Visiting the gym after Lockdown would be a different scenario altogether. From maintaining safety to practicing the right exercise, one needs to be careful about it. With the continuing fear of Covid-19, we need to maintain proper body immunity and include exercise in our daily routine.
Both wellness and health are necessary, and for most of us, one of the best ways to achieve it is through exercising and visiting the gym. But for optimal health, this may not be the correct situation to go out and visit the gym. For this, most of us are trying alternatives for exercising at home.
Is the gym class safe?
This is a common concern for most of us when planning to resume gym after lockdown. It includes both safety and health issues. It will depend on the type of physical activity you will be doing, and whether it involves heavy breathing. It requires that everyone should wear a mask at the gym except for a few exercises.
It is necessary to maintain distancing and washing hands before and after exercising. By doing this, you can be safe to a certain extent. For this, you need to know the extent of safety measures that the local gym is taking. Disinfecting the tools and sanitizing the area is of utmost importance, along with maintaining protocols.
After lockdown, when planning to resume gym exercise, careful precautionary measures can help one maintain safety. If the gym reopens, try to follow the tips when heading back to the gym after the lockdown.
Apart from this, practicing gym exercise at home has been part of most of our routine. But going back to the gym after Covid-19 is not that a bad idea provided you take the best precautionary measures.
Doing a gym at home is convenient for staying healthy and maintains fitness. For significant muscle building and shedding extra body weight gained during the lockdown, get back to the gym routine.
-
Research well
Research and try to find out about the maintenance process of the gym centre during the lockdown. Try to focus on the gym’s policies to ensure the utmost safety of the place when you return after lockdown. If relevant information is not available on the website, make sure that you get frequent updates by a phone call or visit the place before the gym reopens. Also, ask about cleaning and disinfecting the gym management policies that involve your safety. Try to know about the limits of capacity in the gym, requirement of time allotment, and proper gym sanitization rules.
By following correct entry policies for exercisers and employers, it can restrict the spread of the virus in the gym. Make sure that you have relevant information before you make up your mind about returning to the gym. Having health questionnaires and the steps to follow it at the gym is important.
-
Consider the risk and go for alternatives
Good judgment is necessary and chooses what is right to maintain your safety. With underlying health problems and too much uncertainty about returning to the gym, it is better to drop the idea. It is always easy to find alternatives for the gym at home with exercising apps, walking in a nearby area, or riding a bike. You can get in touch with gym instructors and know-how they offer service to faraway clients. Look for alternatives through personal contacts of friends and family to find ways to exercise. You can also practice with the help of online streaming platforms.
-
Carry Own Belongings and Do Not Share With Others
No more using others’ belongings and using disposable water cups or using common towels in the gym. The pandemic’s growing awareness is enough to understand that we need to carry our own belongings. A mask, water bottle, towel, gloves, sanitizer are some essentials you should not miss out on when returning to gym.
You have to dress up from home as it is better not to use locker rooms or changing rooms after lockdown. Even if others are doing it, you should refrain from indulging in the same habits. Also, carry your mat for exercising and stretching.
Try to use a face cover when coming in contact with others while returning from the gym. Also, a little covering up at the gym is no harm. While exercising, the rate of respiration increases, this also increases the chance of disease transmission in the gym.
-
Maintain Sanitizing Everything You Touch and Use
Even though the club is taking suitable safety measures, you should sanitize the equipment you use and every tool you use. You can never think of personal hygiene. But you should not make the mistake of wearing a mask while working out. Make sure to use the sanitizer often and wash your hands. Try to use weight lifting gloves to have complete piece of mind. After you take your belongings home, make sure to clean them and sanitize properly to avoid any virus spread. This is important even after gym sanitization and maintaining proper safety measures by the gym club.
-
Do Not Visit When Feeling Unwell
You should give a second thought to returning to the gym if you are not feeling well. Keeping in mind that others are visiting the gym, you need to stop visiting and consult a doctor at the earliest. It is your responsibility to consider the risk factor when mingling with others in the gym.
It is necessary to maintain health and visit doctors when feeling unwell. Never make a mistake to avoid consulting a doctor. Also, monitor how you feel after a week of visiting the gym. For any uneasiness or dizziness, do not delay consulting the doctor.
Other Tips to Follow For Exercising After Lockdown
It is better to be space and time conscious and visit the gym as per the correct time allotment. You have to be space conscious of the tools and equipment you use in the gym. If there is no time allotted, it is better to visit the gym when there are fewer people. However, it is better to spend less time in the gym and target using a minimal area in the gym space. This would reduce the chance or spread of virus infection from the gym.
Things to follow before resuming gym routine
Apart from following protocols due to the pandemic, some basics necessary at home before resuming the gym are as follows.
- Hydrate yourself to help your body run and exercise better
- It is better to stretch as much as you can to prevent problems of injury while exercising
- If you have been away from the habit of exercising during the lockdown, it is better to start slow. Try with few reps and low weight that would help to regain your strength slowly
- You have to listen to body and look for muscle strain or fatigue after a workout
- Go by the advice of the trainer if you are starting after a long time
Opting for the Right Gym Membership
Whatever type of membership you were comfortable with before lockdown is fine. Just be careful about the present membership when visiting the gym after lockdown. It depends on your health condition and the pandemic situation, how often you wish to visit the gym. Before you plan to visit full time, give a second thought, and try to follow safety measures.
Healthy tips to follow
Do I need to drink more water? Is it necessary to stretch more? Well, with these confusions before resuming gym workout after lockdown, we have got some simple solutions for you. Irrespective of your exercise routine during the lockdown, it is better to start afresh, and there is no need to stretch more. Make sure your trainer guides you before you start exercising after lockdown. If possible, try to continue it regularly.
If working out for longer hours than before, your body needs proper hydration for an adequate supply of energy. Increase water intake to match it with your physical activity.
How much exercise will be too much?
Deciding how much exercise is right would depend on whether you resume a regular exercise routine. If you have been sick or quarantined before, it is better to go slow without forcing your body. Finding the right balance is necessary for a healthy and fit life. There should be little change in exercise and diet after your resume gym workout after lockdown to stay active.
The Wrap Up
It may happen that you have lost fitness for the irregularity in the last months. If you find it hard to regain your motivation for a workout, try to go slow. But make sure you do not ignore or skip the safety measures at the gym. Talk with the gym club and instructor in detail to ensure its level of safety. You can also discuss with friends visiting the gym to consider whether it would be suitable to resume workout and gym visits. Follow the safety tips for yourself and others around you and promote healthy living.