Local gyms kick off new fitness and food challenges to help motivate Tasmanians

Gyms have been given the green light to reopen but lots of changes are being made to meet strict hygiene and social distancing rules.

FITNESS enthusiasts have flocked to gyms across the state, keen to return to their pre-COVID exercise routines.

But there’s also a new breed of post-coronavirus fitness boffins who have discovered the benefits of exercise from home, and plan to continue with live-streamed gym classes.

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All Aerobics owner Guy Franklin is excited to be opening his doors for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. Picture: ZAK SIMMONDS

Meanwhile, some local gyms, including F45 in Hobart and Citywide Fitness at Mornington, are kicking off new fitness and food challenges in coming days to help motivate Tasmanians as they return to the gym.

New online booking systems have also been put in place at fitness centres to ensure numbers remain small and toilets are available — but not changerooms or showers.

All Aerobics owner Guy Franklin said he’d carefully tweaked timetables and introduced new social distancing measures to ensure members could return to exercise while adhering to the Government’s 20-person rule.

With the opening date having been brought forward from June 15 to June 5, he said gyms had to act fast to ensure they were ready to open.

“We tend to be quite a social hub, it’s very much a club-type place,’’ he said.

“But people will be very much encouraged to get in and out.’’

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Guy Franklin said people were booking out classes well in advance. Picture: ZAK SIMMONDS

Mr Franklin said even though it was winter, people were booking out classes well in advance.

“The biggest thing about exercise is getting people into a habit, and once they’re in that habit they tend to stick to it,’’ he said.

“People seem really quite excited to get back into it.’’

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He has been running online classes throughout the pandemic, plus outdoor classes for up to 10 people in the gym’s carpark.

“For some people it’s a better option, especially people who are still working from home,’’ Mr Franklin said.