So, if things ever get back to “normal” and according to our beloved Premier’s plans, the gyms should hopefully be reopening around the 5th November (not holding my breath to be honest!)
Therefore this gives me just over a month to ponder the question of do I return to the gym or do I stay away?
The big question really is do I trust the cleaning at the gym I attend- or at least attended to when it was open? And being truthfully, I really don’t know. I mean I remember before lockdown 4 or 5- I can’t remember which as it’s all a blur- there was a bit of rubbish on the bottom of the treadmill on the last day the gym was open. A week or so later - basically when it reopened- the rubbish was still there! Now the logical argument is that the gym was closed so how could it be cleaned? And fair doos- that’s a valid argument. But on the day the gym reopened I attended it but not until mid to late afternoon. Now allowing for the first day back routine (the gym opens or did open at 0600!) how could it be hours and the rubbish was still there?
The sad thing is that it’s not an isolated incident- all these “small” things add up over time and maybe I’m being harsh (I won’t say I am or I’m not because I’m both in equal measures!)- and it pains a really uncomfortable picture.
The other thing that’s stopping me from returning is that we’re essentially paying a premium to attend this gym and the “benefits” or perks are diminishing returns. Admittedly you can’t expect things to return to normal straight away; and I’m under no illusion it will. But the main advantage of this gym used to be good friendly staff, with good clean equipment and a wide variety of classes spread over times where you can usually find something to work around you schedule. By the time lockdown 6.0 started, the gym classes were essentially laughable in its offerings, the instructors were leaving en masse as were the personal trainers (which again I can’t blame the trainers as trying to make a crust would surely suck balls!) and the cleanliness of the gym equipment were questionable! What it did have going for it was the fact that most people were avoiding the gym like the plague (boom tish!), so you didn’t really have to fight anyone over access to the equipment.
It’s too early to say what I’ll do but these are questions I have to ask myself and hopefully have answers within the next month!