My gym opened this week and I had to decide if I should return to the gym. That was a tough decision and I’m feeling ambivalent about it so did what any person would do. I avoided the decision. I put my membership on hold for a year with the understanding that I can reactivate it at any time.
Reasons to Return to the Gym
I miss going to the gym.
- Consistency and Strength:
I’m not getting in the strength training that I was while regularly going to the gym. I do some strength training but not much. I’m doing better at cardio but even that is not consistent. I obviously do better when going to the gym is on my schedule.
- Social Life:
I also miss the social aspects of the gym. I miss seeing people in my boot camp class, I miss the women in the locker room, and I miss talking to the trainers and front desk people. Who would think that a person would miss the locker room?
Reasons Not to Return to the Gym
- Wearing a Mask:
Going to the gym is going to require wearing a mask. I’m not opposed to wearing a mask; I do it all the time. I’m just a bit concerned about working hard with a mask on. My gym is providing mask-free areas so this might not be a major concern.
- Staying healthy:
If you look at any list of the places where you’re most likely to contract a virus, including the Covid-19 virus, gyms are close to the top of the list. I know that my gym is making every effort to clean and sanitize equipment and to separate workstations but it’s still a risk. How big a risk is the question and I don’t know the answer.
Is the risk of contracting the virus greater than the benefits of working out?
- Money:
I definitely have noticed that not paying the monthly fee and not paying for personal training has improved my financial state. I’m not working right now so have been trying to be conservative in my expenses. Not going to the gym has helped. I know that we make our priorities and I could find the money if I wanted.
Decision
I deferred restarting my membership, knowing that I could restart at any time. That helps. I think the fact that it’s summer and I can go outside to run or walk or ride a bike makes it easier to stay home from the gym.
I also just set up my home gym and I can use that for a while. It’s convenient and doesn’t cost me additional money.
If I really need a schedule to stay consistent, I could pay a trainer to work with me remotely or at a park once a week.
Have you chosen to return to the gym? If so, how’s it going? If not, why not? Let me know. I’d love to hear what others think about this.