Chronicle Editor
Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
ATHLETES have been urged to exercise caution as they return to their various sporting disciplines following lifting of restrictions for low risk sports.
Sports scientist Khanyile Dlamini said it is a positive for some sporting activities to return but athletes need to be careful in their approach to returning to activity after the long break.
“The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) has come up with guidelines that athletes should follow as they return to training. All athletes must follow these guidelines as they are critical in ensuring a safe return to sport,” said Dlamini.
“Strength and conditioning sessions must be appropriately designed and implemented to reflect the individual athlete’s level of fitness and fatigue to avoid excessive exertion. With training programmes that were in place during the lockdown, the idea was for athletes to work on their weaknesses and largely salvage fitness gains accrued during pre-seasons.”
Dlamini said the athletes that didn’t follow lockdown fitness programmes risk injury and will be generally playing catch up, which defies one of the principles of training known as the principle of progressive overload.
Incidents of non–contact related injuries had increased significantly in the past decade, particularly in athletes that returned to training after a period of inactivity, Dlamini said.
An athlete’s level of fitness and fatigue are dynamic in nature due to the acute and chronic effects of sport training, strength and conditioning, nutrition, hydration, sleep and various other factors.
Dlamini said this is just the science aspect and athletes should follow safety guidelines specified by the Government.
Sports that have been given the green light to resume activities by the Sports and Recreation Commission are the Zimbabwe Golf Association, Zimbabwe Aquatic Union, Cycling Zimbabwe, Triathlon Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Cricket, Zimbabwe National Bass Federation and the National Anglers Union of Zimbabwe.
The others are the Polo Association of Zimbabwe, the Polocrosse Association of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Archery Association, the National Athletics Association of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Equestrian Federation, Zimbabwe Shooting Sport Federation, Rowing Association of Zimbabwe and Tennis Zimbabwe.
The SRC will be strict in enforcement and inspectors will be dispatched to various sites to ensure compliance with the conditions and the law.
The inspections will be carrried out without notice and those caught offside will face sanctions. — @innocentskizoe.
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