Working out in the gym after lockdown

Governor Cuomo FINALLY opened the gyms in New York State after six months! I was super excited to head back to the gym since New York was the first state to go close the gyms and the one of the last states to reopen. Although home workouts were working just fine, the burn was not nearly as intense as a classic gym session. It was also good to reconnect with the frequent gym goers.

However, the gym experience is vastly different now that it was in March. Continue reading for some tips in order to have a safe experience during your workout.

Be familiar with gym regulations

Before heading to the local gym for the first time, make sure you are aware of new health and safety requirements, as this will vary from gym to gym.

For example, my independently owned gym mandated face shields for and gloves while my local franchise gym only required cloth or surgical masks.

There are even differences among gyms in the same franchise. One of the gyms is taking temperatures and having gym goers sign questionnaires while the other one is only requiring masks. One commonality between all of the gyms is the suspension of group fitness classes and use of the GX room. I highly recommend verifying what your gym is requiring before heading to the gym.

Take it easy

Take your time readjusting your body to more intense exercise and wearing a face covering.

Although I had a consistent workout routine and decent equipment (see this post for my home gym set-up), my body was not accustomed to the high-intensity created by gym equipment. Here are some of the things I did to readjust my workout routine:

• Warm-up before working out. This will help prepare your body for intense exercise and reduce the likelihood of injury. I like dynamic stretches.
• Lower your starting weights and slowly work back up to pre-lockdown levels. Unless you had heavy weights at home, your body needs time to work back up to your previous loads. I am lifting notably lighter weights than before the lockdown. In conjunction to weights, you may want to lower your volume, or reps per set as well.
• Consider lowering the intensity of your workout to accommodate wearing a mask. I noticed that I was getting overheated faster than normal and had to stop and take a break in between exercises. I also opted to do cardio at-home.
• Establish a consistent cool-down and recovery routine. I do a combination of stretching and sports massage therapy.

Protect yourself

Aside from a face covering, there are multiple ways to keep yourself safe during this unnerving time.

• Wear gloves. I have workout gloves that I only wear in the gym and clean between uses. You can also use single-use gloves (please make sure they are properly disposed of). I remove them whenever I need to use my phone or drink from my water bottle to prevent cross-contamination.
• Limit the items you bring into the gym or be sure to wipe down your belongings in between gym sessions. When I can, I try to only bring the essentials into the gym and avoid placing them on the floor. After each gym session, I wipe down my keys and water bottle.
• Clean off equipment before and after using. Make sure you clean overlooked areas such as the adjustment knobs and weight pin. It amazes me that people still are not doing this even during a pandemic.
• Wash you hands when you are finished with your workout. I already did this before the pandemic and have continued to do so. If you cannot wash your hands right away, use hand sanitizer. Most gyms have several bottles placed throughout the facility.
• Remove shoes and gym clothing when you get home and place in the hamper or washing machine before sitting or greeting people in your household. Again, this will limit contact with your clothes in the event they are contaminated.

Final considerations

In my experience, I feel safe working out at the gym based on the precautions they have taken and my own personal responsibility. I personally do not know anyone who has become sick from working out indoors. Here are more tips for working out at the gym during the pandemic.

Planning on hitting the gym for the first time? Check out my cheat sheet for gym newbies! If you are not ready to work out indoors in public yet, check out my 5 tips for working out at home.

Have you worked out at the gym after the initial lockdown? What safety precautions have you taken at the gym?