Gym and Covid-19

[frayne]

I am exercising at home until this virus slows down.

+1 Not going out for anything accept essentials until I hear we have a better handle on the virus. Just not worth it.

 

[misshathaway]

I am still swimming at the public pool. Somehow I don't feel like a lot of contact would happen with contaminated surfaces, and the chlorine in the water should nuke it there. However, I may be delusional the more I think about it.

Not about the chlorine protection while you are actually in the pool, but you have to touch a lot of surfaces to get in and out of it. I shower in my club to warm up afterward.

Some homeless people use my club to shower. i haven't caught anything from that. Maybe it's even immunity building like the studies where they find that babies allowed to crawl around on the floor and eat out of the dog dish end up being heartier than the ones who are germ protected by their mothers.

I don't have any added risk factors. I haven't had the regular flu since my 20's. Until it gets closer I'm just going to live life and wash my hands. Holing up by myself thinking about mortality and losing theoretical money is too depressing. I do feel for the more at-risk, especially since you have no idea how long you have to stay isolated to be in the clear.

 

[jollystomper]

I am still going to the gym. I have noticed at our gym almost everyone wiping down the equipment before and after. I have always worn compression sport tights under my long shorts and long sleeve compression shirts to minimize contact. Yeah, I know it might not help, maybe I'll just burn them before I return to my house.

The main changes I am making is (a) wiping down the locker, keeping my stuff in my bag in the locker, and wiping down my bag when done, and (b) returning home to shower instead of using the gym shower facilities.

 

[Speculator]

I haven't altered my gym routine at all. I go almost every day (when I don't go skiing or fishing, depending on the season) and though I noticed the gym was less crowded today than usual, but for what reason, who knows. I don't think I can do much to avoid getting COVID-19 if that's my bad luck, other than washing my hands.

 

[explanade]

I've been going and wiping down the treadmill before and after but problem is, the treadmills are packed together so you can't keep the recommended 2 meter distance (and you may need to keep even a bigger buffer) from others.

Maybe I will just do some long walks outside.

 

[jollystomper]

A 72-year-old bodybuilder in Wuhan died from COVID-19. He only stopped going to the gym after the city was locked down. Looking at the photographs and his healthy perspective, I would have thought he could have survived the virus. RIP: https://mothership.sg/2020/02/wuhan-bodybuider-coronavirus/

Body builders are not necessarily the fittest people on the planet. Overall health, stamina, diet, and fitness can be more important than muscles. In addition, he just go into it for the last 20 years, who knows what his lifestyle was before that. It is sad, but I would not use this as a marker.

 

[irishgal]

I was going to suggest that this might belong in the health & CV thread, but that seems to have been Porky'ed...

This is when I'm very glad we have an elliptical machine in the basement. I also have a yoga mat, and I've been researching yoga videos. An hour's live class is probably as much of a workout for me as my time on the elliptical, plus it does more for balance and core strength.

There is a great app called Down Dog. I think I pay 9 dollars per year, crazy cheap. They had a message today on the app that they were not charging for a while, sorry I skipped past it but check it out, I’ve found it to be really good for any level,

 

[CaliKid]

Wiping down the equipment b4 use is likely not helpful since the sanitizer is not instant, After is helpful if the next person waits long enough.

"not helpful?" Maybe and maybe not but it can't hurt to wipe it down before and after. Maybe just maybe I'll wipe away something (Corona or otherwise).

 

[Boho]

I wonder if Arnold is changing his habit of not washing his hands before touching his unpeeled banana.

https://streamable.com/k4qzf

 

[Ginny]

I took a leave of absence until October from my gym this week. I love to swim but cannot make myself do it. It has made me use my home free weights and walk my 2.3 miles more regularly.

 

[atmsmshr]

Gym Capitulation Day.

Yesterday I purchased some free weights and a bench. Planning on curtailing trips to the gym before community spread of the virus is declared in Florida.

Drat. I don't like working out alone.

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

Gym Capitulation Day.

Yesterday I purchased some free weights and a bench. Planning on curtailing trips to the gym before community spread of the virus is declared in Florida.

Drat. I don't like working out alone.

Maybe try a cheap (or free!) old TV with a streaming stick or box, an Alexa, or even a decent BT speaker for your phone. I've used all of those, and they really help pass the time for me when working out at home.

 

[atmsmshr]

Maybe try a cheap (or free!) old TV with a streaming stick or box, an Alexa, or even a decent BT speaker for your phone. I've used all of those, and they really help pass the time for me when working out at home.

Good advice. At the moment I am hooked on podcasts - but the TV could provide the visual kick I need of people sticking with the program.

