Covid-19 Safety Tips: Working Together to Keep The Gym Clean

Coronavirus. Covid-19. Pandemic. Schools are closing. Sporting events are cancelled. The world holds its collective breath waiting to see what will happen next.

In some areas, things seem to be eerily business as usual. I went to the gym today and was surprised by some things I saw. I belong to an inexpensive, national chain gym. There are dozens and dozens of pieces of cardio equipment.

So why did I see people five abreast on treadmills, when there was an entirely empty row?

Covid-19 and Gyms: Our Safety Tips

✓ Cleanliness Precautions

Wash your hands when you get to the gym. Use a paper towel to handle doors.

This is the cleaning station at my gym. They have many of these where I work out. An easy precaution any of us can take is to clean our workout equipment before and after we use it. Sure, we would hope that everyone cleans their machine after they are done. However, that’s not a chance I plan to take. You should not either.

Today I did something I have never done before. I cleaned my mat before using it for core work. It’s a small thing. But for prevention, small things add up to big things.

✓ Hydration

Did you know that hydration, sleep, and diet are three things the CDC is saying can help many of us stay healthy through this? I brought my own water bottle to the gym. I filled mine at home but when using a filling station at work, I am pushing the fill button with my hip, not my hands.

✓ Give Yourself Room To Breathe

Sure, in some gyms this might not be possible. But at the gym I visited today, there was a lot of empty space. Yet, some gym patrons were still working out right next to each other. My niece happened to end up at the gym at the same time as I, yet she choose a piece of cardio equipment two ellipticals away from mine. This is just smart practice.

I did not take any photographs at the gym because, well, that’s rude. But I kind of wanted to for illustration purposes. There were four older individuals working out right in a row. At another spot of the gym, there were 3 people right next to one another on treadmills. There were plenty of empty machines.

I get it. It’s fun to be next to people you know. But hear me out. The CDC states that maintaining a safe distance can be helpful in prevention.

✓ Personal Hand Hygiene

The number one recommendation by the CDC is to wash your own hands frequently with an antibacterial soap. Encourage others around you to do the same. Make it a game with your kids. Sing a song while washing.

My granddaughter loves to brush her teeth to Alexa singing The Itsy Bitsy Spider.  Find a way to keep your kids engaged and soaping up longer.

✓ Stay Home If You Are Sick

Sure, you want to get your sweat on. I’ve said it before when sick. “I need to sweat this out.” Not this time. Not at the gym at least.

If you are sick, you need to stay home. It isn’t fair to the other patrons for anyone to be selfish right now. If you’re sick, stay home. If you want to work out, consider running outside or working out in your own home.

✓  Be Fit, Be Smart, Be Safe

Hopefully, Covid-19 will be quickly slowed then stopped due to quick thinking government officials and average folks taking precautionary measures. While no-one wants to instill panic, it is smart to be mindful during stressful times.

If everyone works together in public gathering spaces like our gyms, churches and grocery stores, we can make a huge difference!