20 Ways Star Athletes Stay In Shape While Social Distancing

Sean O’Malley is basically just stoned Tony Ferguson at this point and I’m 100% here for it pic.twitter.com/2TiIjvW9rM

— MacMally🍀 (@MacMallyMMA) March 19, 2020

17. Sean O’Malley

O’Malley is one of the most exciting young UFC fighters out there today. He’s also incredibly fond of marijuana. ‘Suga’ has a strong social media presence and decided to take advantage of his downtime to learn some new training methods. But he took them from the Tony Ferguson playbook.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the Suga Show is what we need right now 😂 (via @SugaSeanMMA) pic.twitter.com/XAMg51nyi4

— Chamatkar Sandhu (@SandhuMMA) March 18, 2020

Ferguson’s eccentric methods are infamous. O’Malley copied the lightweight fighter by completing obstacle courses and hitting pads behind a motorbike. Are they serious? Of course not, but they’re giving us a much-needed laugh in these crazy times.

16. Valerie Loureda

Former Taekwondo champion and current Bellator fighter Loureda is one of the hottest combat sports athletes on the planet. We mean that in both senses of the word because she’s got incredible striking skills and the looks of a model. But she’s been doing her best to keep in shape.

Bored in the house @BellatorMMA pic.twitter.com/s6Mne5Ypy7

— Valerie Loureda (@valerielouredaa) March 26, 2020

Loureda posts regular clips on her social media training by herself or with her sister. They work on bodyweight fitness drills as well as striking combinations. As you can see, her online game is on point. No wonder she has such a dedicated fanbase, because she’s good at everything she does.

15. Kevin Huerter

We’re living in a golden age of technology. Apps like Zoom have really taken off during the current time. Both small clubs and giant franchises are keeping in touch with their players. Atlanta Hawks star Huerter revealed that his coaches are using tech to coordinate group sessions during isolation.

Huerter specifically uses Facetime to talk to coaches during workouts in his basement. It’s obviously not as good as having them there in real life, but at least they can still keep an eye on what’s happening. Who knows how technology will change training in the future?

14. Mike Trout

Angels superstar Trout is as restless as everybody else during the outbreak. Even if you live in a mansion, you don’t want to be stuck indoors all day. The biggest star in baseball is still struggling. With a pregnant wife in the house, he doesn’t want to be annoying her more than necessary. Doing this probably won’t help.

Mike Trout being TROUT 🙌🏼

pic.twitter.com/KPhVxe9XGu

— Alex Curry (@Alex_Curry) March 25, 2020

His solution is to work out with fellow Angels Albert Pujols and Michael Kohn, along with trainer Lee Fiocchi. They all keep track of each other’s movements and work out in Pujol’s weight room at his house. It’s nice not to be totally alone during this time.

13. Katie Taylor

Unified lightweight champion of the world Taylor is as serious an athlete as they come. She’s women’s boxing’s biggest draw right now and for good reason. But she hasn’t let the fame get to her head because she’s still training like a madwoman. In short, she lives and breaths boxing.

Hi all, I will be posting a series of boxing circuits over the next few weeks that you can do at home without equipment. Here is the first installment. I hope you enjoy it. Stay safe, healthy and strong. pic.twitter.com/3VjeL5YCo6

— Katie Taylor (@KatieTaylor) March 29, 2020

She upped sticks from Bray, Ireland and moved to Vernon, Connecticut to train with Ross Enamait. Taylor is in training camp for her fight with Amanda Serrano this July. She has also been posting boxing workout videos shared by fellow Irish fighter Conor McGregor. They’re genuinely very good so check them out.

12. Nikola Jokic

Jokic is in the same position as the rest of the Denver Nuggets. The master of overtime can’t train with his teammates so instead, they’re getting individual daily workouts on an app. Similarly to several other NBA teams, the Nuggets use Teambuildr. The likes of the Houston Rockets and Detroit Piston are also using it.

Claus Antunes de Souza, the Nuggets’ assistant strength and conditioning coach, says that keeping an athlete motivated in uncertain times is the biggest challenge. Jokic, like the rest of his teammates, can co-ordinate and remain part of the group with this new inventive app.

11. James Harden

Houston Rockets coaches told Harden to go home while he was on the court practicing his shooting. So now, like the rest of his team, Harden has to train from his house. Unlike many other athletes, it’s difficult to keep track of his movements because he’s deleted his Instagram to focus on basketball.

But what we do know is that his coach gave him a duffle bag full of kit to train with. Now the man with the best beard in the NBA is working on his skills at home, while also trying to maintain a reasonable level of conditioning. It’s not the same as a group practice, but hey, those are the breaks.

10. Jonathan Isaac

One player in an interesting situation is Isaac. The Magic forward is currently recovering from a knee injury but obviously can’t follow a regular rehabilitation program at the moment. Because of this, he’s doing a lot of work from home with the online assistance of medical staff.

Isaac revealed to the Washington Post that he’s got a bike and weights at home. Meanwhile, nutritionists are managing his diet, making sure that he’s eating lean meat and fish. It’s not ideal for him but at least there’s no rush back. You’ve got to look at the bright side, right?

9. Nolan Arenado

The only infielder to win the Rawlings Gold Glove Award in each of his first seven MLB seasons, Arenado is also a five-time All-Star. A player of his abilities has a lot of natural talents but you still need to practice. Arenado has been doing exactly that with cousin Josh Fuentes.

