Stopped in at my local gym

[Amethyst]

The local Planet Fitness, a small storefront one, closed in mid-March and reopened a couple weeks ago. It is the only fitness center at all convenient to our home.

The web site trumpeted all the "new things we're doing to keep you safe," so I was curious as to what had actually changed.

As follows:

There is no mask policy. None of the patrons except me were wearing masks. The front desk people wore masks, but the young woman pulled hers down to talk to me.

There are stickers on the floor reading "six feet apart." These evidently are honored in the breach. Two older women were standing around one weight machine, talking, very close to each other and right in the path of anybody walking by.

You are only supposed to use every other cardio machine. When I went, the place was not crowded, so I couldn't say if people are complying with this during peak hours.

The spray bottles at the paper towel stations supposedly have "stronger" disinfectant, but the front desk person didn't know what it was. You are supposed to wipe off the weight machines before and after using them. I didn't see anybody doing this.



While I deplore the loss of muscle mass in the 3 months since the gym first closed, I think I'm going to cancel our membership.

 

[W2R]

Try looking into a more high end gym; might be worth the drive. Our gym doesn't have any of the problems you describe AFAIK. Sometimes I do see members without masks, but only when they are working out hard, not just coming or going from the facility, and not when they are closer than 20 feet from anyone else.

Most of the clientele at our gym are seniors who carefully comply with all the posted rules. Our gym doesn't advertise low prices ever (because frankly, the prices are higher than places like Planet Fitness). Our gym is a "Wellness Center" run by a highly regarded hospital in our area.

They even took all but one chair out of the large waiting area, where whichever of us finishes first waits for the other of us two. I wish they would be a little less diligent when it comes to that area because if that chair is being used, I have to stand. After a hard workout the last thing I want to do is stand there doing nothing and talking to nobody for ten minutes, when I could be sitting and playing my video game on my portable video game console. But, I am sure they have their reasons.

 

[gattara]

I do arm and leg exercises using weights at home, guided by a book titled Strong Women Stay Young, by Miriam E. Nelson. I am thrilled with the results. I use 12 pound arm weights, 3x a week.

 

[Amethyst]

W2R, we joined PF not because it is cheap (we were paying 5x as much in MD) but because there simply isn't an alternative in the county. Most of the developments near us have gates, clubhouses and fitness centers of their own, which means there's not enough residential business to support multiple gyms. I am not sure how far we'd have to drive to get to something better but I bet it would be 30 miles, and that's just too big a deterrent.

Try looking into a more high end gym; might be worth the drive. Our gym doesn't have any of the problems you describe AFAIK. Sometimes I do see members without masks, but only when they are working out hard, not just coming or going from the facility, and not when they are closer than 20 feet from anyone else.

Most of the clientele at our gym are seniors who carefully comply with all the posted rules. Our gym doesn't advertise low prices ever (because frankly, the prices are higher than places like Planet Fitness). Our gym is a "Wellness Center" run by a highly regarded hospital in our area.

They even took all but one chair out of the large waiting area, where whichever of us finishes first waits for the other of us two. I wish they would be a little less diligent when it comes to that area because if that chair is being used, I have to stand. After a hard workout the last thing I want to do is stand there doing nothing and talking to nobody for ten minutes, when I could be sitting and playing my video game on my portable video game console. But, I am sure they have their reasons.

 

[Amethyst]

That's a good book. I'm used to much heavier weights via Nautilus-style machines, though. I can see the loose skin on arms and legs where I used to be rounded. And I can't lift, tote, or dig the way I could even 3 months ago.

I do arm and leg exercises using weights at home, guided by a book titled Strong Women Stay Young, by Miriam E. Nelson. I am thrilled with the results. I use 12 pound arm weights, 3x a week.

 

[mystang52]

I have an old but very functional home gym that I regularly use. If I had to buy a replacement, I'd look at the Bowflex. Any home gym can pay for itself in lieu of gym memberships, I would presume.

 

[kevink]

Looks like DIY workouts at home are going to be the new normal for sure. MMM had a great post on this a few years ago:

https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2016/12/13/staying-fit-with-no-gym-in-sight/

Of course he's decades younger than many of us but I've found doing the stretches and easier weight exercises in the "Thinner Next Year" book is a great bridge to the stronger lifting he does.

