BENGALURU: Cooking and working out via online sessions provided by gyms have been a high priority for fitness-conscious Bengalureans over the lockdown period. Even as gyms are brainstorming new practices, fitness enthusiasts prefer sticking to either online courses or purchasing equipment and building a home gym. But for those who want to get back to the routine, gyms are literally sweating it out to make extensive arrangements. While wearing a mask has become mandatory in the city, one of the places it might be hazardous to do is the gym.
Which is why Abinav Shankar Narayan, founder, Namma CrossFit, has ordered face shields for clients. “Instead of masks which will make it difficult while exercising, a face shield will allow breathing. We did consider gloves, but realised it may not work out,” says Narayan who hopes to re-open the gym on June 1, and is using the buffer period to put new practices in place. With some of their spaces – located on Miller’s Road, RMV Extension, Sadashiva Nagar and Koramangala – ranging from 2,000 to 4,000 sq.ft, Narayan says social distancing will not be a hassle.
“Equipment will be sanitised regularly even during the 15-20 break between classes. We have been in touch with a company for cleaning liquids especially for gyms,” he says, adding that clients will have to carry sanitisers. Celebrity fitness instructor Wanitha Ashok who runs her studio, Moving Body, in South Bengaluru, agrees with those pointing out that gyms could turn into a breeding spot for germs. “As the COVID-19 situation is still not under complete control, it’s only wise that people give it some time and opt for walking, cycling or taking up online classes,” suggests Ashok who doesn’t see the measures – smaller batches, temperature checks, sanitisation of equipment – as sustainable.
“It is cumbersome to go through this process and will require manpower to be increased,” says Ashok who will wait at least for another month to assess the situation before resuming her group classes. Personal training at home is seeing a spike, according to freelance fitness trainer Bhaskar Prabhu. “Fifty per cent people are not ready to enter a gym. So I’ve been visiting them and training with equipment that they have easily available at home, like stuffing water bottles into backpacks as weights,” he says.
As gyms grapple with numerous challenges, Narayan points out the biggest will be attracting new members. “We are confident about existing members, but getting new ones on board is what we’ll have to work on,” he says. Even as Ashok believes that some might skip classes to cut costs, settling into this new normal is only a matter of time. “After the Mumbai blasts we got used to mandatory screening and it has become part of our lifestyle. This too will settle into our system soon,” she says.
Home sweet home
According to Dr Manohar KN, consultant, Internal Medicine, Manipal Hospitals, Old Airport Road, covering the nose and mouth with a mask and working out is tough, because of the discomfort and also altered gas exchange. “It is prudent to take it easy with workouts and do home-based exercises as far as possible,” says Dr Manohar.