Who else has gym closure (due to lockdown)

How are you *really* dealing with it? Still working out as much, more even?

Is your mental health suffering? Have you stayed on track?

Just curious how everyone is handling it.

I am a 5-6 day a week gym goer (the odd time 7, never as little as 4). So, this has been hard. I still workout at home but it's not the same. I love the gym atmosphere and I miss it dearly. I have maintained my healthy lifestyle but as far as actual muscle I feel I have lost *some* gains. It is what it is.

I just want it back, soon. How are you all doing with it?

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It's just so pretty. 🤣🤣

Replies

  • serapel
    serapel Posts: 502 Member
    Me too! No gym since Nov 21st. I have a PT once a week and have a good set up at home. Barbell with 300 lbs of plates. Also have dumbbells, bands and a bench.

    I’ve actually improved in strength and conditioning.

    Also join Zoom kick boxing twice a week.

    Hang in there!!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,489 Member
    As a trainer, I REALLY MISS MY GYM and clients. Luckily I have at least a decent cable machine at home where I can do everybody part. Not the same a free weight, but at least I won't lose much.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

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  • Redordeadhead
    Redordeadhead Posts: 1,188 Member
    Me too, no gym since July :-( I'm trying, home workouts, kettlebells, running, walking a lot... but I really miss the squat rack!
  • goal06082021
    goal06082021 Posts: 2,130 Member
    Gyms are open where I am, but I'm super not comfortable going back in there yet. So, I work out in my living room. I do bodyweight stuff, I have a pair of 5lb dumbbells, and we have Ring Fit Adventure and Beat Saber as well.
  • WandRsmom
    WandRsmom Posts: 253 Member
    Me too, no gym since July :-( I'm trying, home workouts, kettlebells, running, walking a lot... but I really miss the squat rack!

    Yep! I miss actual heavy weight. ☹️☹️
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
    Gyms are open here and I just started back, but limiting my exposure. I go to my big box on Sunday mornings because it's the least busy day and time of the week...also easier to get an open power rack. I go to a 1 on 1 PT studio on Friday afternoon with my wife...it's just my wife and I and our trainer.

    I only use the gym for the weight room...I do full body, so twice per week is fine for me. Most of my regular exercise is on my bike.
  • JessAndreia
    JessAndreia Posts: 540 Member
    Gyms are closed where I live. I went out and bought a rower, powerblocks (5 to 70 lbs), and an adjustable bench the day after they closed. Enough to get a pretty good workout, which I have been consistent with.
    It did cost me a few thousand dollars, but working out helps my mental health. I also work an essential job, so it gets me out of the house which helps my mental health as well.
    I do look forward to going back to the gym again, and having more variety of equipment - although I'll go a little less often than I used to now that I can workout at home as well. Weightlifting workouts can get a little repetitive with just dumbbells.
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,974 Member
    edited February 2021
    My gym location (part of a larger chain w/some locations recently openedh for outdoor wkouts) has been closed for over a year but I only went there to use the sauna, steamroom and whirlpool.

    I always exercise at home (and sometimes walk/hike outdoors) alone which has always been my preference.

    The membership fees were and I assume still are paid by my medical insurance thru Silver Sneakers. At least I havent been told of any cancellation since the start of the pandemic but it really doesnt matter to me unless or until they say that the sauna, steamroom and whirlpool can be used again, which I realize might be never again.

    Oh well, I'll survive w/o them and will just continue to exercise at home (or outdoors) alone.
  • SnifterPug
    SnifterPug Posts: 746 Member
    Our gyms are closed right now. Have been for months, on and off. Lockdowns made me realise I have to exercise for my mental health as much as my physical. I've been amassing equipment and can now do pretty much everything at home that I could do in the gym. I don't have a squat rack (not too bothered about that) but I dearly miss the heavy bag. To keep my mind focused I work with a PT most days (remotely). I've made huge progress since last autumn.

    When the gym opens again I will certainly go back but I am quite likely to do more sessions at home. Mostly because there is only one oly barbell at our gym so it can be a bit of a challenge to get hold of it. Plus there are no bumper plates there.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,627 Member
    ours reopened last fall. theres differences, now of course (reservations for pool time and all classes, most classes on zoom, spacing of machines/ or machines closed for use to maintain distance, etc)

    all in all its not bad. My main gym is VERY quiet and slow. But with a mostly older population and users, that's not unexpected. I love it ;)

    My secondary gym (where my pool is) is larger and has more people. really though, far fewer than what used to be. and nothing that concerns me regarding the number of people and they are all seemingly adhering to mask and distance rules. But it is in a larger town (hence the nicer facilities LOL), with more younger people who go.
  • graceelanor
    graceelanor Posts: 3 Member
    Gyms have been closed since Christmas where I am (for the third time). The lack of routine, reason to leave the house and time to think about nothing other than moving my body is definitely affecting more than the effect it's having on calories in/out.

