Fitness, Health

Here Are My Problems with Going Back to the Gym

They can drown that place in disinfectant. But is it safe?

Photo by Sarah Cervantes on Unsplash

I miss my gym.

I miss the classes—I was a regular at BodyPump, Piyo, and yoga, and I even took cycling once in a while.

I miss Nicky, the instructor who knows I need to work my abs. She always fit core exercises into the class when she saw me there.

I miss my gym friend Heidi, and I wonder if her son was able to get married this year.

I miss the structure of having someplace to be four or five times a week.

I miss seeing my triceps.

On March 16, nearly everything in Pennsylvania except grocery stores and pharmacies shut down. The staff at my gym canceled classes that night and locked the doors at 8 p.m.

Those doors stayed locked for more than three months, until June 26, when my county transitioned to “green” and gyms could open with safeguards in place.

With the reopening, I can see that the people running my gym are being cautious:

• They’ve sanitized the whole place
• They’re requiring masks for staff and recommending them for members, and requiring 14 feet of…