A Heavy Weight to Carry

As major national gyms prepare to re-open as soon as this week, fitness facilities in Makhanda are buckling under the pressures brought on them by the national lockdown. Last week’s amendments to the disaster act opened no window for gyms and when Grocott’s Mail spoke to owners last week, their resources were dwindling, along with their confidence in being able to return to business as usual in the near future.

“People are yearning for gyms to reopen,” said Felix Munyai, who manages the Rhodes University Health Suite.

The fitness service industry has been among the very last to reopen since the beginning of the nationwide lockdown on 26 March. Additionally, according to the latest Government Gazette, updated on the 25 June, the Disaster Management Act stated that gyms and fitness centres were instructed to remain closed and gatherings on the premises of these facilities remain prohibited.

For some gyms, their overhead costs are temporarily being covered by membership fees that were paid in full for the entire year, but as the days continue and other industries slowly begin to reopen, gym owners are losing both an income and hope.

“Our source of income has been pulled out from under our feet,” said Rose Palmer, the owner of CrossFit Grahamstown.

“Obviously we haven’t received any form of income in three months so it’s only a matter of time before there’s nothing we can do to earn a living – no work for me or my employees,” said the owner of Muscle Factory, Jake Haefele.

Unfortunately, the effects spill over to local gym-goers who have not all received promises of reimbursements, and will not be receiving any with certainty in the near future.

All gym owners, however, agreed on the physical and mental benefits of reopening the fitness service industry and have emphasised the importance, now more than ever, of maintaining fitness during the global pandemic.

“Fitness is a pillar of health and wellness – fitness is therapy,” said Munyai. “Anyone who is not able to access the facility will feel disadvantaged,” he said.

“If you exercise, you’re going to have a stronger immune system, so I think the people being away from gym is actually doing harm to their health,” said Haefele.

Meanwhile, some of the local gym and fitness centre owners have taken this time to look into new alternative methods of holding their fellow gym-goers accountable and keeping community members fit. CrossFit joined the online trend, hosting online training sessions on Zoom for enthusiastic community members.

“Obviously, it’s not the same as being there in person but it’s at least holding some people accountable and helping them to train,” said Palmer. “[The response] has been great!”

The management of the local gyms are confident that the benefits of safely opening for business would outweigh the risks.

“[Reopening facilities would involve] the same protocols as your supermarket or any other place that would have large numbers of people gathering,” said Haefele.

Still, the management of the local fitness facilities are optimistic that their industry will be allowed to continue operations soon, and say they are continuing preparations to ensure everyone’s safety should that day arrive.

“It is feasible that people may go back and it is in their interest and health,” Munyai said.

Recent research suggests that gyms with outdoor areas should use these for classes rather than indoors, where vapour droplets from people exercising vigorously are more likely to circulate. A greater distance than the normal 1.5m and non-sharing of equipment remain key in reducing the risk of spreading the Coronavirus.

“Fitness is a pillar of health and wellness – fitness is therapy.”

*First Published in Grocott's Direct