    I've been doing some boxing workouts at home, but I can't tell you how much I want to be in a big air-conditioned room, underneath a barbell, with a clear mind!
  • Fit_Happens_2021
    Fit_Happens_2021 Posts: 303 Member
    Gyms are open here, but I do most of my exercise elsewhere. We go camping most weekends and do a lot of jogging, hiking and I use PowerBeats VR at home, I have some weights and follow some Youtube videos.

    The gyms have been reopened for a long time, even the classes (most of them) are back on, the sauna is open (I have never used saunas) the hot tub is open with a limit of 3 people, and the pool has lanes with one person allowed per lane. The free weights section is quieter than I have ever seen it, cleaner and more organized, I guess that is due to the lower volume of users.
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 7,408 Member
    I use a small local privately owner power-lifting gym. They reopened last July.

    When they did, they were flooded with people trying to join, because the chain gyms hadn’t yet reopened. The owners turned new members down flat, and have been very cautious about signing up new members since then.

    You basically have to be grilled about your social life by the owner, and if she feels anything about you screams “social butterfly”, she sends you elsewhere. She’s revoked memberships of users caught not wiping equipment. The cleaning and fogging protocol is insane.

    Some of the members may roll their eyes, but they damn sure don’t do it in front of her, or they’re out the door. She’s fierce.

    We’ve only had a couple of members who’ve had it, which is unreal compared to the stats.
  • Maxxitt
    Maxxitt Posts: 1,281 Member
    I haven't been to the gym since last March. It's been really hard. I was an "episodic" goer due to traveling and other life issues (3 months regular attendance, one month away) but it was a part of my life for years and always an important component of maintaining my health It's open now, with various precautions, but being in a high risk group I have not chanced it. I've made half assed attempts to sling some dumbbells around at home but haven't gotten a routine I will stick to. HOWEVER, vaccination is in the foreseeable future, and with some confidence that if I still get sick I am likely not to be hospitalized or die, I plan to go back 4 weeks after the second shot.
  • corinasue1143
    corinasue1143 Posts: 7,467 Member
    Our gyms are open, but the pool is closed, classes are limited, and canceled often. Machines are limited for spacing. I let my membership lapse. I’m not handling it well.
  • Kupla71
    Kupla71 Posts: 1,112 Member
    Gyms are closed here and have been for months. I do miss going. I’ve been just walking and doing calisthenics and short strength training workouts with light weights which is all I have. I miss swimming too. Swimming is a great stress reliever for me. When the lockdown is over I don’t know if I will feel that it’s safe enough to return to the gym but I might use the pool in my building.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,627 Member
    I use a small local privately owner power-lifting gym. They reopened last July.

    When they did, they were flooded with people trying to join, because the chain gyms hadn’t yet reopened. The owners turned new members down flat, and have been very cautious about signing up new members since then.

    You basically have to be grilled about your social life by the owner, and if she feels anything about you screams “social butterfly”, she sends you elsewhere. She’s revoked memberships of users caught not wiping equipment. The cleaning and fogging protocol is insane.

    Some of the members may roll their eyes, but they damn sure don’t do it in front of her, or they’re out the door. She’s fierce.

    We’ve only had a couple of members who’ve had it, which is unreal compared to the stats.

    in my normal gym (not the larger one with the pool), I am one of a few who go, as I said. However.... I do see people NOT wipe machines. This bothers my OCD in the best of times, but covid has given validity to nearly ALL of OCD issues. I not only wipe my OWN machine (before and after use), I ALSO wipe all the OTHER machines before I leave. because I don't trust people and I don't want people to get sick (especially since most of them are 60+ in this particular gym). And I REALLY don't want the gym to shut down again.
  • FitAgainBy55
    FitAgainBy55 Posts: 179 Member
    I'm just building out my own home gym. I've purchased over 300 lbs of kettlebells over the last couple of months. I've built some straps so I can combine them for heavier weights so that I can do heavier deadlifts. I'll see how far I can get with the kettlebells but ultimately I'd like to have one of these:

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  • YellowD0gs
    YellowD0gs Posts: 693 Member
    Our gym shut down last March 18, although they've reopened recently. As things became a rush, we bought the last pair of 15# dumbells and a balance ball in town. They were the last things available and there's been precious little exercise equipment to be found since. I used the dumbells to augment body weight exercises, but 15 pounds will only get you so far... I renewed my membership to qualify for an employee perk and saw about half the people masked, and the other half mask-less. I won't be starting back until I get vaxed, and I can't wait for it!