Pauric Grimes: For a lot of people the message is being shrugged off

AN awful lot can change in a seven days. Last week was a call to arms,
me telling you to wake up and realise what has to be done if you want
to make this season one to remember. This week my message isn’t a
million miles away from that, but will have an even bigger impact on
any future seasons you may go on to play.

We’re being told that social distancing is the most effective way to
flatten the curve, yet at the same time the pubs that haven’t shut are
still rammed. The shops are still buzzing. For a lot of people the
message is being shrugged off. I’ll be grand if I get it, sure it’s
only a bad cold.

You might be right, you probably will be grand. If you’re fit enough
to kick ball for your club then more than likely you’ll be fit enough
to beat the coronavirus. But will all your loved ones?

I had to make the heart breaking decision to close the gym on Sunday.
There’s a good chance that unless massive financial support is brought
in by the government that I’ll not be able to open it again. That is
my adult’s life work, called ashore because I don’t want any of my
members, my staff and everybody’s families putting themselves at risk
by attending the gym. My wife has asthma and my mother has an
autoimmune disease, I would put them at risk by going to work.

But just because the gym is shut doesn’t mean you’re unable to train.
It just means the goalposts shift and how you train will have to
adapt. If you’re on social media you’ll have seen countless trainers
offering home workouts and similar opportunities to train from home
and there’ll be a temptation to jump onto whatever is shouting loudest
straight away as to not fall out of your training routine.

We, The Edge, are in contact with an equipment supplier about creating
a home workout deal to make equipment to ensure quality training
continues as affordable and accessible as possible. You aren’t going
to be limited to burpees for the next couple of months.

If you’re used to training multiple times per week, look into ways of
continuing that habit, albeit it with a slight change to what exactly
it is you’re doing.

A huge consideration that I want you to take on board is your food
intake. If your activity levels are significantly dropping because of
self-isolation and social distancing, as well as a reduction in
training output, then you’re going to have to look at reducing your
calorie intake as well or else the most obvious change you’re going to
see at the other side of this whole thing is that your jeans are
feeling a little tighter and your jersey has got a bit more snug than
you’d like.

Be smart. Train hard. Stay safe. Wash your hands.

For more training and nutritional advice you can catch me on
Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook by simply searching PGthePT.