Online workouts are a growing trend during lockdown and there’s another couple of free social media vlogs I’d like to bring to the attention of any parents. These are extremely beneficial to both physical and mental wellbeing – healthy body, healthy mind and all, and a worthwhile break in between any study time.
Football coach Scott Shulton, owner of SFC Academy, and soon to be SFC, has been giving daily workouts for junior footballers on Facebook. He has reached more than 21,000 viewers and offers both indoor and outdoors skills and fitness sessions that will help you put on a sweat.
Shulton said: “Sessions are not just football-based, it’s kind of a football/fitness class but more than anything it’s about getting the children active. The biggest thing is that people need to see familiar faces and so for the kids that we teach and the children who have come to our school they see that. It gives a bit of normality back to these youngsters as they are going through a difficult time.”
Gavin Horwitz has also put on dedicated HIIT drills for children and teenagers. A personal trainer at the Village in Elstree, Horwitz has found ten variations of the press-up and also a gut-busting ab routine.
Tamir Grant, who was osteopath for the Team Maccabi GB netball squad at the 2017 Maccabiah, has also been trying to keep the nation fit with some gruelling workouts. Give them a try.
* Maccabiah gold medallist Saville Shela has passed away due to the Coronavirus. Shela played for Stamford Hill and Wingate. He was once invited to sign for Spurs but told then boss Bill Nicholson that he earned more in the fashion business so he declined.
Shela will be remembered as one of the best Jewish footballers, and one of his claims to fame was scoring the winning goal at the 1961 Maccabiah final to earn gold against Israel, who fielded their national U21 team. Shela was joined in that victorious team by ex-Spurs manager David Pleat and Miles Spector, who played for Chelsea.
* Let me finish with some good news … a quite remarkable story. Former Charlton, Orient and Brighton player Paul Linger saw his professional career cut short by a broken leg. He managed to return to full fitness and play for London Lions and Team Maccabi GB at the Maccabiah Games in Israel.
At the beginning of March, Linger was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He was taken to Whitechapel hospital where, following a series of scans and tests, he was told the condition was inoperable and he was advised that even with chemotherapy, he’d be unlikely to survive for more than six to 12 months.
His nearest and dearest advised him to seek a second opinion though and, with some help from the PFA, he met a private consultant who felt there remained a small window to operate, remove the tumour and for Paul to make a recovery.
The procedure cost £50,000 - £20,000 of which was covered by the PFA - but his family and friends rallied round to raise the remainder, which they did just in the nick of time. They have currently raised £40,000 in little over four weeks.
Close friend Dan Jacobs has been key to the fundraising push. He said: “Paul’s recovery is on track. It’s been a tricky few days for him, and with no visitors allowed he has had to face this alone, with some CV19, MRSA, a blood clot and some sickness all thrown in to boot. But the doctors remain pleased with his recovery and we hope he can go home soon.
“There’s a long road ahead but that’s a big step on the recovery road ticked off. In the current situation he can’t receive visitors, but he’s super grateful for all the support. And I know we’ll give him plenty more in person once things change.”
