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But posting this anyways
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Now that gyms are starting to open back up, it’s tempting to go back. However, just because you can do something doesn’t necessarily mean you should. So before you make your decision, it is important to think about the relative amount of risk this decision entails.
“The important thing for people to remember is we have a spectrum [of risk],” says Ellie Murray, an epidemiologist at Boston University. “As things open up, how much risk are you personally willing to take?”
It’s important to have a good idea of what that risk level is, so you can make an informed decision, one that will be safe for both you and the people around you. So if you are thinking about going back to the gym for a workout, here are a few key factors to take into consideration.
Small group classes are generally higher risk
As Murray points out, generally speaking, small group exercise classes will be the highest risk, especially if the class is indoors, simply because this brings you into closer contact with other people who are forcefully exhaling.
Outdoors might make a small group fitness class a little bit safer, as this could offer more room to maintain a safe distance, as well as fresh air, but this is still a workout option that comes with more risks.
“The concern is how far away you are from other people and how many other people are in the space,” Murray says. When it comes to the proper distance to maintain, the more distance the better, with Murray recommending people aiming for 10 to 12 feet of space, as exercise tends to make us exhale more forcefully.
Consider your gym’s setup and availability of disinfectant
When it comes to working out at the gym, the setup will be important, as well as the availability of sanitary supplies, such as disinfectant wipes. A gym will need to have enough space to allow you to maintain the proper distance, and it’s also really important that you are watchful of what you touch, making sure that it is disinfected after each person uses it.
Gyms should have disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizer readily available. It’s also a good idea to ask about their disinfection schedule, as well as what protocols they have in place, in the event an employee gets sick. That said, you don’t want to depend on the person before you disinfecting the equipment; wipe everything down before you use it.
Outdoors can be safer than indoors
If you are eying the pull-up bars at your local park, or thinking about doing dips on a park bench, outdoors can be safer than indoors, because there is more fresh air circulating. Generally speaking, the more fresh air that is circulating within a space, the better, as that means people aren’t breathing each other’s contaminated air.
“If you are in a relatively small room, these particles will be in the air as you work out,” says Murray.
For an indoor workout, it helps if there is an open window, although, as Murray cautions, having a fan might not be a good thing, if all it is doing is re-circulating the air everyone else is breathing. “The goal is to circulate in fresh air,” Murray says.
If you are thinking about using the pull-up bar at the park, you will need to bring your own hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes. As with everything, it’s important to keep at least six feet of distance from everyone else.
When going to the gym, consider other factors
When going to the gym, it’s not just the workout equipment you need to think about. When you are there, will you be using the locker room to change? What about the showers or the sauna? Will you need to use the bathroom? The more surfaces you touch while you are at the gym, the greater the risk.
“Public bathrooms are really something we are all going to think very carefully about,” Murray says.
So if you are going to the gym, try and cut down on the total amount of time you spend at the gym, as well as the different surfaces you might come into contact with. So it’ll be a good idea to skip the sauna, and if you can, come dressed in your workout clothes and wait until you are at home to change.
“We are all living in athleisure clothes now anyways,” Murray says.
When assessing risk, remember long-term goals
When you are deciding whether to go back to the gym, it’s important to think about this issue in a holistic way. If returning to the gym is really important to you, are there other areas in your life where you can cut back on your total risk?
For example, if going to the grocery store or a restaurant isn’t important to you, then maybe you can opt for grocery delivery and takeout instead, as a way of reducing your overall risk. Perhaps you can do parts of your workout routine at home, going to the gym only on the days when you need to use specific equipment. Risk isn’t an all-or-nothing deal, but a spectrum.
Whatever actions you can do to reduce your overall level of risk will be important in the weeks and months ahead, so it’s well worth thinking about what is important to you, and what the acceptable alternatives are. It’s also important to remember that, if we aren’t careful, the gyms will close down anyway.
“Opening up will only work if we can keep transmission low,” Murray says. “If we can control our transmission, we can potentially stay open through the summer.”
