Are you trying hard to stay active during the pandemic? Do you want to indulge in sport but don’t want the risk of contracting COVID-19? If like most people, you’ve put on that “quarantine 15” you’re probably looking for a way to participate in sport again without compromising your health and safety.
The pandemic undoubtedly makes old-fashioned sweat-inducing sports difficult. Popular games like football and basketball are certainly high-risk for body contact. In this era of social distancing and adjusting to a new normal, we rounded up a list of the best and the worst sports for social distancing!
The Best Sports for Social Distancing
Want to enjoy the thrill of playing sports while social distancing? Let’s delve into some low-risk sports that you can safely play while social distancing during the Coronavirus pandemic.
1. Tennis
Tennis is a great sport for sweating out the stress of your work-from-home schedule. A traditional tennis game has the players far apart, so there is minimal risk of contact. Make sure you take the necessary precaution such as sanitization and wearing masks for an extra layer of security.
2. Golf
Golf is one of the few completely no-contact games. The players don’t have to be around each other or even a few meters away. You can safely enjoy this sport at your leisure while wearing a mask and using precautions like wearing gloves while handling your gear. Golf is a great sport to experience the outdoors and get some exercise without any stress.
3. Cycling
Cycling is one person-sport that can you enjoy while keeping a safe distance from everyone. Whether it’s a quick ride in the neighbourhood or a long ride to scenic landmarks, cycling is one of the most low-risk sports at the moment.
4. Skiing
Few people may have the chance to indulge in skiing, but if you do get a chance to do so, then try to steer away from bumping into fellow ski enthusiasts. Moreover, you should stick to slopes that are popular and well-known instead of remote ones so that help is at hand in the unlikely event of an accident.
- Cricket
Cricket is one of the few team sports that can be adapted to preserve social distancing guidelines. Being played in a large field with fielders spaced apart and batters observing social distancing while waiting on the side lines can help to provide ideal conditions. Reducing the number of players on each team will also help to make sure adequate distances are maintained at all time.
The Worst Sports for Social Distancing
Contact sports are a hard pass when it comes to social distancing, even after enforcing strict guidelines. Here are a few sports that are an absolute no during the Coronavirus pandemic.
1. Kabaddi
Kabaddi is a full-contact sport that is prevalent in the Indian subcontinent as well as many Asian countries. This sport is played between two teams and a raider needs to tag one or more members of the opposing team.
The opponent has to try not to let this raider reach their side of the court. They can use their entire body to tackle this player. This makes it a full-contact sport that is very unsafe and impossible to play while practising social distancing.
2. Competitive Cheerleading
This sport has been classified as a high-risk sport during the Coronavirus pandemic. It is a full-contact sport which makes it very difficult for players to practice social distancing.
Competitive cheerleading can be performed at sports events and there are also dedicated tournaments for cheerleading teams. Either way, these teams are in constant contact with each other, so this sport is one of the worst to participate in when practicing social distancing.
3. Wrestling
Wrestling is a full-contact sport where opponents use different tackling and grappling techniques, with both players using their entire bodies. The mandatory contact makes it is literally impossible to play this sport while social distancing and is a hard pass during the pandemic.
4. American Football
American football is one of the most aggressive games played anywhere in the world. Players tackle each other and push and shove their opponents on the field using their bodies. This is a full-contact sport that cannot be played while social distancing. This makes it another high-risk sport that should be avoided during the Coronavirus pandemic.
To Sum Up
The Coronavirus pandemic has taken many things from us, including the joy of playing and watching sports. Over the last few months, the introduction of strict health and safety norms have meant that many sports tournaments could not place and have been delayed or cancelled. Although the world is gradually opening up, the risks are still very real, so people need to be careful while playing sport. Luckily, there are some options to have fun and exercise while staying safe!
