Using Social Media: A Breakthrough to Encourage Generation Z Athletes in Independent Training during The COVID-19 Pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic began to have an impact on sports and athletes following the postponement of some sporting events. This change causes serious damage to the quality and quantity of training, by further setting athletes apart from the reality of daily training and uncertainty about their future.

This research aims to give Generation Z athletes the freedom to use social media in the process of physical and mental exercises. Therefore, this study was designed to determine how Generation Z athletes are keeping up with their training routines by using social media.

This is a qualitative study. This study aims to describe, explain, and describe a phenomenon that is accompanied by evidence from various sources that have been narrated scientific form. The location of this research takes place in Bandung, Indonesia. Ten professional Generation Z athletes in Bandung, Indonesia were interviewed to explore the freedom of using social media while they are doing exercises at home.

The result of the research shows that the use of technology for Generation Z athletes in improvising the process of physical and mental exercise is flexible, where they have the freedom to use social media so that their training spirit remains consistent.

The use of technology for Generation Z athletes in the covid-19 pandemic by utilizing various social media can explore information that is useful for themselves in maintaining physical fitness and mental stability in various forms of exercise variation.