So, You Wanna Go Back To The Gym?

Here in Manitoba, and in many places all over, society is "reopening" after the pandemic shutdown.

Manitoba's Phase One, was implemented on May 4th, 2020:

Basically, if you want to gather outdoors, see a therapeutic health professional, or get your hair done, you now have the green light to do so - still practicing social distancing measures, and still in groups of fewer than 10.  Conveniently, you can now go shopping in all retail locations and get ready to go camping! *cough* 

Not without its shortcomings, a number of businesses are experiencing even more struggle, as they have opened, but are not generating the revenue that is required to remain open.  Personally, I cannot begin to piece together the desire that someone has to wait in a line outside a retail business, waiting for their turn to shop.  Honestly, online is far easier.

I'll mention here, that wearing a mask in public spaces has been encouraged but not made mandatory for folks in Manitoba.  Not even on public transit, which has been operational this entire time.

As of Friday (May 22, 2020), gathering restrictions were loosened to allow for up to 25 people indoors, and 50 people, outdoors.  There have been folks congregating en masse in our city parks for well over a week, now.

The weather is gorgeous.  Mid May is when southern Manitoba finally starts to see the hope of summer, as our temperatures start to climb into the mid-high 20's.  The sun is out.  We don't have to contend with mosquitoes, yet.  We have this precious little time to enjoy the outdoors.  I get it.  It's hard to stay inside.

We've never been told to stay inside, completely.  We have been told to stay home, and avoid spaces where we will come into close proximity with other people.  Going for a walk outside = okay.  Having a picnic with 10 of your friends at Assiniboine Park? No.

June 1st, 2020 will bring us to the roll out of Phase 2:

Ahhhh!  After "forever", folks can stop using Door Dash, and go to their favourite restaurants again! Films can be made again!  As long as kids don't touch one another, they can get back to their sports!  Now we can all get fresh nails to coordinate with our fresh Phase 1 hair...and we can finally - FINALLY -  get back to the gym!

The gym is a "personal service business", and was originally thought to be one of the "final phase" items.

I asked my husband to help me brainstorm some "non-contact" children's sports.  Here's what we came up with:

- Tennis & Badminton (singles, only)

- Competitive Swimming & Diving (not synchro)

- BMX

- Skateboarding

- Track & Field

- Skiing & Snowboarding

- Ice Skating (singles, only)

To be fair, I am impressed at the list we were able to compile.

It would appear as though most of what our society has been so deprived of, is going to be made available again, after "300 years", in the first 2 of 4 reopening phases.  Essentially, all that's really left is large indoor gatherings - nightclubs, social events, schools, going "back to the office".  It's believed by many, that the reopening is definitely an economic action, and not one of public safety.

What could be a more obvious indicator of this point, than the gym?  As it stands, the plan specifies that the facilities are to operate at either 50% capacity, or one person per 10 square meters; whichever suits best. 

Well, great.  That's totally plausible, right?  Because, even at 50% capacity, how will the facility operators ensure that equipment is not being used by multiple individuals, simultaneously?  They certainly won't be able to ensure that everything is sufficiently sanitized, as that requires the cleaning agent to remain wet on the surfaces for several minutes (as many as 15, in some cases).  

There is a very strong likelihood that gyms will implement a scheduling-in approach, and they are discouraged from allowing "drop-ins".  Long term, this will create a new strain - inaccessibility.

Gyms have very clear peak times; at the Planet Fitness where I train, the hours from 5 pm - 7:30 pm were nearly impossible.  No parking, no available benches, waiting for machines...simply put, this was the most convenient time for most folks to work out.  Implementing a scheduling system would mean that most of those folks would be shit out of luck on any given night.

Of course, given that many people have been working from home (presumably creating more flexibility in their schedules), this could mean that a portion of those people are able to get their workout in at different times of day...though at the same time, working from home still means that one is at work - only the location has changed.  It would also be irresponsible from a business perspective, to assume that folks will have more flexible schedules, regardless of whether they work from home, or not.  Perhaps many people have lost their jobs in the midst of all this, which then creates the accessibility issue around being able to  (or not) afford a gym membership.

