Gym etiquette During Covid 19 Virus
As you have heard the talked about news that is getting spread or telecasted is all about coronavirus. Not only it is spreading in the media but even in the real world. If you are a hardcore exercise fanatic or gym-goer, then you do know that the chances of getting infected are higher.
As most people know and the details provided by health experts, it is sensible and best if one avoids visiting public spaces. One really needs to keep themselves distant from crowded places. Here the chances of getting infected will be more.
Well, the time is great for you to work out at home using the best gym equipment. Also, you have the option to try a basic bodyweight workout. The best part of working out at home will easily complement the efforts you put in your regular gym and most importantly, you won’t be needing a huge gym machine.
Gym – Worst Place for Exercising During Coronavirus
Many people are on the edge due to the fear of contracting coronavirus. People are avoiding places where they can easily contact this disease and spread to other people, in short, crowded places. Among the most commonplace is the gym, which is filled with germs and sweaty microorganisms that allow the growth of deadly diseases.
You might feel that there is nothing to worry about if you are hitting the gym. The coronavirus is caused by respiratory viruses and can only be contacted when touching the surface that another person with a virus has touched. You do know that the coronavirus can even spread through air-borne sneezes and coughs.
Irrespective of whether the person is a kid, collegegoer, young man, old age individual, it is necessary that one should not lookout for opportunities to get the virus. The same way is to keep oneself isolated if there are any symptoms of the virus. Using the best home dumbbell workouts, you can easily workout at home or even using the kettlebell workout that is used by beginners.
This is a win-win situation for you as you are confirmed into your own home and get to enjoy exercising in your privacy. Lastly, given the huge amount of precautions that gyms and companies are taking out, it is likely that your local gym will be closed to avoid the spread of the coronavirus.
Working Out During Coronavirus Outbreak
Just follow the below-given steps for minimizing the risk of catching coronavirus from the gym or elsewhere. Also, if you are really concerned in regard to the wellbeing of others suffering from coronavirus or other diseases, then ensure that they consult with doctors or medical professionals to help them with this disease.
1) Washing Hands
You might have made fun of your friends or colleague who constantly wash their hands at regular intervals. One thing you really need to keep in mind is that even when there is no global virus epidemic going on, washing your hands is good and safe. Well, follow the same procedure before and after working out. When you are at the gym, you know very well that those machines and weights are used by countless people, so they are dirty and filled with germs.
Washing your hands means you are contributing fewer bacteria to the handles. Washing your hands after exercising and using the machine will remove all the dirt and germs you might come in contact at the gym. Most people never follow the signs that instruct people to wipe down the exercising equipment using wipes or sterilizing sprays after usage. Not only it is courteous, but it helps you to be on the safe side.
Not only that, but there is also no harm in using the weightlifting gloves while you are at the gym. As far as you need to be concerned of, coronavirus won’t spread through sweating. However, droplets of cough might end up on the machines and handles. Hence, avoid touching them.
2) Say No to Peak Hour Gym Exercising
No doubt, following a workout routine is good and it helps in building a good habit. Nowadays, people follow various routines and some even have their own ones. For example, certain people like to hit the gym between 5am-7am. And there are some who go to the gym between 4pm-7pm and during this period, the gym will be packed, where people will be queuing in front of the machines.
Frankly, it is better if you avoid going to the gym in this period, especially in times like these. Suppose your gym is open 24 hours, try to go early or late. Sometimes it is better if you go at odd hours just before or after the morning and afternoon peak time. As soon as the dust is settled down and the entire virus has gone away, you can start queuing in front of these machines.
3) Use Towels and Stay Away from Common Water Fountains
A basic gym etiquette you can follow is using a towel while you are in the gym. Not only it is good to have this habit during the normal time, but it can also be extremely advantageous in such times as being extra careful will make sure that you aren’t infected. It is best if you use a towel having discernibly different sides. This will make sure that you know which side must be pressed against the pads of the machine.
Regarding the water fountain and especially in trouble times, try to bring your own gym water bottle. Now if you have doubts that you might run out of water during the workout, try to get a one-litre bottle. That will help you to get through even if you are stuck in the gym for more than an hour.
