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Canada's athletes get inventive while they self isolate

From inventing new sports, to sharing their training regimes, to encouraging others to do the right thing by staying at home, these are some of the ways Canada's athletes are staying active and positive during the Covid-19 pandemic.  

We may be physically distant, but social media is bringing us all together

Tanya Casole-Gouveia · for CBC Sports ·
From left, soccer player Diana Matheson, swimmer Brent Hayden and para swimmer Camille Bérubé share how they are staying active during the coronavirus pandemic. (anastasure/Twitter, thebrenthayden/Twitter, camillebrubs/Instagram)

The world is facing a very serious situation right now. 

Everything is on hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic and people are being told to socially distance in order to curb the spread. 

We don't have sports or events and many people are confining themselves to their homes.

Social media has been a lifeline in this dire time, providing news, information, and of course memes. 

But they say necessity is the mother of invention, and and let's just say people are being creative with how they pass their newly found down time. 

Home gym

Olympian turned CBC Sports analyst and podcast host Anastasia Bucsis is all of us when she tweeted:

One thing athletes are really good at is working out. And it turns out when they have to do it at home, they are still pretty good at it.

Many, like former national soccer team player Kalyyn Kyle, are sharing their work out plans via social media. 

National team divers Vincent Riendeau and Caeli McKay are making sure to stay fit and active and inviting others along for the ride as they share home workouts on Instagram: 

Para swimmer Camille Bérubé may even have a future in para cycling after she converted her hand cycle to a stationary bike so she could train from home:

Try something new

National soccer team member Diana Matheson is used to a team sport, but social isolation calls for something more solo. Speed skating anyone? 

National team keeper Steph Labbé goes from in the net to on a bike with the help of Olympic cyclist Georgia Simmerling: 

And how's this for new? 

Fresh out of retirement, swimmer Brent Hayden is keeping swole and fresh using one of the most coveted items this spring — toilet paper:

***Disclaimer: no hoarding was done in the making of this video.***

Join a challenge

Speaking of toilet paper (because that's been a very popular topic as of late), have you heard of the toilet paper challenge? AKA the #10touchchallenge.

Basically, you get a roll of toilet paper (we prefer two-ply) and you see how long you can keep it up soccer-style (with your feet). You film it, you put it on social media and then BAM!...you did the challenge. 

Here's three-time gold medallist Kim St. Pierre giving it a try:

Though they didn't invent it, we do think the Montreal Impact perfected the challenge by making it a group exercise:

You want to level up the challenge?

How about adding a hockey stick like Timo Meier of the San Jose Sharks?

Physically distant but socially together

Raptors big man Serge Ibaka is keeping positive during his quarantine, though he is a bit bored. But rather than sharing workouts or inventing a new indoor sport, he's proving he's just like the rest of us and sharing his technique of loading the dishwasher. All part of his new series "How bored are you?":

Whether you're working out at home or just watching memes all day, bored in quarantine or enjoying your down time, just remember we're all in this together. 

And like soccer great David Beckham, remember social distancing is necessary to flatten the curve.

If you can stay at home, you should. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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