Justin Quill: Why gyms should reopen as soon as possible
There’s an undisputed link between physical exercise and mental health, and the gym is a crucial part of many Victorians’ wellbeing that should be prioritised as the state slowly reopens, writes Justin Quill.
Opinion
Don't miss out on the headlines from Opinion. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The plan. The road map. The way out.
All Victorians are waiting with bated breath to hear this weekend from Premier Daniel Andrews how Victoria is going to reopen and get back to some level of normality.
One area I worry will be lost in the rush to put the plan back together is the fitness industry — or more specifically gyms.
When we last came out of “lockdown”, gyms were made to stay closed longer than cafes and restaurants.
That may have been an easier decision, but that doesn’t make it right. In fact, I think it was wrong.
In my view, Daniel Andrews’ road map should see gyms opening up just as quickly as cafes and restaurants.
While I’m a fitness junkie, I have some weights and a makeshift gym in my basement so this is not about me getting back to my local gym.
I’m worried about the large percentage of the community for whom — in normal times — the gym is a mental or physical lifeline.
Last week a caller to Triple M’s Hot Breakfast raised her concerns about her suicidal daughter’s inability to go to her “happy place” — the gym.
The caller said her daughter’s mental state had deteriorated because of the no gym policy. I bet she’s not alone.
And the link between mental health and exercise is well established.
Melbourne Storm and Collingwood sports psychologist, Jacqui Louder, says, “There’s a direct correlation between exercise and mental health, it’s the number one mechanism for managing anxiety and stress. I have significant concerns for the community’s mental health with less exercise — including at gyms — because of our response to COVID-19”.
But it’s not only the community’s mental health at stake here.
Staying at home creates a different dynamic in terms of physical health and the lack of exercise.
You don’t walk to the bus stop to get to work or walk down the street to buy your lunchtime sandwich.
And with gyms closed, you can’t do a gym workout before or after work.
So even if you’re taking advantage of your one hour outdoor exercise, you’re likely to be less active than you would be if you went to work in the ordinary fashion.
Only yesterday the Victorian government announced a “Get active, Victoria” campaign saying “80 per cent of children and more than 50 per cent of adults in Victoria were not doing the recommended amount of physical activity”.
To get people active, we have to make as many exercise options as possible available.
I’m happy enough to go for a run or do some push-ups at home. But not everyone is.
Having limited opportunities for exercise during stage four lockdown is not the only issue.
Working on laptops from kitchen benches causes all sorts of issues, in this period of endless Zoom meetings.
It’s no surprise physios have seen a spike in neck and back injuries.
Physio Sally Maple from Port Melbourne Physiotherapy and pilates says, “We’ve definitely seen an increase in neck and back injuries as a result of the new work from home regime and a lot of people are putting off treatment.”
As well as gym members, we also need the think about the enormous number of people working within the fitness industry.
There are thousands and they have families, mortgages and mouths to feed.
We need to help them get back to work. Ultimately the economy at large will be better off if we do.
And we can do it safely because the risk of infection in gyms is easier to manage now than during normal times.
Tim Schleiger, owner of Train 24/7 gyms, is heading up a coalition of independent gym owners.
Tim told me yesterday: “With people working from home, we no longer have peak times like we used to have. The flow of people is more consistent throughout the day, making it so much easier to keep people socially distanced”. Nor was there a peak during the 10 days between stage three and stage four.
And gym infection rates are low.
Industry body, Fitness Australia, released a statement this week saying, Recent Fitness Australia research found there were more than 7.31 million check-ins across 546 gyms in the first eight weeks after they reopened in NSW on June 13.
“During that same period there had been zero cases of reported community transmission in a gym.”
Zero cases. Let that sink in for a moment.
This is the level of detail that we need the government to descend into.
Look at infection rates. Look at the way gyms actual work in practice at the moment. And where there is risk, impose conditions.
Limited numbers at a time. Sanitising wipes for every piece of equipment. Whatever is necessary. But only what is necessary.
And then it should be for gym owners to decide whether they can operate under those conditions.
Government should not make the assumption gym owners won’t want to open under certain conditions.
Impose conditions but let gyms reopen safely sooner rather than later.
The coronavirus pandemic is a health crisis. Let’s not make it worse by taking away people’s outlets for exercise.
Justin Quill is a media lawyer