The year of COVID-19, and how it has changed our training.
2020 will be memorable for all of us, due to the effect that COVID-19 has had on most aspects of our lives. For those of us that enjoy fitness and sport - particularly indoors - we have had to adapt our lifestyles considerably. Hopefully this will not last too much longer, but in the meantime let’s be grateful for the things we can do - here are some positives we have noticed since lockdown -
Many more people have taken up running, walking, cycling and other outdoor activities - this has to be a good thing for the health of our community.
General hygiene has improved - who would have thought that we would see this happen without an epidemic to scare us into it? And kids washing their hands thoroughly is not to be underestimated !
The sense of community has (at least in the short term) returned, thanks to everyone becoming more aware of others. At the very start of lockdown, it was apparent that most people we met gave a respectful smile, as if to say “we’re fighting this together”.
Families got to know each other better - this isn’t always a positive of course, but for many families the time spent without the distraction of work (and even socialising or shopping) was precious.
The gyms are generally quieter. Hang on, this is bad, surely? Yes - for the gym owners, although most are offering on line or outdoor training to provide income. And for those of us that do train in the gym, there are less queues for kit, and less possibility of coming in contact with the coronavirus. From our observations, members are adhering to the rules, and the industry evidence suggests that gyms are thankfully very low risk.
OUTDOORS or INDOORS?
Well, outdoor training has not changed very much - there is just more of it happening. From early on, it was recognised that outdoor training carries very low risk unless there is close physical contact.
Indoors, floor markers, sanitising stations and distancing posters have become the norm, but the essence of the gym still remains. You can still use every piece of kit - even though they are spaced out more. You can still push as hard as you like and finish knowing that you had a great workout. And you still have the social element when you meet your gym buddies - there’s no need to be physically close for that.
However, Group classes have been hit hard, and will be the last to recover once things start to normalise.
Home training has seen a big increase in demand, which is no surprise. Training in your own space and without travelling makes a lot of sense if you can deal with the lack of social contact that a gym gives.
Fit Hire is in the fortunate position to cater for both Commercial and Home sectors; we just need to ensure that we offer the relevant products to each, and at the right price.
