HEALTH CLUBS HEAD OUTSIDE
LIKE anyone who worked out how to cheat a Zoom fitness class (take a breather and blame frozen wi-fi), me and my new-found corona pounds are missing the gym.
It’s not just the personal attention from the instructor, but the camaraderie of seeing familiar faces and catching up for a gossip afterwards.
I’m a member of David Lloyd gyms and I’ve been loving their outdoor exercise classes. The gyms are so well-equipped for all weather scenarios and really, there’s no excuse not to train.
As I arrive there is a spin-bike class taking place on the terrace under one of the ‘jumbrellas’ which provide both rain cover and shade. Fresh-air sessions have been allowed for a few weeks now for groups of five plus one instructor.
Here, they’ve been a knockout success — they now hold scores of open air classes a week and come heatwave or rain they look set to continue.
As I walk in, a discreet thermoscanner, which looks like a security camera, takes my temperature. Anything over 38c and I will be asked to leave.
On the gym floor I meet a fitness manager. She’s in full plastic pinny, mask and gloves as she squirts down one of the running machines, only half of which are in use. We wait 60 seconds for the spray to work, before I can touch the controls.
The stay-safe message here is very much clean your hands and your equipment before and after. No one has to wear a mask, but the staff do when they clean. Over at the multigym, there are sections clearly marked out on the floor for four rather than the usual 15 people to work out; a member of staff will make sure everyone behaves and queues nicely.
Although queuing is unlikely. This place is about half the size of a football pitch and can fit 114 people.
The advantage of out-of-town leisure centres is the floor space they have that makes distancing easier.
For indoor exercise classes, circles on the floor mark your ‘spot’ three metres away from anyone else.
Classes will be smaller; if you’re worried about getting full use of your gym membership, here they are laying on more of them.
Not everything will be available though; Zumba and aerobics will be out for the time being.
There’s more yoga and Pilates in response to demand — not surprisingly we’re all searching for ways to cope with anxiety.
Forget tying yourself in knots with resistance bands and hulking dumbbells. We’re set to rediscover old-school drill moves such as planks apparently.
Expect touch-free classes that don’t require fancy equipment, but use body weight to build muscle instead.
You can even BYO for a new ‘rucksack workout’, where you use your own backpack as a weight. You’ll be encouraged to fill your water bottle at home, too.
It saves trying to find a locker for your kit — many of those will be out of action. I plan to come as I am; I’ve made peace with my lockdown exercise look of red face and birds’ nest hair. Maybe the glowy athleisure look is finally over.
■ See davidlloyd.ie