Fitness
Returning to Gyms and Studios: How You're Preparing to Go Back to Your Workouts
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There have been many updates, emails, and social posts about what studios are doing to prepare to reopen, but have you thought about what you’re going to do for yourself? While we love to see our studios taking precautions to keep us safe, to some extent, our health and safety is in our own hands.
We’re all trying to do what’s best for us in the current situation, and our safety precautions can vary for lots of reasons. Age, location, personal risk, state/county guidelines, overall anxiety, and many other factors can affect our choices regarding our own health and safety measures. That’s why we went to the source: You. We polled our Instagram audience, asking you what your plans are to stay safe and prepare for your glorious return to gyms and studios. Based on this poll, here’s what you all had to say:
1. Sanitize, sanitize, sanitize.
Hand sanitizer is a hot commodity these days—everyone wants to get their hands on it (or get it on their hands?). 46% of you mentioned bringing your own hand sanitizer, wiping down equipment, washing your hands, or general sanitization when going back to the studio. If you didn’t wipe down machines before or after using them before (we'll try not to judge), you’re definitely thinking about doing it now.
2. Keep it small.
We all love a good group fitness class—and we’re all missing our in-person sessions a lot right now. Surprisingly, even with social distancing precautions in place, 62% of you would prefer to return to your group fitness classes rather than sticking with personal training or solo exercise for a bit. But we also know our classes are probably going to look a little different when we return. In response to our question about what you’re doing to prepare and stay safe, 32% mentioned hoping for smaller class sizes, keeping distance, and/or respecting people’s space while in the studio. Even as studios limit capacity and class sizes, and increase distance between machines, we should all remember to respect the space of those around us (yes, unfortunately, that means no high fives for now).
3. BYOP.
Props. An important part of many workouts, but also a breeding ground for bacteria (sorry, gross). When it comes to props, a whopping 74% of respondents said they’d bring their own to the studio rather than going without for a bit. Whether it’s yoga mats, blocks, bands, towels, or water bottles, we’re all going BYO for now. When it comes to masks, though, most of us would prefer not to wear them during workouts. But don’t worry, we’re all willing to follow the rules. 78% said they’d wear a mask “only if it’s required,” while the other 22% said they’d wear one either way.
4. Stay home.
Although many counties are beginning to reopen studios, you may not feel comfortable returning quite yet. 21% of respondents said they would be staying home for a bit, despite gyms and studios reopening. They mentioned continuing to take virtual classes for a while, waiting until COVID numbers are down locally, and feeling safer in their homes for the time being.
Fun fact: we’re all loving virtual! 80% of respondents said they’d “totally!” continue taking virtual classes, even if they’re going to the studio as well.
Whether you’re camping outside your favorite studio’s doors, masking up and entering with caution, or sticking to virtual for a while, it’s up to you to decide how to prepare and stay safe right now. We love hearing from you—thanks for answering our questions! Be sure to head over to Instagram and keep your eye on our stories for more polls in the future.
