The world's COVID-19 lockdowns severely impacted athletes at all levels' ability to train, but highlights the value of digital tools technologies to aid the process, a new study shows.
A total of 111 researchers from more than 60 countries were involved in the study, which saw 12,500 participants from 35 countries - including New Zealand - and was carried out from May until July 2020, at the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Unsurprisingly, the study found that athletes at all levels were unable to maintain their desired level of training due to lockdowns, affecting frequency, intensity and duration, as well as impacting an individual athlete's tailored training programme to their sport's skill set.
Athletes' motivation due to lockdown and isolation was also drastically affected, due to a lack of competition around them, however that problem has been abated by digital technologies such as Zoom, the study found.
"Most people were having to train by themselves," study co-authorm University of Waikato Associate Professor Nic Gill, who is also the All Blacks' strength and conditioning coach.
"There was a bit of learning and adaptation for athletes to figure out how to do that and be coached remotely.
"In general around the world, that's what's happening. I think the digital space around coaching, communication, all those things have become massive.
"The fact that we're doing an interview on Zoom, it's just the way of the future now, it's just normal.
"It's no different for coaching and athletes, having to become a bit more self reliant to get themselves set up at home so that if things do happen, they're ready to rock and roll and keep working physically at home."
Gill's work with the All Blacks in particular is still being impacted, having to cater training programmes to different players with different needs, with some forced to isolate and even in different countries at the same time as the rest of the squad.
Last month, Richie Mo'unga returned to the All Blacks and played a test against South Africa after two weeks in a hotel room, unable to train with his teammates, while the likes of Sam Cane, Sam Whitelock and Dane Coles will rejoin the side for next week's test against USA Eagles after being based in a different country to their teammates.
Overall, the new way of doing things has seen a change for the better, Gill insists.
"I'm a bit older than most of the players. I prefer to talk to people in person, and it's the same for coaching. I'd rather deal with real people face to face, and help them become better athletes.
"What it's ensured we've had to become good at… we have to be able to communicate, whether that's via text,via video, via Zoom or via different platforms to train athletes in.
"I've been pushed into a digital platform, and I wouldn't go back anymore. I love it."
The study was published in the Sports Medicine journal this week.