 

[momoftwo]

I had made much progress from Oct thru midMarch.
Very sad Ive not kept up here at home.
Very noticeable decline in muscle mass and strength.
Our gyms are not open yet in NJ.
The small neighborhood Anytime Fitness was always impeccably clean. I know they will have measures in place and enforced on reopening.
They are much more expensive than Planet Fitness gyms nearby. But my health insurance gets me a 50% discount. Worth it to me.

 

[Amethyst]

Not sure where we'd put a home gym although the Bowflex is probably more space-efficient than most.

I have an old but very functional home gym that I regularly use. If I had to buy a replacement, I'd look at the Bowflex. Any home gym can pay for itself in lieu of gym memberships, I would presume.

 

[friar1610]

Gyms here haven't reopened yet. Mine is a non-chain Mom 'n Pop operation that has always been very good about cleaning. But I'm not planning to return in any big hurry. With summer here I'll take advantage of the walking/hiking available with less potential contact. Plus, I very much enjoy my workouts at teambodyproject.com as an alternative to the gym. Also have my own weights. Don't know if I'll be hankerin' for the gym in 6 months but we'll see.

 

[Amethyst]

Weights are all I care about, as far as the gym is concerned. Unless there's a hurricane, I can jog on the beach. And my floor at home is as good for yoga as the gym floor is. Although we don't keep the house quite as cool

In a confined space, I'm far more concerned about "droplets" than "surfaces." A little wipe-down doesn't impress me at all. I don't feel safe with people huffing and puffing, and if they won't wear masks, there isn't much point in my wearing one.

Come to think of it, 90% of the patrons there when I visited today, were young. When I used to work out in the a.m. it was mainly old people. Makes me wonder if they are all staying away.

Gyms here haven't reopened yet. Mine is a non-chain Mom 'n Pop operation that has always been very good about cleaning. But I'm not planning to return in any big hurry. With summer here I'll take advantage of the walking/hiking available with less potential contact. Plus, I very much enjoy my workouts at teambodyproject.com as an alternative to the gym. Also have my own weights. Don't know if I'll be hankerin' for the gym in 6 months but we'll see.

 

[socca]

While I deplore the loss of muscle mass in the 3 months since the gym first closed, I think I'm going to cancel our membership.

I'm still debating when to return to my gym (if at all). Factors I'm considering:

• wearing a mask during cardio exercise would be very uncomfortable. I won't do it .

• even with all of the heavy breathing in the gym, I suspect that infection risk will be low as long as participants maintain proper distancing. Virologists note that dose matters, and even if there are infectious particles floating around, I suspect that any local concentration will be low thanks to the many fans that are always circulating the air inside the gym.

• one could argue that I've relinquished the right to engage in any kind of moderate- or high-risk activity by purchasing a non-[A]CA-compliant health insurance policy for 2020 ($25k deductible; $1M max payout). My health insurance premiums are 1/3 the cost of an [A]CA-compliant policy, but there are always trade-offs to consider.

• there are many things I like about my new home-based exercise routine. However, I do miss my favorite machines at the gym. Are they worth getting sick and dying for?

 

[Amethyst]

Me either. Although I miss the ease of cardio in a cool environment, and the predictability of indoor weather, getting out on the beach at 0530 and seeing dawn appear has its appeal also. I get out that early mostly to avoid people's unleashed dogs, some of whom like to chase and herd joggers. I never knew, before, how many people take their dogs on the beach before sunrise.

• wearing a mask during cardio exercise would be very uncomfortable. I won't do it .

•?

 

[Ronstar]

I haven’t had a gym membership since the 80’s. I personally prefer to work out alone at home. I understand that some folks may not have what it takes to work out at home or maybe they need the gym as a social outlet. In any case, I don’t think that gyms are safe during this pandemic regardless of how well the owners clean the place.

 

[zinger1457]

The PF that I go to opened up about two weeks ago, I go during morning hours when it's not crowded, fairly easy to keep a social distance even if others may not. It is true hardly anyone besides the workers wear a face mask, probably no different than any of the other gyms that have opened up. They do have every other cardio machine blocked off, the display is covered up, every cardio machine has it's own disinfectant spray bottle. More cleaning stations and hand sanitizers were added around the weight room, I haven't seen anyone not wipe down a machine after use. It is a personal choice, if you're not comfortable then you should stay home.

