When COVID hit, professional athletes, coaches, and support staff were challenged to maintain
this level of engagement. Athletes feared their performance might decrease, while sports
performance coaches had to stay accessible even during these uncertain times.
Similarly, people who aren’t professional athletes often have someone in their lives who they
turn to for advice or accountability, whether it’s a nutrition coach or a trainer at the gym. They
too had to learn to adjust to a new level of engagement.
Below we’ve shared sports performance practices that the LA Galaxy has learned over the past
two years that can be applied to most weekend warriors who are returning to, or even adopting
healthy lifestyles post-pandemic.
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| Bend it like Beckham. |
Combine Tech and Training to Stay Connected
The pandemic challenged connections with players and how we were able to access them. We
adjusted our approach to ensure we stayed connected and could keep the athletes on track with
their personalized nutrition and physical training plans, motivated to continue achieving their
daily training targets and short-term goals, while also meeting the required steps to achieve long
term progressions. Social networking channels and video conferencing played a big part in
maintaining a semblance of normalcy.
We also got creative by incorporating technology into the players' routines to track performance
and training loads. We provided them with a variety of technology, like heart rate monitors, GPS
tracking units, Apple Watch® wrist wearable devices, Oura® smart rings, which measure and
monitor specific physical performance data such as resting heart rate, target heart rate zones
during training, distance, high-speed running and sprinting, sleep duration and quality, and
fatigue levels. By involving the athletes more in the data collection process, they became more
accountable and aware of the importance of the data we were collecting and its impact on
performance. We also made ourselves available to them to explain and interpret this data to
continuously evolve their goals.
Staying connected with your fitness and nutrition muses isn’t just for professional athletes.
These technologies are available for consumers and is a great resource to stay connected when
in-person meetings are impossible. Additionally, using fitness tech together with the advice of a
health coach or personal trainer, can be beneficial because professionals have the interpersonal
skills that help reframe any confusion or feelings of doubt into positive actions.
Maintain Trust and a Sense of Community for a Healthy Lifestyle
The sports industry’s success relies heavily on camaraderie, in person support, and fanfare. Our
athletes at the LA Galaxy are used to being surrounded by their teammates and coaches 11
months out of the year. Research has shown that camaraderie supports better psychosocial
health, and benefits in competence, character, confidence, and other critical components of
positive growth. To help them feel they had the same one-on-one focus and support, during the
pandemic we had to individualize their fitness sessions and create effective nutrition plans that
the athletes could follow at home.
Perhaps most important in ensuring the athlete’s success were virtual check-ins which fostered
personal interactions. We used the time to educate them on nutrition, and funny enough, they
weren’t distracted by other activities, as they may have been under normal circumstances.
These one-on-one, virtual check-ins allowed us to maintain human connection. Finding new
ways to help athletes learn how to cook or engage them in cooking competitions helped
maintain a competitive spirit while also building a sense of community.
Making significant, long-term lifestyle changes includes proper nutrition, physical activity, a
personalized plan, and support. It's about more than a single one-size-fits-all solution.
Surrounding yourself with people who share your values, whether in person or virtually, will hold
you more accountable to show up, learn new things, and work harder. It also has a more
calming effect than doing the work alone. A consistent exercise regimen, a supportive
community, and balanced nutrition are vital components of a holistic approach for a healthy and
happy life.
Prioritize Physical and Mental Recovery
Another important learning was that recovery is not just resting or stretching after a game or
training, but of also facilitating mental recovery. Over the past years, with stress from many
sources, be it from isolation, performance anxiety, or social media stressors, it was important to
develop strategies to manage it all. As their coaches, it’s not only our job to help them achieve
their performance goals but to also protect their overall mental health.
Since being back in person at the training facility, we have maintained a focus on promoting
positive mental health and reducing their cognitive loads. With life’s daily disruptions taking up
more time and mental capacity, we try to take the “thinking” out as much as possible so they
can focus on their game. We do everything we can to help them de-stress by placing a huge
emphasis on maximizing recovery days. When possible, we try and vary the recovery routine for
the players and some activities include beach volleyball, pool sessions, ocean swims, bike
rides, and upper body gym sessions. Another addition to the program was allowing the players
to sleep in and do recovery yoga sessions via Zoom from home, after packed travel schedules
After the class we would remind the players to focus on hydration and quality nutrition while
away from the club.
Recovery after exercise is an important part of any workout routine, no matter your level of
athletic performance. Post-exercise recovery is critical for muscle strengthening and repair. A
good recovery routine will not only help you avoid future injuries, but it will also have a
significant impact on your fitness goals, allowing you to get back on track and train more
efficiently. A combination of nutrients is essential for accelerating muscle recovery. Hydrating
before, during, and after a workout, whether with water, tea, or shakes, will help replenish
nutrients lost during your workout.
Whether you are a professional athlete or a weekend warrior, you can train your body and mind
to perform at their optimal levels through these lessons learned.
About Herbalife Nutrition Ltd.
Herbalife Nutrition (NYSE: HLF) is a global nutrition company that has been changing people's
lives with great nutrition products and a business opportunity for its independent distributors
since 1980. The Company offers science-backed products to consumers in 95 markets by
entrepreneurial distributors who provide one-on-one coaching and a supportive community that
inspires their customers to embrace a healthier, more active lifestyle. Through the Company’s
commitment to nourish people, communities and our planet, Herbalife Nutrition pledges to
achieve 50 million positive impacts – tangible acts of good – by 2030, its 50th anniversary.
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