Cold weather and an increase in the number of COVID infections in the country make it increasingly difficult to find a safe place to get an effective workout. Your apartment community makes it easy to “hit the gym” without leaving your apartment community, but you still need to be just as careful in your fitness center as you would be in a public gym. The following tips can help you stay fit and avoid infection.
One of the many benefits of living in an apartment community that includes a fitness center is that you share fitness equipment exclusively with the residents of your community. No matter how few people use the fitness center, it’s still important to keep surfaces and your hands clean, wear a mask, and practice social distancing to protect the health of fellow gym-goers and residents.
– Never use the fitness center and other public amenities when you are feeling sick.
– Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer when you arrive at the gym.
– Always wipe down equipment before and after use.
– Do not use public water fountains and avoid touching the mouth of your water bottle with your hands.
– Be mindful of touching your phone, headphones, and other personal items after using equipment, and be sure to sanitize these items after your workout.
– When you return home, wash your clothes and take a shower.
Working out in a mask may seem like an unreasonable request, but adjustments to your workout routine can make masked workouts easier to endure than you might think. If you usually perform long, intense, cardio workouts, this is an outstanding time to change your routine and try some circuit training. You can maintain an elevated heart rate with short bursts of activity followed by short periods of rest or weight lifting to prevent you from feeling like you are gasping for breath.
If you’ve always been interested in yoga, now is the perfect time to start! The meditative effects of yoga practice have been shown to reduce stress, a benefit we can all appreciate as we face new challenges and stresses in our lives. The slow, measured breathing required during yoga practice also makes it easier to wear a mask and makes it less likely that you might transmit the virus. Pilates is another really effective workout that involved controlled breathing, allowing you to get the most out of your masked workouts.
Take some time to notice the habits of other community members who use the fitness center and do your best to work out when the gym is empty to prevent sharing air with other exercisers. Even with a mask, you can catch or spread the virus if you breathe heavily in an enclosed space with another person for as little as 15 minutes. Try planning a few short workouts, perhaps one in the morning and one after work, rather than spending long periods of time in the gym. It may even boost your energy level to split your workout into smaller components!
If working out in a fitness center is still not an option for you, check out our blog post about Home Workouts for how to achieve a successful workout right from your apartment!
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