High level, this means that many gyms are likely going to see a massive drop in memberships.  If it isn't certain that someone will be able to work out when they want to, why should they pay a membership fee?  Most fitness facilities offer memberships on a contract basis; so their members are locked in for a year, anyway.  Many of those also have ridiculous cancellation policies (when I cancelled our memberships at Brickhouse, I still paid for two more months.  It's their 'cooldown period').

Planet Fitness offers their memberships on a month-to-month basis; which makes it very easy for folks to just say, "forget it, I'll save my $20 a month".

Lower memberships mean that facilities will have to bridge those lost revenues, somehow.  The easiest way to do this?  Increase membership costs.  Box gyms may end up with premium priced memberships.  Premium gyms will become prohibitively expensive for most - the domino effect there being that they may struggle to secure enough memberships to remain in business, at all.

I've seen a lot of sentiment along the lines of:

"I need the gym for  my mental health"

"I've gained weight during the lockdown, I need to get to the gym to get back"

"I haven't exercised at all during the lockdown"

These are all valid statements.  

I, too, have gained the "quarantine 15".  I have not had any sort of consistent strength training program since I've been at home.  I also believe strongly, that the gym contributes to my mental wellness.

I also have to remember facts.  

Fact: I need exercise for my mental wellness.

Fact: I have gained weight because I have not been in a caloric deficit.

Fact: I have chosen not to consistently maintain/build strength during the lockdown.

Here are a couple of reality checks for us all:

The truth is that most of us are not bodybuilders; and of those that are, only a small minority are professionals in the industry.

The vast majority of folks going to the gym are doing it to feel better.  Look better.  Get healthier.

You don't actually need a gym for these things - at least not during a summer in the middle of a global pandemic concerning a novel virus that we know next to  nothing about.

You can achieve these things with body weight exercises, some kettlebells (or other resistance items - like bands), and walking.  You can run,  but unless there's a bear behind you, why?

Fact: I need exercise for my mental wellness, and I will commit to exercising.

Fact: I am focused on maintaining a sustainable caloric deficit, even caloric maintenance, until I create a routine for myself in the new normal.

Fact: I am choosing  to walk for an hour a day, 5 days a week, from now on.  I will add resistance training 3 times a week.

Going back to the gym is immensely risky right now, and will be, for quite some time; and I don't think it will ever be as it was.  As much as people hope for it, things are not going to be "normal", again.  

We need to work on creating a new normal for ourselves.  New routines.  Acceptance that we may need to reevaluate our goals.  Understand that we need to do what's best for the whole, and not just "me right now".

Because we don't know what to expect in these games.  Our districts are uncertain.  Tenuous.  Frightened.

Make choices that are healthy for everyone.  Practice selflessness.  We need to take care of ourselves, and one another.

And for the love of sweet merciful Minerva, wear your freaking masks when other people are around.  No, you won't be deprived of oxygen.  No, you won't get carbon monoxide poisoning.  Stop being an asshole.  Remember the Seven Tenets of The Satanic Temple:

I

One should strive to act with compassion and empathy toward all creatures in accordance with reason.

II

The struggle for justice is an ongoing and necessary pursuit that should prevail over laws and institutions.

III

One’s body is inviolable, subject to one’s own will alone.

IV

The freedoms of others should be respected, including the freedom to offend. To willfully and unjustly encroach upon the freedoms of another is to forgo one's own.

V

Beliefs should conform to one's best scientific understanding of the world. One should take care never to distort scientific facts to fit one's beliefs.

VI

People are fallible. If one makes a mistake, one should do one's best to rectify it and resolve any harm that might have been caused.

VII

Every tenet is a guiding principle designed to inspire nobility in action and thought. The spirit of compassion, wisdom, and justice should always prevail over the written or spoken word.

May the odds be ever in your favour.

Hail yourselves,

S