4) Put A Hold on Attending Fitness Classes
As you know one of the common methods to be fit is by attending fitness classes where you work out among people. These are people who will make you more motivated and assist you to be on track with the workout routine. During the coronavirus outbreak, it is better if you avoid mingling with individuals. Best is if you stay low for some time, at least until the virus blown out.
5) Working Out at Home
Working out right in your home won’t provide you with the ripped body like the one you might get by exercising at the gym. If you are really concerned or display symptoms for the virus, then just isolate yourself. Still, if you are really bored, working out in your home is a good way to spend some time.
If you plan to work out at the gym, then you would need to take certain precautions like cleaning or wiping the equipment you used. The constant thing you might find in most fitness classes and the gym is sweat and keep in mind that each of the equipment that you are going to use or have used will be already having someone’s sweat.
If you just do the math, based on how long you have spent at the gym, the number of equipment you have used, multiplied with the number of people in and out of the gym at any given hour, day, afternoon or year. Now the only question you must ask yourself is whether the coronavirus laced sweat is a possibility? Do you feel the deadly disease can be transmitted through the buckets of sweat?
If you ask any doctor or physician, you will know that though coronavirus is a respiratory virus, still, sweat won’t be the carrier or the transmission route. But contaminated skin and hand can be major reasons. Just think about the place you touch, like touching your cold-leaking nose and then touching the equipment or coughing and then touching the equipment. In such instances, the virus will spread, and you might fall into its contact.
There are chances of the virus residing on mats or weights, thus making the gym the biggest risk for transmission. One thing that is still not yet known is the precise risk of contracting coronavirus infection from surfaces, however, gym-goers need to wipe down each of the surfaces they tough using an approved disinfectant. Here they should really take the responsibility even if the gym facility or cleaners clean the equipment.
Certain doctors even recommend distancing oneself from other gym-goers. Here it might be as simple as avoiding or not going to the gum during the busy hours (which is often before or after work). However, these hours would be different based on the pandemic. Also, it even means no handshakes or high five at the gym. You do need to realize that maintaining the six feet of social distance from others is impossible especially when it a sold-out- group fitness classes as they would be having bikes and cars parked next to each other. Still, experts feel that gyms and fitness studios won’t be any dangerous to other social gatherings like marriages where the chances of the virus spreading are huge.
Currently, you must realize that gyms are not that risky compared to other places where you would be touching things and getting in social contact with other people. Since the virus expands at an increasing rate, being in groups can be risky and you really need to avoid such activities and those that are more like going to be affected by a coronavirus. Hence, individuals need to think about the various aspects as and when they go out in the public. This will be good for them and even for the rest of the community especially the particularly vulnerable ones.
The most significant thing you can do is stay at home if you are not feeling well. Over and over health experts stress the fact everyone must be at their home all the time during the outbreak of this disease.
Etiquette You Need to Follow at Gym Due To Coronavirus
1) Don’t Touch Your Face: It is better if you avoid touching your nose, eyes, and mouths, especially with unwashed hands.
2) Never Be Too Social: Just try to avoid being in contact with fellow fitness freaks. As per medical doctors, you need to really avoid hugging, kissing and even sharing water bottles.
3) Wash Hands: Make sure that you wash your hands using soapy and hot water for about 20 seconds. This is really the best method for controlling the transmission of the virus among healthy as well as normal adults. As always, you should keep this in mind that wherever you are going whether using the bathroom, after blowing your nose, sneezing, coughing, etc, just wash your hands with a good sanitizer.
4) User Proper Cleaning Products: You need to utilize the disinfectant wipes that you find at gyms or fitness classes to clean the machines or equipment, as soon as you finish using them.
5) Get A Towel: The best thing you can do is grab a towel and place it on the mat you are exercising. Various people never think or don’t bring a towel, so you really need to have barrier among you and the exercising machine.
6) Be at Home If You Are Sick: For the betterment of you as well as others, it is better if you remain in your home when you are sick. Just make sure that you take proper care of yourself.
7) No-No to Peak Time: Just try to avoid the crowd as much as possible. When you are at the gym, you would have to use equipment present that would be having the sweat and germs of the previous owners. If you go to the gym just as soon as it opens or after it is cleaned, then it would reduce the risk of getting coronavirus.
