Since the advent of the internet, we are communicating in person less and less. We don’t call each other anymore, we text, email or use social media.
As a society, we are distancing ourselves further and further from ourselves and each other (just take a look at the tables around you next time you go out for coffee or a meal) – and it’s worst in our children.
Cyber bullying and the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO), are real issues that our children are having to cope with on a daily basis.
Technology is so advanced now that inventions like virtual reality are fuelling this distancing, so when it comes to moving our bodies, we have no idea of what feels right or wrong.
Without this knowledge, how can we distinguish between a harmless “quirk” and the start of something more serious?
The absolute best thing that we can do as coaches can do to help is to both know our athletes, and help them to know themselves.
If you have a group of children, they’ll LOVE the opportunity to move differently in their sessions – and they’ll come up with some seriously crazy ideas if you let them, but die hard, purist triathletes might take a bit of convincing.
Change is difficult for most people, but if we’re serious about eliminating sporting injury, then we’re going to have keep trying, because current methods really aren’t working.
Knowing your own body and giving your athletes both the permission and the opportunity to discover more about theirs is a great first step.
Try this with your athletes at some point today, and ask them to tell you how it feels:
Walk normally for a few metres, then walk the next few metres alternating your feet so your toes point in, then point out, then go back to walking normally.
How did it feel to walk normally the second time?
Was it easy to turn your toes in or out?
Once you have answers to these questions, you’re on your way to understanding more about the issues your athletes’ bodies are really struggling with – before they develop into injury.
Discover what you can do about it here, without having to refer them to a therapist, overstepping the boundaries of your role as a coach, or drastically changing how you deliver your sessions