Pass the Time – Vol. V: Gamze Kılıç

How would a professional volleyball player spend the day productively these days without playing volleyball? The new chapter of the “Pass the Time” series features Gamze Kılıç sharing her life in the Covid-19 world.

Joining the “Pass The Time” campaign initially started by the European Volleyball Confederation (CEV) in order to entertain volleyball fans during this period they all spend at home, we decided to ask Eczacıbaşı VitrA ladies what their daily routines are, what kind of exercises they regularly practice and how they cope up with the current situation whilst at home.

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“I have been starting the day a bit later these days. We don’t have the chance to do that during our regular training schedule, so I try to make the most out of it. I start the day with a nice breakfast with my husband and after that comes our daily routine: Turkish coffee. After watching some series at Netflix, I spend the afternoon with the exercises that our fitness coach has sent us. It is important for us to stay away from being untrained and inactive. After workout we directly head to the kitchen to cook. Then we drink tea, and watch some series or movies again. Honestly, there is not so much we can do during this period. We only go outside for grocery shopping.

As daily exercises, I am doing the programme that our fitness coach has sent us. Sometimes I add some exercises which would make me feel good. I go for 30-minute runs around the block with my husband. We also do some additional band and TRX exercises. 

We changed from an intense training schedule to home workouts and believe me for an athlete who plays regularly this adjustment is very tough. Neither home exercises nor other things we do at home to discharge ourselves are not as effective as the trainings we do on court. However, our health comes first so we try to adapt ourselves to this mentality. We try to train accordingly with the help of household appliances, heavy bottled waters etc. As for the mental part, I keep reminding myself that this period will not last forever and my body needs to be ready. 

If you would ask me what I have developed as a new hobby, I think I would tell you how I have also improved myself in the kitchen like everyone else. Lately, whenever I am not training I just find myself cooking something. Trying out new dishes has given me a lot of fun. I even told my husband recently that I could actually study gastronomy as a second job. While it takes 1 or 2 hours to cook a meal, I wish eating it wouldn’t last 15 or 20 minutes."

My only request from our followers is that they stay home, be mindful of their health and the lives of their families and loved ones, and find some activities to pass this time.”