GYMS AFTER LOCKDOWN The future of group fitness

Known for crowded spaces, heavy breathing, profuse sweating and close contact with people and equipment, gyms have been identified as high-risk locations for the Coronavirus. So, when they reopen, will anybody even want to go back?

The fitness industry has been hit tremendously by the pandemic. It was among the first to be closed and will probably be one of the last to open up. Group classes are without a doubt among the biggest draws of a health club, but when gyms reopen, will exercise junkies rush back to sweat it out with their peers?

Group fitness will never be the same, says Payal Gidwani Tiwari, fitness and yoga expert of Bollywood, whose clients include Kareena Kapoor Khan, Karisma Kapoor, Rani Mukherji, Saif Ali Khan, Farhan Akhtar, Malaika Arora and others. “Group classes are not safe anymore,” she stresses. “Safety precautions would be taken I’m sure, but distancing is not possible. Breathing is a key concern; you cannot wear a mask while exercising, it will hamper your breathing patterns,” she explains.

“The main factors that may make group classes, especially indoor ones, more risky are poor ventilation, difficulty in maintain social distancing, and the huffing and puffing associated with vigorous exercise, which may induce coughing, resulting in contamination of the area with infectious droplets”, according to Dr Viswesvaran Balasubramanian,

Senior Interventional Pulmonologist & Sleep Medicine specialist,

Yashoda Hospitals. Contact transmission through shared amenities in gyms, such as drinking water fountains, changing rooms, showers and equipment, is also possible,” he says. “When the gyms finally do open up nothing is going to be the same. Gyms will have to make sure that all surfaces are completely disinfected and sanitised all the time. The number of people allowed to workout at any given time should be strictly monitored,” says celebrity trainer Kuldep Sethi, Director, 360 Degree Fitness.

WAITING FOR A SHOT

Health experts say the risk of infection is lower outside than inside. A new epidemiological study published on Emerging Infectious Diseases raises crucial questions about the risks of infection during group exercise classes. “As of now, working out in group classes seems to be a foolish move to make. During aerobic workouts, one tends to breathe heavily and if one is in a group class it is totally against COVID protocol. Members

It is a fact that working out in a large gym with wide spaces will definitely be the way to go. Social distancing is feasible only if there is enough space in the gym. Even if small groups are meeting, we have to be extremely careful every step of the way

— Kuldep Sethi, celebrity trainer and director, 360 Degree Fitness breathe heavily and have to use the same equipment without any break for cleaning or disinfecting. Limiting the number of people in a group class is financially not feasible,” warns Kuldep.

Ultimately, group classes may not be the same until there’s a COVID-19 vaccine. “In an enclosed atmosphere, the virus will be near impossible to control. Space constraints would not allow you to have a 4 to 6 feet distance among people. So, till the vaccination is out, safety comes first, and it seems difficult to start group classes,” says Payal. “It is a fact that working out in a large gym with wide spaces will definitely be the way to go. Social distancing is feasible only if there is enough space in the gym. Even if small groups are meeting, we have to be extremely careful every step of the w a y. Precautions like maintaining social distance, cleaning hands, wearing masks etc. will have to be strictly adhered to, until there is a cure or vaccine for this virus,” adds

Kuldep.