Gyms are reopening: Here’s what you need to know
Gyms are reopening, but they're going to look different. Photo: TND
Gyms are reopening around Australia, but you need to be prepared for some changes before you can shed those quarantine kilos.
So far, gyms are already back in business in Queensland, Western Australia, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory.
In New South Wales, gyms and other fitness activities like yoga, dancing and pilates will resume from June 13.
Indoor class sizes will be limited to 10 people, while the maximum of 100 people will be allowed in large gyms at any one time.
Pools and saunas will soon be able to reopen with limited numbers, too.
In Victoria, indoor gyms are expected to reopen on June 22.
In the meantime, up to 20 people can join outdoor group sport or exercise activities provided they keep a safe distance of 1.5 metres apart.
Indoor and outdoor swimming pools have also reopened, with limits of 20 swimmers per pool and a limit of three swimmers per lane.
In Tasmania, gyms are expected to reopen on June 15, and in South Australia, gyms will reopen on Friday.
But even if you’ve held on to your gym membership throughout lockdown, you probably won’t be able to return to your usual routine.
So how will your gym look different?
Early birds will catch the worm
Strict limits on numbers will make it much harder to secure a spot at your favourite class so you won’t be able to walk in on the dot any more.
It is wise to arrive early or book ahead.
Don’t hang around chatting to your friends after your workout either.
Allow room for others to come in and use the facilities.
BYO equipment
You might need to bring your own yoga mat to class.
As always, bring your own towel.
Staff members will also be required to thoroughly clean equipment, too.
Keeping it outdoors
It’s likely many Australians will feel more comfortable exercising outdoors to limit their risk of contracting the coronavirus.
For smaller gyms, where it’s harder to meet social distancing requirements, the only way to get classes up and running again will be to take them outside.
This could also help gyms save money by avoiding other costly overheads.
Less equipment
To allow a safe distance of 1.5 metres between people, some gyms will have to reduce the amount of equipment they can have in some rooms.
If your favourite workout station is missing or the wait time to use it is much longer than usual, there is a good reason why.
Online training
When lockdown began, lounge rooms replaced gym floors as Australians turned to online fitness programs to keep fit and healthy.
Actor Chris Hemsworth jumped on board by offering his free online workouts using everyday items found around the house.
The convenience of doing a 20-minute workout from home might prompt some gym-goers to question if they need to return to the gym at all.
For many people, online training will be here to stay – or at least supplement regular gym classes.