We got the machine out today … working on some “drills” pic.twitter.com/hkioQM07Um

— josh fuentes (@jfuent19) March 22, 2020

Both men are third basemen for the Colorado Rockies franchise and immensely talented. They’ve been able to work together to maintain their impressive skills. You don’t get moves like those by just sitting on the couch. In short, this is why they’re elite athletes and we’re not.

8. Liverpool FC

We’re cheating a little bit by including this one, but once again it shows how technology has literally changed the game. Liverpool is anxiously waiting to see if they’ll get their first title in 30 years. But in the meantime, they’re looking after themselves. Yes, we’re talking about group yoga.

Liverpool fc players getting ready for their yoga session #Hinduism pic.twitter.com/I30fdmscoD

— Kan (@AK79) March 31, 2020

As you can see from the clip above, the squad used Zoom to co-ordinate a group yoga session with amusing results. Each player in the team has their own personally-tailored fitness program to follow as well. As multimillionaires, they all have training facilities in their homes. You can see from the video that their equipment is insane.

7. Aroldis Chapman

The Cuban Missile has definitely been keeping busy in his downtime. Chapman regularly hits triple digits for the New York Knicks. But he wants to get even higher numbers when MLB resumes. His isolation period has been productive because he is even more jacked than ever.

Check out the picture above that he posted on Instagram and look at that arm. Chapman has hit the weights hard. But the big question is whether or not the extra muscle will improve his performance. It’s possible that the opposite will be the case because could be heavier and stiffer.

6. Sergio Ramos

Spain is one of the worst-affected countries in Europe. Police are literally fining people for leaving their houses for non-essential reasons. Luckily for Real Madrid captain Ramos, he’s got no need to go anywhere. The Spain international soccer star is training from home and has some high-end equipment.

🏡 @SergioRamos is staying fit while staying home 🏃‍♂️ #StayAtHome pic.twitter.com/NV3WYDxGt6

— 433 (@433) March 15, 2020

Ramos is well-known for his combative style and intensity on the pitch. The veteran defender continues to maintain his cardio, as you can see above. He’s active online and regularly posts videos of his training footage. He’ll be ready when the season resumes, whenever that is.

5. Khabib Nurmagamedov

The UFC lightweight champion was training at AKA in San Jose, California when the outbreak began canceling all sports. He’s preparing to fight Tony Ferguson but that fight is under serious threat. First of all, AKA head coach Javier Mendez cleared out the gym so Khabib could train without risk of infection.

But after a total lockdown, Khabib went home to his native Dagestan. Even though he’s still training hard in the wilderness, it looks like it’s all going to be in vain. The Russian government closed the country’s borders. Now it looks like all of his training will for nothing. As one of the few active athletes on the planet, that’s a tough break.

4. Geraint Thomas

One of the most high-profile cyclists in the world, Thomas has done it all. A two-time Olympic Gold medalist and three-time World Champion, he also won the 2018 Tour de France. Luckily, cycling is one of the easiest sports to replicate in a house, because of exercise bikes and advances in technology.

No racing for a while so I’m saddling up in the Tour of Watopia again tonight… Group B at 5pm GMT / 6pm CET on @gozwift – see you there! pic.twitter.com/Ow8kGnWNbw

— Geraint Thomas (@GeraintThomas86) March 14, 2020

In particular, the online virtual cycling platform Zwift is very popular. Cyclists can follow real courses on an interactive screen. It also allows amateurs to race alongside the professionals. Of course, nothing can replace the intensity and danger of a real race, but it’s a good substitute.

3. Timo Meier

Ice hockey is one of the toughest sports to practice in current times. Only a few players have access to shooting facilities and as for ice – well, that’s pretty much out of the question. However, two things they can work on are their conditioning and skills.

Timo Meier with a #10TouchChallenge crossover. #HockeyAtHome

(🎥 @MeierTimo, @SanJoseSharks) pic.twitter.com/NRx1TdiJnt

— NHL (@NHL) March 19, 2020

Meier demonstrated the latter on his Twitter account. He took part in the toilet roll challenge and demonstrated his abilities. Check out the clip of him balancing the toilet roll on his stick. We’re not sure how that will translate to the ice for the San Jose Sharks man, but hey, it’s worth a go.

2. Conor McGregor

UFC fighter McGregor is the most famous MMA athlete on the planet. He’s also been working on his fitness with regular videos showing his fast hands. The Irishman has some of the best boxing in his promotion and shows no signs of letting his skills slip as his clips show.

Conor's throwing bombs in the basement 💣 (via @TheNotoriousMMA, h/t @ESPNRingside) pic.twitter.com/CA3xmb0QRe

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) March 21, 2020

His coaches expect him to return in July or August. However, who he fights is a less certain story. A clash with Justin Gaethje is possible but he could end up taking on either Tony Ferguson or Khabib Nurmagamedov later this year.

LeBron making us all look bad pt. 1 pic.twitter.com/HRqmxnsNe0

— tryler (@tylerlauletta) March 23, 2020

1. LeBron James

James is actually just out of two weeks in self-isolation after two unnamed Lakers players tested positive for coronavirus. However, James hasn’t let it stop him from keeping in shape because he’s been very busy over the past couple of weeks – at least according to his Instagram stories.

LeBron making us all look bad pt. 2 pic.twitter.com/YEJrB7ZD1A

— tryler (@tylerlauletta) March 23, 2020

He’s been hitting the weights hard and training like crazy in his home fitness center. Who knows when the NBA will resume, but when it does, James will still be a beast. Other basketball stars are catching up on Netflix and drinking wine, but not the Lakers’ biggest star.