Going to the gym hasn’t been the same since the COVID 19 pandemic.
Not only do you have the actual threat of the virus, but despite best efforts from hardworking staff, there are additional rules you have to follow.
Right now, you might have to wear a mask to workout.
Yes, wearing a mask will keep you safe. But working out in a mask is not always an easy task. Yes, some gyms will allow you to remove the mask in some cases, but not being able to breathe when one of the very fundamentals of training correctly is breathing properly, can be dangerous.
Then we have the absence of community water sources.
Water fountains are off limits for straight drinking. And if you don’t have a water bottle, or you can’t buy water or a container with cash (one major chain has gone cashless) then you’re working out dehydrated, and that is very dangerous.
These are the indirect effects of measures that are meant to protect you.
But if you’re not getting the experience you paid for, then you should consider freezing or cancelling your membership and returning to your home workouts.
Your gyms should be willing to work with you. The process is as easy as a few keystrokes in some cases.
If you’re a gym rat like me, then it’s not an easy decision. But some of these dues are expensive and these are rules that blur the edges between fighting COVID and exercising safely.
The day will return when we’ll all get back to our fitness routines. But right now, it’s your money and you should get what you paid for.