- Freestyle skier Gus Kenworthy is on track to compete in the Winter Olympics, even as he deals with a lengthy COVID.
- He said gradually adding intensity and listening to his body helped him resume exercising.
- He also did bodyweight squats instead of weights to get back in shape during recovery.
Two weeks after recovering from a mild case of COVID-19, Gus Kenworthy was heading to the gym when a sudden dizziness left him unable to stand up, let alone finish the workout.
At another workout two days later, his nausea became so extreme that Kenworthy threw up. He felt bad the rest of the afternoon.
For most people, this could have been a sign that the training was too intense. But Kenworthy, a two-time Olympic freestyle skier known for overcoming injuries and harsh conditions, knew something was clearly wrong.
Persistent symptoms of COVID-19, known as prolonged COVID, are rare in competitive athletes. research suggests.
But some experienced athletes struggle to return to training even with a clean bill of health, said Dr. Irina Petrache, chief of the Division of Pulmonary at National Jewish Health and co-author of a study. new studio about the phenomenon.
“Even in very early stages of exercise, they looked like patients with
diabetes
or patients who were sedentary, when they were extremely fit before,” Petrache said.
For Kenworthy, the recovery process has been slow but steady. He heads to the X Games in Colorado at the end of January and is on track to compete at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
“I still don’t feel 100%, but I see the light at the end of the tunnel,” he told Insider.
To get back into Olympic shape, he upped the intensity of his training, swapped weightlifting for bodyweight workouts, and listened to his body.
While research on prolonged COVID is ongoing, existing evidence supports a similar approach to facilitating exercise, according to Petrache.
Even mild cases are linked to the long duration of COVID
Initially, COVID-19 didn’t feel like a huge setback for Kenworthy, the 2014 Olympic silver medalist.
In the middle of practice last fall, Kenworthy was briefly sidelined with a concussion. Two days after he was cleared to ski again, he developed a fever, tossed and turned all night, and woke up unable to smell or taste. A COVID-19 test came back positive, even though he was fully vaccinated.
“That was the worst. I had a very, very bad night, but those were my only symptoms,” he said.
Some evidence suggests that people with more severe infection are at greater risk of prolonged COVID, but even mild cases can lead to ongoing problems.
His medical team said his concussion may have exacerbated symptoms, but the link between the two is unclear.
He returned to exercising with gradual intensity and bodyweight work.
Kenworthy previously did heavy exercises in training, but switched to bodyweight while recovering.
“There are so many good exercises that are just bodyweight and that’s what I’ve focused on,” he said. Kenworthy’s detailed training plans and approach are available through the fitness app. teachers, that connects users with professional athletes.
TO increase a bodyweight challenge, add volume (more reps) or exercises like single-leg deadlifts or step-ups. Body weight moves as planks, the climbers, russian twists, Y dead bugs you can also build a strong core.
“The basic work is ultimately the foundation of everything,” he said.
Gradually adding weight and intensity has been key to getting Olympian Gus Kenworthy back into shape after a long period of COVID. Your training schedule is available through the Fitness Masters app.
Courtesy of Teachers
To get back into skiing shape, Kenworthy has also been working on getting his heart rate up on a stationary bike.
Petrache said his team found evidence that prolonged COVID can affect the mitochondria, which power cells, and aerobic exercise can help keep them healthy to aid recovery.
She recommends zone 2 aerobic exercise, working at a steady pace just above easy for an extended period of time.
