With Victoria now out of lockdown, most Australian states and cities can now see the light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to returning to netball and community sport.
But while we’re all filled with excitement at the prospect of finally getting out on court, as a player it’s important to be mindful to approach this period with caution and a well-planned strategy.
With only a few months of 2021 left, clubs and competitions are rushing to squeeze in a raft of training sessions, matches and trials within a very short period of time.
The physical (and mental effects) of being locked down are different for everyone, but it’s safe to say that very few players are conditioned to be returning immediately to their pre-lockdown netball schedule.
READY TO TRAIN? CHECK OUT OUR PROGRAMS FOR:
– 10-14/U PLAYERS
– 15/U-OPEN PLAYERS
The risk of injury when returning to sport after last year’s initial lockdowns was significant. This time around, after more than 18 months of irregular training and minimal body contact, the risk is at an all-time high.
But we DO want to get back out there, so how can you do it as safely as possible?
SLOW AND STRUCTURED
Jumping straight back into hard conditioning sessions is a recipe for injuries.
Instead, your return should involve a gradual and structured reintroduction to netball, based on your current level of conditioning/deconditioning (how much you were/weren’t able to do during lockdowns).
Increases in the frequency, duration, volume and intensity of your sessions should be slow – some days you might feel like a million bucks, but resist the urge to go too hard, too soon. Stick to your plan.
LISTEN TO YOUR BODY
Understandably, you’ll want to do every session you possibly can once you return, and particularly with trials on the horizon for many clubs.
But make sure you listen to your body, monitor how it responds to the sessions and don’t place pressure on yourself to progress too quickly!
CLUB PACKAGES: GIVE YOUR PLAYERS ACCESS TO OUR STRENGTH, CONDITIONING AND SKILLS PROGRAMS
Ongoing soreness, niggles and difficulty in keeping up are all potential signs that you’re progressing too fast.
You might need to have longer rests between efforts and reduce the intensity and/or number of your sessions, and build up over a number of weeks to allow your body to adapt more slowly.
THREE-STAGE PLAN
Here’s a simple three-stage plan you can use to increase your chances of returning to sport successfully, and decreasing your chances of injury.
STAGE 1
- Build the foundations
- Work on progressively building your cardio through netball-specific running drills
- Reintroduce resistance training to strengthen soft tissues
- Focus on skill and movement development
- Basic footwork and movement drills that get your body used to changing direction and pushing off on both legs.
- Get a ball in your hands and work on some basic ball drills and reintroduce your jump/land and change of direction work in a controlled environment
STAGE 2
- Start to work with others, progressively increasing the level of competition/contact with a defender/attacker
- Introduce more dynamic training such as plyometrics and reaction/agility drills. Remember to start easy and slowly increase the intensity over time
STAGE 3
- Move into matchplay scenarios within a team environment, incorporating your skill work with other factors such as decision making, timing, spacing, executing under pressure etc.
- Initially, limit the court size in small-sided games as this allows you to reacquaint yourself with jumping, stopping, turning, and accelerating skills at lower speeds.
- Progressively expand participant numbers and court size to increase game speed and intensify movement patterns.
Remember, progressing through these stages is dependent on how your body feels and reacts to the load, and will be different for every player. Always ensure you get adequate rest and recovery between sessions – hydrate, sleep and eat well.