As I was eating my banana pancakes on my day off, I received an email that really triggered me; “FLYEfit is reopening on Monday, 20th July!”. When I read the notification that popped up on my screen I noticed I was filled with unease. I had been an avid gym-goer pre covid, but the thought of stepping foot inside that sweaty, crowded space again is not pleasant. So what’s changed for me? Did I ever enjoy going to the gym or was it just a force of habit? Or am I just worried about going back because of all the uncertainties we face now in public spaces? I’ve thought long and hard about whether I should cancel my membership and quit the gym for good and here is what I’ve concluded.

Germs Ew!

Obviously we are all really worried about the virus, spreading it and/or catching it, so for me the gym just seems like it will be a breeding ground for germs! I know there will be safety measures in place and everything will be sanitised but I can’t shake the feeling that it will be hard to ensure everything is as clean as it possibly can be. I suppose you have to have trust that the people in charge are following the correct guidelines. Each gym may vary in cleanliness and safeness so that needs to be taken into account. Also, mask wearing? I spoke to someone who said she wore a mask in the gym but no one else did. It’s really hard to know what is the best thing to do especially when everyone isn’t on the same page.

Home Workouts.

During lockdown I became a big fan of home workouts. I had to keep active somehow! I was afraid that I would get bored but I managed to keep it interesting and changed up my workouts regularly. I did yoga, dance classes, HIIT and I even went jogging (so not my thing, but I actually enjoyed it). I find it easier to clear my head when I’m not surrounded by people waiting to use the same machine as me or struggling to find a piece of floor to do my core exercises. I must admit, I do miss the weight machines but I’ve managed without them for months and still kept healthy and fit. I’ve loved how personal trainers and the likes have taken to instagram and zoom to provide free classes for the public, but I’m sure this won’t last now that things are slowly going back to normal. I definitely learned to get more creative with my workouts during lockdown and will keep it up.

Saving Money.

I was shocked at how much money I saved during lockdown! Even though I moved home, I was still paying rent to keep my room in Dublin but even with that monthly cost I had so much more disposable income in my bank account. The gym I go to isn’t very expensive but every little counts! And if I can work out effectively at home and save money, why shouldn’t I? I’ve chatted to friends too about this and some have felt the same, If you can work out at home cost free, why not?

Flexibility At Home.

The thing I love about working out at home is the ability to do it any time of the day. Just pop on your gym gear, turn on a youtube workout and blast it out for 30 mins. But it can be hard to find the motivation to do this sometimes. If I fall out of routine I find it hard to slip back in. Although most of us chucked out our 2020 diaries, a diary is a really handy way of keeping a routine and staying motivated.

Motivation.

For a lot of people the gym environment gives them the motivation to train harder. I find I train best when I’m in a group class, as I feel the need to compete almost. As a dancer I’m used to being in a class setting and being motivated by others and the teacher/instructor. When I’m working out alone I can’t help but take some shortcuts in my workouts which I wouldn’t do in a class. I checked the FLYEfit website and classes aren’t actually happening during their reopening phase which is a massive game changer in my decision to return!

Mixed Opinions.

I asked the question on my instagram because I was curious to see how people felt about returning to the gym. Some of my friends have already gone back and are loving it and others are completely put off and don’t want to go back any time soon. Some people said it was all very well run and sanitary and others said their gyms weren’t enforcing the guidelines at all. I think it’s to be expected that some gyms will be more compliant than others, just as it has been in different shops and restaurants. You put your trust in the people in charge to keep all their members and customers safe. Each person who goes to the gym also has a responsibility to social distance and clean their equipment clean and from what I’ve heard from those who’ve returned, some people are just not making the effort.

To each their own decision I think, especially when it comes to health and exercise. The gym is a safe haven for some people and can fill others with dread so I think we all need to make the best decisions for ourselves at this time.

So my verdict is, I definitely want to go back to the gym some time, but not right now. I think I’ll wait until everything is more settled and I can be more confident in my decision. The brilliant thing about FLYEfit is that I can freeze my membership! I’ll keep working out at home for a while and then return to the gym at a later stage. I’ve surprised myself during the last few months and actually haven’t missed it and found other ways to stay active. Everyone will feel differently about their decision to go back or not so don’t feel pressured and do what suits you.