No face masks on treadmill and strenuous workouts, but you must wear one for low-impact exercise
Gyms are reopening in regional Victoria on Wednesday and in a fortnight in Melbourne, with new health advice revealing the exercises that will and won’t require you to wear a face mask.
VIC News
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Gym users can ditch their face masks for strenuous workouts such as treadmill runs but not for less vigorous exercises such as stretching or lifting weights.
The latest Victorian health advice comes amid confusion over how the compulsory wearing of face masks applies to gyms and exercise settings.
Victorians have been cleared to kick footballs in the park, provided it is within the rules of mask-wearing and public gatherings.
Metropolitan gyms reopen on November 9, regional gyms on Wednesday.
Russell Jarrett, who runs Infinity Health Club in Cobram, said the face mask regulations were highly restrictive and impractical for gym users, regardless of their activities.
“Especially as we head into the warmer months, it’s going to be a challenge,’’ Mr Jarrett said. “But if you walk into a gym you’ll be able to keep a safe distance. You’re not going to be spitting or spraying saliva on anyone.’’
Vic Health updated its gym advice: “When running on a treadmill you don’t wear a mask, but you do wear a mask if you are doing bench weights, stretching or doing pilates.’’
Professor Stephen Turner, head of microbiology at Monash University, said the main issue was the indoor nature of gym exercise.
“When you’re jogging outside, the risk is much lower,” Professor Turner said.
“The other thing is around air circulation and ventilation in gyms. Good ventilation can reduce the transmission risk. But it is an airborne virus and the droplets can hang around in the air or land on a surface.’’
Professor Turner said most masks allowed enough oxygen into the body while exercising.
Meanwhile, industry body VicActive said 80 per cent of fitness centres would operate with unsustainable losses.
The rules outlined on Monday limit numbers to 20 users per venue and 10 per space, plus a maximum of one person per 8sq m.
VicActive spokesman Tim Schleiger said a third of owners were considering not opening at all.
“These owners don’t have the capacity to carry more losses given they have essentially been shut since late March,” Mr Schleiger said.
“Every other state and territory in Australia recognised that fitness centres are safe if they have COVID-19 safe plans and practise established infection control measures.
“Victoria was the only state to keep us closed.”
Mr Schleiger said Fitness Australia data in NSW revealed no cases of transmission from 7.31 million check-ins at 546 clubs in the eight weeks after reopening.
“I can go to the bottle shop, get a tattoo and have my back waxed. But I can’t easily go to my local fitness centre and work out and hopefully improve my physical and mental health,” he said.
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