By Danial Hakim
Since the government announced the Movement Control Order, things have never been the same. More so to sports enthusiasts and athletes.
With the ban on group activities, sports have taken the brunt of the quarantine very negatively.
Athletes are left to their own devices as they wait for their respective seasons to restart as major sports leagues such as the National Football League, the National Basketball Association, and the Premier League are postponing their current season.
For National Community Basketball League athlete Adib Nasir, 20, keeping fit during the MCO is slowly being integrated into his daily at-home routine.
Since the closure of the University of Malaya’s sports facilities, the medical student notes that the shift impacted him fairly negatively as he slowly adapts to the new norm.
“I used to go to the gym every week and practice basketball after a workout. Without the routine, I have to keep a balance between my daily exercises and studies. It is quite difficult to do some morning workouts because of classes but I manage.” says The Titan BC Shooting Guard.
For Adib Nasir, being a student is a priority. Like many other student-athletes, he struggles in balancing his studies and engaging in sports.
“To be honest, it is difficult to manage my time as MCO affects my daily routine. Therefore, I schedule workouts in the evening, while I study at night.”
Adib averages 5 points and boasts an impressive amount of steals per game. Therefore, Adib spends a large sum of his energy on defence. In order to maintain his defensive prowess during the MCO, Adib explains his daily workout regime that focuses on body-weight exercises, cardio, and occasionally, callisthenics.
“I do a lot of cardio workouts to stay lean, such as mountain climbing exercises, running, and jumping rope. These workouts help to maintain and improve my stamina. I also do bodyweight workouts and ball-handling-exercises.”
Without an in-home gym, as many other high-profile athletes do, Adib regularly attends video sessions with his club trainer. They only use basic equipment and their own body for simplicity.
However, it is still quite difficult to maintain his “basketball groove”.
“I couldn’t practice ball dribbling in the porch because it is noisy. I don’t want to disturb the neighbours.
“Therefore, I do grip practice instead. I will hold the ball and pass it from one hand to the other to ensure a good grip.
“I also do shooting practice for more than 60 times a day, as well as sprinting and jumping. These help with my overall speed and acceleration, and increase vertical jump height which you’re going to need if you want to dunk or shoot over the defenders.”
Despite these workouts, Adib admits that diet is still the most important aspect especially for athletes like him.
“I choose chicken or beef as my protein sources for muscle building. I also consume salads despite my loathing for vegetables. Nonetheless, I keep a routine of eating dates every morning as they are a good source of energy.”
Despite the struggles, Adib is still determined to endure them, as staying fit while keeping up with his studies are his ultimate goals.
“I do believe that most professional players are still practising and I don’t want to be left out. I believe that I will push through, physically, mentally and academically.”
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