Page 133 - DAIS Insignia 2020-21

SKATING ATHLETICS TEAMBUILDR

2020: the new year instead of bringing in new hopes,
brought in a new disease, Covid-19. It stopped the entire
world. Staying at home and working from home became
the new normal. Everything came to a standstill in an
athlete's life. All grounds were closed and I really thought
all the speed, fitness, and goals which I have worked
towards in athletics are just going to go off. The
lockdown was so strict, and I had lost all hope for my
regular practice.
But our school sports department had no plans of giving
up. They came up with Live workout sessions on MS
Teams. First, I was so reluctant; PE online? But they came
up with such brilliant energetic sessions. Bringing so
much joy to me. My friend, Amartya Vaidyanathan, and I
started looking forward for every Tuesday, as that was the
only guided fitness program. The PE department showed
us how to do amazing workouts with limited facility and
space of home. It kept me in good shape both mentally and
physically.
The 58th Artistic Roller Skating National
Championship was a great experience. In In the meantime, my athletic coach Ravi Sir started his zoom sessions too. As I was already
the 11-14 girls age group category my accustomed to school sessions getting into my coach's online class was extremely smooth. When
hardwork paid off as I bagged a gold and a the Maharashtra Government gave permission for track training it was so easy for me to get back
bronze medal. I had worked hard day and on the track, as I was very regular with the school PE session, with my camera on!
night for the past 3 months and When the BCDAA athletic meet took place on the WINGS track Bandra, in January 2021, I could
throughout the lockdown I had online bag a bronze with my personal best of 11.6 seconds. I was so enthralled by the Zoom sessions, and
training sessions with my coach I started that in this pandemic time too I could do something fruitful for my body.
physical training from the month of
December. I took part in quartet which is a In the meantime, the second wave of Covid hit the country, this wave was hitting the children as
group event and our group successfully well, and did not spare our family. My dad, my sister and I became Covid positive. It was a real tough
won a gold! I took part in 2 solo events 14 days, but I was the first one to recover. Dr Kiran Sathe and Dr Sapna Sinha who were my
from which I bagged a bronze in solo free paediatricians said the sports fitness really helped me to recover fast. Now I am on my post Covid
style dance. However in one I missed my recovery time, and I am looking forward to continuing the fitness regime.
bronze and stood 4th. I'm very thankful to I am hoping the strict curbs, vaccinations etc. will bring Covid under control. I am waiting for the
my coach Miss Adesh Singh for guiding me tracks to re-open and waiting for my 5 am sessions to start again. I am sure that the PE sessions with
through this journey and to my school for our teachers will help me stay fit until I can join the track again.
supporting me. Until then Stay Home, Stay Safe, Stay Healthy, Stay fit.
Reeva Agarwal Parthiv Sreeraman Futuristic Fitness The past academic year, we have been using
the Teambuildr application for IGCSE Weight
With the onset of the pandemic, we were all confined to our houses, with seemingly endless days Training, which would normally happen in
of limited activity stretching in front of us. However, our school's PE department ensured that this
person. Teambuildr has made the process
GOLF Lockdown started sometime in the end of March 2020 and was not the case! Adapting to the changing times, they helped us integrate a new online extremely easy and seamless, with
I wasn't too worried about golf as I thought everything software, known as 'Teambuildr' into our workout sessions. customizable workouts, progress markers,
would open in a matter of few days. But as it kept This software enhanced our skills, and took our workout to the next level. All of us greatly enjoyed video demonstrations, and tips for every
Playing golf this extending I decided to set up a golf net in my garden where
past year has been I could practice all day. During this 4-month lockdown, I using Teambuildr during our weight training classes, as it would allow us to complete new and exercise. As students, Teambuildr has been
quite different due focused on reconstructing my entire swing with my golf challenging workouts every class. It could record the number of reps and the number of sets, thus very useful, showing us different ways of
to the ongoing coach, Alex Riggs, who is based in Dubai, as well as my helping us challenge ourselves, and record our progression. Our teachers taught us how to use doing exercises, explaining the intricacies of
pandemic. Since all mentor and coach in Mumbai, Sreekanth Nagraj through this interface, and soon enough, it was a part of our daily routine! Another convenient feature of the workout as well as providing
the golf courses online classes. Along with this I put in several hours at the this app, is the video demonstrations that are provided to allow us to view the correct form for adjustments to better up form. Since many
w e r e s h u t i n gym and worked on my mental strength through every exercise. of us did not have heavy gym equipment,
Mumbai I used to meditation and visualization practices. We took this It motivated us to work harder, do better and get stronger. We were stunned to discover that Teambuildr helped us greatly in finding
travel with 2-3 opportunity to get stronger and faster which resulted in me similar exercises that would work the same
other girls and my hitting the ball 25 yards further than I did pre-lockdown though we were in lockdown, we constantly managed to partake in physical activities with the muscle groups. This combined with morning
coach to Karjat, a and I put on a lot more muscle. One of the key things for me help of the school PE department and Teambuildr. This helped our mental well-being greatly, and weight training classes helped us to
two-hour drive, was getting a camera stand which allowed me to review ensured we stay active and fit. We began to feel happier and looked forward to weight training overcome any difficulty or misunderstanding
and practice out my swing technique every time. This is something I never sessions with enthusiasm and excitement, even though we had to wake up an hour earlier! we might have had. Furthermore,
there. I would try to Hours blurred into weeks, and weeks into months, as exercise after exercise followed each other. Teambuildr has a user friendly interface that
attend as many did and with this initiation, my game improved tremendously. I would do a short game for 90 Bicep curls, skull crushers, bench press, dumbbell row, repeat. Before we knew it, we were much makes the software very simple to use and is
classes as I could in minutes a day, hit balls for 3 hours, gym for 75 minutes and meditate for 30 minutes day, and stronger and fitter than we had ever been - it was all thanks to these workouts meticulously designed excellent for athletes of all levels. Teambuildr
the car on my way to the golf course. On the way back, additionally watch plenty of golf documentaries. Repeating this process almost everyday led me to target every muscle group in the body. Alongside the physical aspect, we also learned the has helped us develop tremendously as
I would listen to the recorded versions of the classes I to become a far better golfer than before. Two months after golf restarted I broke my home athletes over the past year.
missed. I left home at 8am and reached the golf course course record (in the Willingdon Sports Club) with a score of 10 under par and my tournament theoretical and technical aspects to physical education, which were extremely beneficial and holistic. Kabir Parekh, Amaan Singh,
at 10 and would practice there until 2 or 3pm and then scores and my finishes improved immensely too. I also travelled to Dubai during the pandemic We are extremely grateful to have the privilege of continuing to engage in fitness activities even Arjun Kanoi
come back home at 5pm. This entire routine was quite last year to work on things with my coach, which further developed my game and resulted in my during lockdown!
exhausting but I am grateful that I have got to play the best scores in tournament golf. Although the lockdown was a taxing time for all of us, I was able
to make the most out of the situation and it was an unfortunate event that actually made me
sport I love so much considering the augment my golfing progress more efficiently than it would have under normal circumstances. Ami Mehta and Hrishita Shah
current situation of our country.
With another lockdown imposed,I am continuing to do the same things in order to prepare for
Hridhika Vora my golf tournament In the USA this summer.
Ishaan Shroff 127 128