Adapt. Evolve. Achieve.

There’s no doubt lockdown has had a huge impact on our training, forcing us to reassess our goals and redefine our routines. We may be on a different path to what we had planned but that doesn’t mean we can’t progress.

We asked our ambassadors how they have adapted to fit their new ‘normal’. Read more about their top tips on how to make the most of this challenging situation and come out stronger.

Obi Vincent

During lockdown my goals have changed a lot due to having limited equipment. However, I am very lucky to have an outside space with a bike, some barbells, dumbbells and kettlebells – so I try and create my workouts using the available equipment.

My goal during this time period is now to focus more on my mobility: I started incorporating yoga into my morning session and have also started doing daily meditations.

My new normal means, I now work a lot more on my laptop, more than I ever have as I have to film and edit all my content due to not having a videographer around as usual. The garden and my living room have now become my gym/office/filming studio and also chill out spot. Luckily as the weather has been great so far, it’s nice working outdoors.

Molly Thompson-Smith

Just before the U.K. lockdown began, I travelled to Germany to be with my boyfriend. The restrictions in Germany have been much lighter the entire time I’ve been out here, which has meant I’m back to training almost normally. There are safety regulations in place to help manage social distancing rules, but the walls and gyms are open which is awesome!

All of my World Cup season was postponed or cancelled due to the current situation, so I had to relax my goals a little. With the competition calendar still unknown, my focus has shifted to testing myself but also enjoying some time on rock, which I’m usually only able to do for 2-3 weeks of the year in my offseason! It’s amazing to be able to spend so much time in the outdoors, especially after the last few months. And being the competitive person, I am, it’s really nice to have some sort of ‘test’ despite there being no competitions this year.

My new normal is training under the new guidelines when in the city but having the freedom to go out into the forest and rock climb. There’s less pressure to do the training I’m less psyched on and I can have fun pushing myself in areas I’m motivated for. There are less distractions and I’m able to put all the time I have into becoming a better climber.

Jordan Gill

I’ve tried to keep the same routine as I’d normally have during training camps. This has been challenging due to limited equipment and social distancing ruling out any form of sparring. I think I’ve done a good job of staying in shape, with pad work with my Dad most mornings, and either strength sessions or running drills in the afternoons, resulting in two training sessions a day most days, which is just like in fight camp.

The goal of improving every day is always the focus and hasn’t changed during lockdown, however lockdown has helped practically change my approach to this. Lockdown has prolonged upcoming fights, giving me the time to slow everything down and really work on technique and perfecting the basics of my boxing.

The new normal is spending a lot of time at home, which I don’t normally do. Also adapting training around having limited equipment and social distancing. Using less technology in training as I’m swapping high tech treadmills for grass fields, but at the same time relying on technology to do video call sessions with Dave Coldwell my boxing coach, and Danny Wilson who talks me through my strength and conditioning.

Aimee Cringle

There have been a few changes regarding my CrossFit training – but I am still fortunate enough to get my training programme daily and able to have enough equipment and space at home to complete the majority of the workout. I have struggled mainly when the workout involves bench press/ heavy squats as I don’t have access to the equipment needed.

I was training towards the competitions I had coming up, which were either postponed or cancelled. I am still motivated to train when I can and as hard as I can for the competitions that are yet to still come up. Hopefully, I can get fitter and stronger during lockdown. I can’t wait to get back training in the gym with my training group!

As a Student Nurse I work long days on the ward, with the shifts commencing from 7:30-20:30. I struggle to fit in a training session during the days I am working as I am on my feet a lot of the day. The days I am off I am likely to train twice.

Asha Philip

My routine has changed quite a lot. With my training facilities closed and no gym – I’ve done most of my running sessions on a grass field, which has been okay but of course I’ve missed the track greatly. I’ve also been doing a lot of cycle sprint sessions on my Watt bike. Hopefully as things are starting to ease more athletics tracks will be open.

In one sense my overall goal has stayed the same: The mission this year was always getting on the plane to the Tokyo Olympics and coming back from Japan with medals. Obviously, it’s been pushed back a year, and with the track & field season scaled down dramatically, that is still the thing I think about every day.

My new routine looks like this: wake up for training (probably a bit later than I would do in the pre-coronavirus world), head off for my session on the grass or downstairs if I’m on the bike that day! Then do my strength & conditioning and recovery.

Sam Oldham

Originally the aim was to hold onto as much gymnastics-specific fitness as possible. At that point we didn’t know how long the lockdown would be continuing for. Of course, this was a real challenge as I had limited gymnastics equipment at home and inevitably, I reached a ceiling. This soon evolved however, as it became clear that I was going to be out of the gym for a long period of time.

My goals then became about improving myself in areas I would usually not focus on or have the time to work at. I started running up to six miles and working on my leg strength and explosiveness through hill sprints. Now as we approach a stage where the world is begging to move again, I’m now thinking about how I can transition back into full training. I’m concentrating more on the mental side of my sport, spending time planning out potential routines doing lots of visualisation.

The plan for me was to retire from competitive gymnastics two weeks into the lockdown after 20 years in the sport of gymnastics. I have decided that I’m going to push for the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games. So, for me the new normal is very similar to my old one but the approach is going to be very different. Over the next year I plan to enjoy my training as much as possible and always strive to have a healthy balance in my life. I’ve been given an amazing opportunity to give it one more try and also do things slightly differently. Which will hopefully lead to me being a much happier person when the day that I retire finally comes.

Em Furey

My training regime has gone from not doing a workout every day and teaching most days to now doing an İnstagram live every day, which means I am also working out every day! I used to only fit my training in a few days a week as I was always so busy teaching in different locations.

My goal pre lockdown was to get stronger and build a bit more muscle mass. However, due to lockdown this changed as I wasn’t able to access any free weights. My goal became more about keeping up my endurance and fitness by doing bodyweight workouts.

Now I teach an İnstagram live 5/6 days a week which sets me up for the day collaborating with others in the same industry or teaching for the clients at the gym I teach at; Rowbots.
I also create content for any job I have come in via Instagram and always a couple dog walks a day thrown in. Lots of walking and refuelling with good nutrition!

Written by PhD Ambassadors