 

[GalaxyBoy]

My gym is preparing to reopen and sent a survey as to whether patrons were ready to come back. I answered “no” and gave the reason that I can’t imagine the customers actually complying with the social distancing requirements. Heck, on a good day, pre-pandemic, it was frustrating with people ignoring the simplest of rules, like walkers to the right and runners to the left, no parking on weight machines, wiping down machines after use, etc. Many folks treated the gym as social time and little else.

I miss going there and I need weight training again. I’ve been walking in the neighborhood which has been great, but summer’s coming and I don’t look forward to the heat.

 

[Katsmeow]

Come to think of it, 90% of the patrons there when I visited today, were young. When I used to work out in the a.m. it was mainly old people. Makes me wonder if they are all staying away.

Gyms are able to be open here but I can't imagine going to one. I, too, worry about the droplets. I worry that with the kind of exertion in a gym that it could be a super spreader event. I can also do cardio at home and always did. The gym was for weights. I used to have a set of the bowflex
selecttech weights which didn't take up a lot of space and gave me a lot of weight choices. But, we sold them about a year ago since I wasn't using them any more as I preferred the gym. Right about now, I wish I hadn't sold them.

Not sure what I will do. I honestly can't imagine going back to a gym until (if) there is a vaccine or things die down far more completely (we are nowhere close to that). Right now I am just not doing strength training but I don't want that to continue forever. I do have a set of tubing exercise bands that I have never used (came free with something else). Maybe I should look at using them in the interim....

 

[Aerides]

Last year in a class I took at my gym, one day the instructor was clearly under the weather. She announced though, she was not infectious and well on the mend.

It was a large group room, with only about 6 of us in the class. I was at least 20 feet from the instructor the whole time..but maybe 3 days later? yup I got the same wretched type of cold she appeared to have had. Coulda been a coincidence, but I'm retired and no one else I was around was sick.

I don't believe staying a few feet away from others is safe enough in enclosed spaces, for prolonged time periods. So no more gym for me for a while at least!

 

[friar1610]

I haven’t had a gym membership since the 80’s. I personally prefer to work out alone at home. I understand that some folks may not have what it takes to work out at home or maybe they need the gym as a social outlet. In any case, I don’t think that gyms are safe during this pandemic regardless of how well the owners clean the place.

Although I've been well satisfied with my solo alternatives to the gym (at least so far) I have to admit I miss the social aspect. It's nice to kibitz with other folks with whom you share an interest. Not essential but nice.

 

[Moemg]

I was going to return to the gym at the end of this month but with our numbers increasing I am waiting awhile . I have had no problem motivating myself to exercise at home.

 

[aja8888]

Seeing I haven't been to the gym since November before I had my hip replacement, and now we have the virus stuff, I am thinking of buying a rowing machine to use at home

I still walk about 10,000 steps every day, but that is doing very little for everything except my legs and cardio system.

Anybody have one at home? If so, recommendations?

 

[audreyh1]

Love the Concept-2 rower.

 

[Amethyst]

I miss it, too. But the three people I chatted with regularly, are even older than I am and probably even more afraid to go back. We email occasionally but it's not the same at all.

I have to admit I miss the social aspect. It's nice to kibitz with other folks with whom you share an interest. Not essential but nice.

 

[aja8888]

Love the Concept-2 rower.

Thanks, I'll have a look at it. I know nothing about rowers.

 

[Walt34]

While I deplore the loss of muscle mass in the 3 months since the gym first closed, I think I'm going to cancel our membership.

I'm thinking we will too. In the few times I've been out to either the grocery store (about every ten days or so) and to Home Depot (three times) I've noticed the steadily decreasing numbers of masks and gloves although I continue to use them. The gym, which is run by the local hospital and similar to the one W2R goes to, reopened a couple of weeks ago and originally I was taking a "wait and see" approach. What I'm seeing is that as businesses reopen and mask use decreases and rising numbers of people ignoring any semblance of safe distancing, the numbers of virus cases are increasing. What a surprise!

So being a homebody introvert anyway there hasn't been a huge lifestyle change here. Not going to the gym is the biggest change and I wasn't there for socializing anyway, more often than not I didn't talk to anyone. So while the weather is warm enough to go outside that will suffice and I'll reevaluate options in the fall.