Accessible Exercise Options Post Covid-19
As many indoor commercial gyms remain closed amongst the Covid-19 pandemic, it is imperative that we continue to exercise for both our physical and mental health. Being confined to our homes for extended periods of time can affect our health in several ways, including; increased levels of anxiety & stress, restlessness, fatigue and insomnia. There are many systems in our body that are also affected by decreased activity, including our immune, muscle and skeletal systems. During these uncertain times it is vital that we stay active, while ensuring we continue to follow the guidelines put in place to flatten the curve. At Outdoor-Fit we are working to provide our customers and the public with exercise options to do outside in a safe manner.
As restrictions begin to lift it is expected that our new “normal” may look different then what we were used to. When businesses begin to re-open it is expected that there may be new regulations put in place to ensure public safety. This includes commercial gyms, which are expected to have a new and smaller maximum capacity. For the time being, your traditional gym membership won’t be as convenient as they were. To ensure public safety, gyms will likely be removing equipment to arrange proper spacing and will have limited or restricted access to areas of the gym including free weights, lockers rooms and additional features such as massage chairs or tanning beds. As a rule of thumb, it is expected that there will only be allowed 1 person per 100sq/ft including staff. While it is predicted that indoor gyms will have these measures in place for some time, it’s uncertain if group classes and high intensity spin programs will return when gyms reopen. This begs the question, what other options do we have other than indoor fitness facilities?
Parks and trails will provide communities with options to walk, bike, run, etc. while practicing safe social distancing. However, this focuses mainly on cardio exercise and doesn’t compare to the full body workouts you can do in an indoor gym. Outdoor fitness equipment will provide accessible exercise options to communities, universities, home owners associations, etc. At Outdoor-Fit, we manufacture premium outdoor fitness equipment that caters to all fitness levels. Our equipment is designed for safe, beneficial workouts, that provide real exercise value and visible results. All our equipment includes full color instructional placards for each exercise station. These placards also feature a QR code that can be scanned to provide users with a “how-to” for each exercise, in turn helping those who may not be familiar with the equipment.
Outdoor exercise removes barriers to entry, including cost and time associated with indoor fitness facilities. This provides everyone with equal opportunity to improve and maintain their physical wellbeing and enhance self-esteem. Outdoor exercise is known to reduce stress, improve mood and burn more calories than indoor exercise! Outdoor fitness equipment has seen an increase in popularity over the years, and at Outdoor-Fit we believe that this will only continue to grow. Outdoor fitness equipment is a great way to encourage physical activity among all ages and promote healthy lifestyles in families and communities. Furthermore, as Covid-19 may have individuals hesitant to return to indoor fitness facilities, outdoor fitness could see a dramatic spike across the globe when this pandemic comes to an end.