not a bad idea either, but there would be some considerations here
Online training has become very popular during the epidemic, but according to Balázs Lohner, in the case of beginners, the trainings can be said to be safe, where the coach can check the correct execution of the exercises. After the learning period, the tasks can be performed independently, but it is important to choose the intensity of movement corresponding to the level of training.
Laura Kovács also recommends home training only with an expert coach, she doesn’t consider it lucky for someone to exercise at home, alone on a recorded video, without the possibility of correction. “Sometimes people do much more harm to themselves than they might think: major injuries can occur, but there can be wear and tear in the joints or imbalances in the muscles, and poorly fixed movement patterns that then take years to repair,” he explains.
During the epidemic period, the coach found that as offline opportunities dwindled, more and more people were looking for a solution in the online world: they could support novice athletes with simple, moving workout plans, and regular athletes with unique programs after needs and fitness assessments. In group classes, communities and friendships also developed, and they could even more closely monitor the movement of a person through the camera than they would have done in a large group of rooms, where a maximum of a few people in front could be seen.
So do sports after a Covid infection
If regular exercise was a part of our lives in the past, but we caught Covid-19 and our body hasn’t worked 100 percent since then, we need to get back with great care. Balázs Lohner said that after a coronavirus infection, prolonged fatigue and fatigue under low load are often observed: in the case of these symptoms, it is recommended to extend the rest period and reduce the intensity of training. According to the sports doctor, gradation is essential: first the duration of the sports activity must be increased and then the intensity. An exercise bike, for example, is the most suitable tool for this purpose.
“The Sports Hospital recommends that asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic Covid-19-positive athletes require physical sparing for at least two weeks. Prolonged symptomatic Covid-19-positive cases require four weeks of rest, depending on the individual’s health status and current symptoms and complaints. After that, two to three weeks of low-intensity exercise are recommended, followed by a cardiological examination, which includes an ECG and an ultrasound examination, ”says Balázs Lohner.
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Do we know our own bodies?
Without thoughtful planning, we shouldn’t even get into sports because we don’t have the time and opportunity to discover how our own bodies react to it. If we torture, afflict, but do not make a close friendship with him, it will be very difficult to find joy in his transformation. However, body consciousness can also be improved: this is important and useful knowledge, as our body is the only place we can live – no matter what quality and for how long.
Body consciousness is an image of our own physical abilities and limitations, especially with regard to balance, dexterity, strength and endurance – explains Balázs Lohner to our paper. It is advisable to move forward gradually in small steps and to monitor the reactions of the body, it is important to strengthen the trunk muscles and train coordination. According to the expert, it can be best developed with various forms of movement, and this also significantly reduces the risk of injury. “It has been observed that children who are more competitive in their own sport and who also do other ancillary activities on a regular basis, such as folk dancing or playing music,” he adds.
Laura Kovács notes: just as IQ and EQ, among others, exist, so does BQ. It shows the body quotient and the intelligence of our body: how well we know our body, how much we are connected to it, whether we can consciously use our muscles, whether the movement patterns we use in everyday life are well fixed (such as squatting, jumping, running, or even a simple arm lift).
Interestingly, body awareness can also be passed on online, as an experienced instructor knows exactly where mistakes are being made in a given movement and verbally warns them to avoid them – this is how it works both online and offline. According to Laura Kovács, it is essential for a coach to understand what he is doing, to feel the weight and responsibility that people’s health depends on. This requires proper instructions, and it is important to guide people step by step toward body awareness, which requires them to understand and feel the right execution.
© MATTHIEU SPOHN / ALTOPRESS / PHOTOALTO VIA AFP
– – Do we knead, do we knead? 70% of Hungarian adults are overweight or obese, and the complications of Covid-19 infection affect them. particularly dangerous. In addition, the coronavirus continues to fatten people, which is why it would be important for sport to be a part of everyday life. Laura Kovács said about the physical condition of the Hungarians: she sees that there is no culture of regular and professional sports in Hungary yet. “Whoever trains is also more for beauty, less for health, often only seasonally. Many people believe that they can train alone while incorrectly “kneading” a lot, ruining their bodies. Unfortunately, few people are still given a well-designed training program to fit into their lives in time and money, ”he says, while in the West large companies often provide solutions and support during working hours, as both parties benefit from regular and conscious training in the long run. the benefits of exercise.
