Fitness fanatics and gym junkies will soon be able to get their fix as some gyms across the country begin to reopen after being shut for more than five months to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
There is no doubt that gym-goers would have been champing at the bit to return to their beloved fitness equipment and work-out routines since President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the country would be going into lockdown Level-2.
President Cyril Ramaphosa addresses the nation:
Many gyms across the country remain closed while their operators try to meet the necessary health guidelines amid the coronavirus pandemic. Some gyms in northern Johannesburg like Planet Fitness are rearing to go.
“We are exceptionally ready. With regards to the compliance that we sent to the government, we 100% comply and we are absolutely ready to open this week,” says Planet Fitness Rosebank’s Gillian Elson.
At Crossfit Cyprium in Randburg, it was business as usual albeit under the new normal. According to trainer, Eduan Viljoen, online booking was essential before members could be welcomed back this morning.
“Our big thing was how many members can we have per class and still respect social distancing? So we sent an email to everybody to allocate certain slots. Only eight slots per class and this helps us regulate who’s coming in, making sure that there are not too many people close to one another. Every station has sanitation sprays, everybody cleans their workstation before and after sessions,” says Viljoen.
While the world still grapples with just how much this coronavirus will still affect us and the people around us in the future, some people have chosen to just stay home. “I don’t think I will go back in the near future. They say the virus can reoccur and hit another peak.”
South Africa officially entered Level-2 of lockdown protocols on Tuesday morning. But something as simple as going to the gym, safely, amid the coronavirus pandemic, may still be possible.
