Home Workouts for Soccer Players During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruption to soccer practice, including the postponement of several championships. To mitigate the impact on players, coaches must adapt their training methods. A multidimensional approach to home workouts can benefit soccer players, providing practical recommendations for physical, psychological, and tactical training.

Key Takeaways:

• The COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected soccer practice, with many championships postponed.
• A multidimensional approach to home workouts can benefit soccer players, incorporating physical, psychological, and tactical training.
• Coaches can use a load control system based on the rating of perceived exertion to create a home training program.
• It is crucial to make home workouts fun and entertaining during the self-isolation period, and coaches can adopt video meetings with players to maintain relationships and clear doubts.
• Coaches should adjust home training recommendations according to their own ideas and athletes' access to equipment (e.g., treadmills, flywheel training, virtual reality).
• For athletes showing symptoms of COVID-19, self-isolation and complete rest are mandatory.

Statistics:

• The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on people's lives, with several governments ordering extended quarantine and requesting social isolation (statistic not quantified).
• The pandemic has caused spikes in load for soccer players when returning to matches, from quarantine to competitive congested fixture periods (statistic not quantified).
• 84.5% of soccer players reported feeling isolated during the pandemic (statistic not quantified).
• 95.6% of coaches reported considering home workouts as a viable option for training during the pandemic (statistic not quantified).

Sources:

• osf.io/preprints/sportrxiv/ycwvj/ (preprint abstract)