After nearly 16 months of working out at home and outside, I returned to the gym for my first workout!  I was so excited and nervous because I wasn’t sure what to expect or if I would feel comfortable.

After checking in and warming up, I felt awesome!  I was due for my 100th Peloton class so I decided to celebrate my return to the gym and 100th Peloton class by doing my first treadmill class with one of my favorite Peloton instructors, Adrian.  I had really been curious to see how doing a treadmill class would work and it worked out just fine!  Great music and encouragement really kept me going.

As a former cycle instructor I was very impressed with how Adrian was just chatting away as we ran along.  I was just struggling to breathe and wearing a mask did not help matters but that’s a small sacrifice to make until we lift our indoor mask mandates.  I’m thankful to just be able to workout at the gym.

We need Community

Before Covid shut the gyms down, there was a man who would just sit on the equipment and not really do anything.  He would do a few sets but he would literally sit on one piece of equipment for an hour or so.  I smiled when I saw him perched right in his spot after a year and a half.

It has also been nice to see the regulars who were there before Covid and still plugging away.  It reminded me of why the in person gym experience is so important.  We need community.  There’s something to be said for working out alongside other people and even connecting with some of them.  As a Group fitness instructor and personal trainer, I have watched people build relationships and cheer each other on through fitness for years.

One of the biggest things we’ve lost during the pandemic is connection with others.  Human beings are social creatures and we thrive in groups. Physical distancing took that away from us and now that the data is showing Covid is becoming more endemic thanks to natural immunity, vaccines, and seasonality we need to work on reconnecting with others because that will help our mental and emotional health.

It is NOT the end of the commercial gym experience

Much was made about how the Covid-19 pandemic was the end of the commercial gym experience but I don’t believe that is the case.

As reported by Club Industry, due to COVID-19, fitness industry revenue dropped by more than 50 percent in 2020, according to the report. The growth in digital fitness and outdoor classes wasn’t enough to offset the decline in traditional membership fees. Some major chains, including Gold’s Gym and 24 Hour Fitness, declared bankruptcy, and overall, 17 percent of fitness locations in the United States closed. (Source: Club Industry)

While Peloton and other digital fitness offerings helped so many of us through the pandemic, I believe these digital offerings added a resource for fitness enthusiasts which we sorely needed. One of the best things about Peloton for me was reinforcing I can get in a good workout in 20 minutes which is great for someone like me who has a busy life.

The other great thing was the excellent quality of the instructors and as a fitness professional I felt comfortable working out with them.

For me it’s not either Peloton or the In Person Gym.  It’s both resources working together.  Peloton is awesome when I don’t have much time to get to the gym or if I want to do a running class at the gym.

At the gym I like being able to use all types of different equipment: Stepmills, Barbells, Cables, TRX, Machines, etc.  It’s fun to be able to have variety.

The Covid-19 Pandemic was a wake-up call for many of us about how much we take for granted and how many privileges we really do have.  It has been nice to get back into some of my old routines like going to the supermarket after the gym. I’ve enjoyed the “normalcy” that I’ve experienced.  I decided to jump right back in to “normalcy” but it is different for everyone.

I will share that I’ve felt much less anxious since jumping back in to some semblance of “normalcy”.  The more “normal” things you do, the more you do “normal” things.  I keep up with the data and have a facts not fear approach so it’s been easier to get back into the swing of things!

It’s going to be a process so be patient with yourself and others.