But posting this anyways
How to Stay Safe When You Go Back to the Gym
Now that gyms are starting to open back up, it’s tempting to go back. However, just because you can do something doesn’t necessarily mean you shoul
Now that gyms are starting to open back up, it’s tempting to go back. However, just because you can do something doesn’t necessarily mean you should. So before you make your decision, it is important to think about the relative amount of risk this decision entails.
“The important thing for people to remember is we have a spectrum [of risk],” says Ellie Murray, an epidemiologist at Boston University. “As things open up, how much risk are you personally willing to take?”
It’s important to have a good idea of what that risk level is, so you can make an informed decision, one that will be safe for both you and the people around you. So if you are thinking about going back to the gym for a workout, here are a few key factors to take into consideration.
Small group classes are generally higher risk
As Murray points out, generally speaking, small group exercise classes will be the highest risk, especially if the class is indoors, simply because this brings you into closer contact with other people who are forcefully exhaling.
Outdoors might make a small group fitness class a little bit safer, as this could offer more room to maintain a safe distance, as well as fresh air, but this is still a workout option that comes with more risks.
“The concern is how far away you are from other people and how many other people are in the space,” Murray says. When it comes to the proper distance to maintain, the more distance the better, with Murray recommending people aiming for 10 to 12 feet of space, as exercise tends to make us exhale more forcefully.
Consider your gym’s setup and availability of disinfectant
When it comes to working out at the gym, the setup will be important, as well as the availability of sanitary supplies, such as disinfectant wipes. A gym will need to have enough space to allow you to maintain the proper distance, and it’s also really important that you are watchful of what you touch, making sure that it is disinfected after each person uses it.
Gyms should have disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizer readily available. It’s also a good idea to ask about their disinfection schedule, as well as what protocols they have in place, in the event an employee gets sick. That said, you don’t want to depend on the person before you disinfecting the equipment; wipe everything down before you use it.
Outdoors can be safer than indoors
If you are eying the pull-up bars at your local park, or thinking about doing dips on a park bench, outdoors can be safer than indoors, because there is more fresh air circulating. Generally speaking, the more fresh air that is circulating within a space, the better, as that means people aren’t breathing each other’s contaminated air.
“If you are in a relatively small room, these particles will be in the air as you work out,” says Murray.
For an indoor workout, it helps if there is an open window, although, as Murray cautions, having a fan might not be a good thing, if all it is doing is re-circulating the air everyone else is breathing. “The goal is to circulate in fresh air,” Murray says.
If you are thinking about using the pull-up bar at the park, you will need to bring your own hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes. As with everything, it’s important to keep at least six feet of distance from everyone else.
When going to the gym, consider other factors
When going to the gym, it’s not just the workout equipment you need to think about. When you are there, will you be using the locker room to change? What about the showers or the sauna? Will you need to use the bathroom? The more surfaces you touch while you are at the gym, the greater the risk.
“Public bathrooms are really something we are all going to think very carefully about,” Murray says.
So if you are going to the gym, try and cut down on the total amount of time you spend at the gym, as well as the different surfaces you might come into contact with. So it’ll be a good idea to skip the sauna, and if you can, come dressed in your workout clothes and wait until you are at home to change.
“We are all living in athleisure clothes now anyways,” Murray says.
When assessing risk, remember long-term goals
When you are deciding whether to go back to the gym, it’s important to think about this issue in a holistic way. If returning to the gym is really important to you, are there other areas in your life where you can cut back on your total risk?
For example, if going to the grocery store or a restaurant isn’t important to you, then maybe you can opt for grocery delivery and takeout instead, as a way of reducing your overall risk. Perhaps you can do parts of your workout routine at home, going to the gym only on the days when you need to use specific equipment. Risk isn’t an all-or-nothing deal, but a spectrum.
Whatever actions you can do to reduce your overall level of risk will be important in the weeks and months ahead, so it’s well worth thinking about what is important to you, and what the acceptable alternatives are. It’s also important to remember that, if we aren’t careful, the gyms will close down anyway.
“Opening up will only work if we can keep transmission low,” Murray says. “If we can control our transmission, we can potentially stay open through the summer.”
