Returning to the gym post-COVID

While gyms were among the first businesses forced to close due to COVID-19, due to hotly-debated perceptions of being high-risk venues of transmission, gyms may now be some of the first businesses to reopen thanks to the positive effects exercise has on people’s health, not only physical but also mental. So what do you need to look for when you return to a gym post-lockdown?

Make sure your gym is COVID Safe

There are now compulsory COVID Safe requirements your gym must follow and these vary from state to state. Make sure the clubs you visit display a government COVID Safe sign to show they are complying with all necessary precautions and procedures. It is also important that club staff are up-to-date on what is required in terms of sign-in procedures, safety signage, capacity restrictions and hygiene protocols. You are well within your right to ask what safety and hygiene procedures have been put in place to ensure you are able to train safely.

Make sure your gym is clean

Cleanliness is now more important than ever with COVID. Make sure your gym has visible hygiene protocol signage, plenty of hygiene equipment such as hand sanitiser, spray sanitiser, paper towel and wipes, and that staff are regularly performing routine cleaning. If you’re looking to join a gym, these are some of the key things to keep an eye out for to ensure you join a club you can continue to safely train at. The most important thing of all, however, is to be certain that club staff are actively enforcing their hygiene and safety rules and protocols.

Sort out your membership

During the multiple mandatory government lockdowns over the last 18 months, your gym membership may or may not have been placed on hold automatically each time.  If you didn’t receive communication around this from your gym, you should find out if you’ve been billed for periods where you could not use your gym and if this will be credited or refunded.  If you tried to cancel your membership during lockdown, it is advisable to follow up with your gym upon reopening to confirm this was actually done. Bear in mind, however, that many gyms may not have been able to process email requests due to not having any staff on hand during periods of government-ordered closure.

Take it easy

The regular fitness routine you had pre-lockdown may have become not-so-regular due to the challenges of trying to work out at home. Even those who managed to continue to exercise regularly should take a staged approach to returning to working out as it’s probably been a long time since you saw the inside of a gym! The last thing you want is to overdo it, or even injure yourself, and be out of the gym you waited so long to return to.

Be positive

As we all adapt to living in a world with COVID, it is important to have confidence in your gym’s safety measures – and to stay positive. As long as you can see your club is putting the safety of their members and guests first, there is no reason to avoid going to the gym. With enhanced cleaning and safety protocols, gyms may be safer than many other public venues in terms of COVID transmission. Gyms were also some of the hardest hit businesses from mandatory government closures so they need your support!