Many of us know the value of staying fit and going to the gym. Gyms have started to reopen after being shut down for months on end during the Coronavirus pandemic. It made it quite difficult for those who exercise as part of their daily routine, especially if they did not have an at-home set up to use during the long months without any facilities available. Now that gyms are starting to reopen, people want to rush in and workout. However, Covid-19 is still ever-present, and even though businesses and workers have started to get back to some semblance of normality, the danger of contracting the virus is still there. You can take some steps to ensure you stay safe while you are working out at the gym.
1- Keep Your Distance
The first thing you need to do if you are planning to go to a gym, or any public place for that matter, is avoiding contact with other people as much as possible. You must keep your distance from others at the gym, especially since the virus can be contracted through droplets of water. Keep at least a meter’s distance to ensure you are safe from getting infected with the virus. If the machine you want to use is already in use by someone else or is too close to another machine that’s in use, change your workout rather than risk your health.
2- Download a Fitness App
Part of keeping your distance is not having a personal trainer that helps you throughout your workout. If you need the help of a professional, you can easily download fitness apps. They have different workout programs you can consult without having to worry about contracting a disease. Experts at Spartan Apps note that you can easily reach your goals if you follow fitness app programs geared toward your needs. Using these apps, you can still workout and achieve your desired results, with minimal human contact.
3- Avoid Crowded Areas
If for some reason the gym is a bit crowded or you feel like maintaining proper social distancing is going to be an issue, then it is better to reschedule your workout. Rather be safe rather than sorry. You can also alter your workout so that you are not near others working out at the same time.
4- Sanitize Surfaces you are Using
Although your gym is already required to sanitize all their machines after every use, you must still wipe down the machine you plan on using with wipes or spray it with disinfectant to be on the safe side. Coronavirus is transmitted through droplets, as mentioned above, so you shouldn’t use a machine directly after someone else has used it because it is immediately thought of as a contaminated surface because you do not know whether this person is a carrier of the disease or not. Every single surface you will be touching in the gym, whether it is a machine, dumbbells, or a mat, must be well-sanitized to avoid getting infected with any disease.
5- Use your Own Towel
If your gym provides towels to use during your workout or after showering, it is better not to utilize this service. Take your own hand towel to use so that you avoid contact with anything that is not yours and thus not safe to use; this also applies to other services such as a water dispenser. It is better to bring in your own water bottle from home to avoid any risks.
6- Avoid Showering at the Gym
If possible, do not shower at the gym. Instead, shower at home; this will ensure that you do not contact other people’s germs and lower your chances of getting infected. In fact, many gyms have closed their showers because they do not want to risk their patron’s health. If you get assigned a new locker every time you visit the gym, make sure that you spray it with alcohol so that your belongings do not carry any bacteria or viruses from previous users.
Using these six diversified tips, you can continue your fitness journey without worrying about being highly at risk of contracting a disease. Remember that if the choice is using a specific machine or staying safe, then it is better to stay on the safe side and use a different machine instead. If you are still unsure about your workout, or you need a personal trainer’s help, then using an app will give you what you need and help you avoid as much human contact as possible.