Coronavirus: sweat is sweet if you’re tyred of staying home

Australians are renowned for ­loving the great outdoors — and never more so than after being stuck inside for three long weeks.

Hayley Sullivan and Tom Carlos exercise at Moore Park, Sydney. Picture: Nikki Short

Australians are renowned for ­loving the great outdoors — and never more so than after being stuck inside for three long weeks.

Hayley Sullivan and Tom Carlos are a living embodiment of the country’s once-booming fitness industry, with 3500 gyms and about 26,000 personal trainers.

Ms Sullivan was a popular pilates instructor while Mr Carlos was a daily gym devotee. And like most Australians, they never saw COVID-19 coming.

To keep fit and to avoid “going insane”, they are among a growing number of people taking to the ­nation’s parks to stay healthy both physically and mentally. And they have christened Moore Park, near Sydney’s CBD, their “new gym”.

“We can’t go to the gym and we can’t use outdoor equipment, but we can lift that truck tyre,” laughed Mr Carlos, 27. “It gets hard living in a one-bedroom apartment.”

Ms Sullivan said there was “no resisting” a balmy autumn day: “We just had to get outside; I’ve been feeling so claustrophobic.”

Amid all the warnings to stay home during the COVID-19 crisis, there’s been one consistent companion message: keep exercising.

While many personal trainers are switching to the virtual world in a bid to remain viable, some said they had noticed a surge in clients requesting outdoor classes.

Personal trainer Nick Holland, who runs one-on-one fitness sessions in Sydney’s Centennial Park, said clients were “desperate” to get outside. “There are heaps more people asking to do classes outdoors,” Mr Holland, 46, said.

“People are pining for that hour or so of fresh air, and obviously exercise is one of the only ways they can get it.”

All states and territories currently allow Australians to leave the home and meet with one person to do exercise, although NSW has indicated it would prefer people to work out at home.

NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said last week that outdoor exercise was permitted, provided people adhered to the 1.5m social-distancing rules.

“A good rule of thumb is that if you’re questioning whether you should be doing something, it’s best to give it a miss,” he said.

In most states, enforcement of the rules is left up to the police officers’ discretion. However, walking, jogging, cycling, push-ups and outdoor ball games between two people are allowed.

For some, including Sydney couple Shaun Bouma and Jacque Kimura, Australia’s new-found ­appreciation of the great outdoors has been an opportunity to try something new.

“I’ve had a slackline for about a year now, but this is the first time we’ve given it a go,” Mr Bouma, 32, told The Australian.

While the couple weren’t sure if learning to navigate a 2.5cm-wide rope was on the list of approved outdoor activities, they agreed it was a “good enough excuse” to get out and enjoy the autumn sunshine.

“I’ve never used a slackline before so I’ve got no idea how I made it to the end on my first day trying,” Ms Kimura, 25, said. “I guess the fresh air is helping me focus.”