 

[Time2]

A 72-year-old bodybuilder in Wuhan died from COVID-19. He only stopped going to the gym after the city was locked down. Looking at the photographs and his healthy perspective, I would have thought he could have survived the virus. RIP: https://mothership.sg/2020/02/wuhan-bodybuider-coronavirus/

The good news is, I have 6 years to get myself in that shape!.

 

[Chuckanut]

Drat. I don't like working out alone.

I several new 'friends' who chat with me while I exercise at home. Among them are:

Clark Howard
The gals and guys at Marketplace
Various authors who bring their audio books with them
Rick Steves (so I can spit in the face of CV-19 by planning future travel)
Steve Gibson
Two local talk show hosts who actually seem smart and reasonable (Not merchants of outrage)

I tried soothing music, but I ended up taking a nap in the middle of my push-ups.

 

[Big_Hitter]

no but i used a lot of disinfecting wipes today

 

[euro]

no but i used a lot of disinfecting wipes today

Turns out all normal sources of disinfecting wipes in my area (grocery stores, drugstores, Costco, convenience stores) seem to be out of them, so this appears to be a temporary fix (depending on how large your stash is)...

 

[Lakewood90712]

I stopped going to my local 24 hr fitness years ago , over sanitation. Late at night, the cleaning crew was using the same mop / bucket and water, to clean the floor , treadmill treads, and handgrips.

YUCK. that was it for me. Walked out , never to retutn. Let 18 mo. of membership expire. Stupid stuff like this cant be fixed by oblivious management.

 

[misshathaway]

I've been going and wiping down the treadmill before and after but problem is, the treadmills are packed together so you can't keep the recommended 2 meter distance (and you may need to keep even a bigger buffer) from others.

Sweat shrapnel. Ew.

 

[Aerides]

Froze my membership today to stop/reduce paying for the next 3 months. I like group classes but those are full of sweaty people enclosed in non-safe distances. Spin bike? Forget it, you can barely squeeze between those on a good day.

 

[explanade]

I skipped the gym and went for a brisk 1 hour walk instead, about 5 miles total.

Walked by this one guy on the sidewalk and despite my going by him as quickly as possible, I got a strong smell of tobacco in my nostrils and the back of my thread.

This must be how easily the virus spreads because we were going in opposite directions and i got by him in less than a second and I still smelled the tobacco.

If he was spewing out viruses because he had a high viral load, instead of tobacco smoke in my nostrils and throat, it would be viruses.


It was much harder on my lower leg muscles and my back, even though on a gym treadmill, I get my HR up much higher than the 120 bps that my Apple Watch showed.

But the toughest part was perspiration from my forehead was streaming into my eyes and my nose was running a bit too, after about 40-45 minutes. So that makes me wipe my forehead, eyes, and nostrils repeatedly, which is not good.

At a gym I would have taken a gym towel to sop up all the perspiration. Horrible that I had to touch my face repeatedly with my hands.

I guess I'll just have to carefully wipe down the gym with the provided paper towels and whatever disinfectant they provide in spray bottles.

 

[friar1610]

Froze my membership today to stop/reduce paying for the next 3 months. I like group classes but those are full of sweaty people enclosed in non-safe distances. Spin bike? Forget it, you can barely squeeze between those on a good day.

I've seen pictures on the web of gyms with spin bikes packed in very close. Fortunately, the gym I go to has only 13 bikes (one is for the instructor). The room we use is the same one used for aerobics and yoga classes of maybe 25-30 people. So when there are only 12 of us in there spinning, we have good spacing between us.

That said, I'm beginning to rethink what I said in my post #16 above and may take a total hiatus from the gym until the virus situation is resolved.

 

[ls99]

I called the Y this eve, said the hand sanitizers have been empty for months, and will cancel my membership tomorrow if not filled by morning, then left my name and #.

An hour later the manager called me back and assured me that they will be refilled by morning. I'll have to check the sales status of the Brooklyn bridge before going to the Y tomorrow.

 

[TrvlBug]

DH and I have also rethought our attending the gym. Until this is over, we'll be exercising at home. We love taking long walks (which we do now) and have a bedroom that can be converted into an 'exercise studio.' We're in the high risk with underlying med conditions group so this makes sense for us.

 

[Jerry1]

It’s being considered. I went to a class tonight but when I got home, they announced the closure of our local schools. I think the net is tightening and I probably won’t be going for awhile. I’ll lose the cost of the two classes but that’s less than $80. Not going to risk anything for that amount of money. Next class is Monday, so I have until then to decide.