Gyms have reopened for the first time in 2021 following coronavirus restrictions and plenty of people will be excited to get going again.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced at the end of October that pubs, restaurants, gyms and non-essential shop would close for four weeks, but further advice saw the the lockdown extended for months.
As gyms open their doors today, measures will be put in place for guests including social distancing, sanitising stations, increased cleaning, encouraging members to wipe down equipment before and after use, and restricting training in groups.
If you are planning to return to the gym, there's also a few steps you can take to decrease the risks for yourself and those around you.
The PureGym group has issued advice to members and guests to play their part in making the gyms a safe place to workout, stating:
- Wear a mask in the gym when not training. It advises wearing a mask as you walk between equipment and around the gym in general
- Sanitise your hand regularly at sanitisation stations set up around the gym
- Clean down kit before and after use with the spray and wipes provided
- Keep your distance from other members and staff
- At PureGyms, boxes have been marked out on the floor in tape around equipment and workout areas. Only one person is allowed in a box at a time. At other facilities, following any social distancing guidelines as instructed
As well as being careful to follow coronavirus guidelines, Joe Mitton, personal trainer and founder of MittFit, has warned that after months away from the gym, members also need to be aware of the risk of injury if we're tempted to do too much too soon.
He said: "First things first, do a proper warm up and then, my biggest advice, go at week one with 50 per cent.
"We all haven't use the gym in months and although you might have been training at home, it won't be the same as racking up a machine to the highest weight like you used to and smashing your way through it.
"Just be sensible and give your body a week to get back into the swing of things. It's important to go through the movement patterns again but we need to be mindful of load and risk of injury.
"I would also advise sticking to the fixed machines for the first week - things like chest press, shoulder press and leg press. They have fixed movement patterns and allow you to easily increase or decrease the weights."
