These last three months have sucked due to the closings and I've been trying my best to keep some state of fitness, but I've basically been limited to muscle maintenance over gains with my basic free weights at home and zero cardio. So when it was announced our state was allowing gyms to reopen with 75% capacity 2 weeks ago, I still was hesitate because I feel things are being lifted too soon, especially given our rising positive cases and lackluster testing. I also feel if there is going to be a second wave due to inadequate social distancing and sanitation it's going to be in an environment like a gym.
Despite this and the fact now that the gym is now allowed 100% capacity, I figured I check it out; just to see for myself if it was worth the risk. Since the treadmills were set two apart from each other I figured I'd limit my workout to light cardio for 30 minutes and get a lay of the rest of the land even though my priority is to get back to hitting the weights. What I saw did not give me much confidence.
While there wasn't nearly the amount of people there as it was pre-lockdown, but the weight area still seemed busy. The free weight area, always a popular spot, was the most packed with the usual crowd of curls-for-the girls group of young guys who I have no doubt would be there even if someone was hacking up their lungs right next to them. I only saw two people wearing masks in the whole gym and one or two just walk away from a machine without cleaning which was nothing new even pre-Covid. The workers, always understaffed, hung around the front desk as they've always done even though the guidelines claim they are supposed to disinfect equipment between uses. Not that I'd count on their spray bottle stuff killing any viruses since I think it's just pink water.
So like I said, none of this gave me great confidence to resume my weight training and now I find myself debating if I should go back three days from now when my days off roll around. I figured I could go at a slower time, but I have no idea when that will be and neither does the staff. Add to that their usual 24 hours are limited due to our county being under a curfew and that leaves out going in the morning or at night even if I was willing to get up early or stay up late. It seems risky, but the question is just how much? There is also the simple fact that unless I cancel the membership, they have stated they still will take money out whether I go or not; which of course by catering to the no-shows is how they make their money.
So I would welcome opinions and advice from anyone whose gyms have already opened and they've either been back or are thinking about. If you have went back did you weigh the risk versus your goals and how did you come to your decision? If you haven't why not? If you are still thinking about it, what is keeping you from doing it and what will make you decide to go? And if your gym hasn't opened yet, would you go back or not once they did and why or why not?
Despite this and the fact now that the gym is now allowed 100% capacity, I figured I check it out; just to see for myself if it was worth the risk. Since the treadmills were set two apart from each other I figured I'd limit my workout to light cardio for 30 minutes and get a lay of the rest of the land even though my priority is to get back to hitting the weights. What I saw did not give me much confidence.
While there wasn't nearly the amount of people there as it was pre-lockdown, but the weight area still seemed busy. The free weight area, always a popular spot, was the most packed with the usual crowd of curls-for-the girls group of young guys who I have no doubt would be there even if someone was hacking up their lungs right next to them. I only saw two people wearing masks in the whole gym and one or two just walk away from a machine without cleaning which was nothing new even pre-Covid. The workers, always understaffed, hung around the front desk as they've always done even though the guidelines claim they are supposed to disinfect equipment between uses. Not that I'd count on their spray bottle stuff killing any viruses since I think it's just pink water.
So like I said, none of this gave me great confidence to resume my weight training and now I find myself debating if I should go back three days from now when my days off roll around. I figured I could go at a slower time, but I have no idea when that will be and neither does the staff. Add to that their usual 24 hours are limited due to our county being under a curfew and that leaves out going in the morning or at night even if I was willing to get up early or stay up late. It seems risky, but the question is just how much? There is also the simple fact that unless I cancel the membership, they have stated they still will take money out whether I go or not; which of course by catering to the no-shows is how they make their money.
So I would welcome opinions and advice from anyone whose gyms have already opened and they've either been back or are thinking about. If you have went back did you weigh the risk versus your goals and how did you come to your decision? If you haven't why not? If you are still thinking about it, what is keeping you from doing it and what will make you decide to go? And if your gym hasn't opened yet, would you go back or not once they did and why or why not?