Exercising In the Time of Covid-19

For the past 8 months we have all been living in a strange dystopian sci-fi movie, a movie that for now has no ending, no resolution and no fully predicable outcome. Many of our norms are turned upside down, once we tried to be social and because it’s good for us it was recommended, now not so much. Once upon a time you were alarmed when someone walked in wearing a mask, now we’re alarmed if they don’t. Extending a hand was once a sign of respect, now it’s a sign of disrespect. Who would imagine that being a daredevil could include going to the market, trying indoor dinning or going to a movie theater? What about those stocked shelves that are starting to turn bare once again. Have you tried to buy shower cleaner, Windex or Lysol lately, pretty hard to come by. TP and paper towels are starting to disappear again too as the virus ticks up, funny the things we deem important.

Social isolation can drive us to irrational behavior as we fall further away from our normal. For some it can be a sense of loss of control and surrender for others it can be an over-reaction to exert control or to express your freedom.  These are both stress reactions to our current predicament and neither is truly healthy on its own. We are creatures of habit and to feel ourselves we need to follow routine.  

Create a new normal, incorporate the things you still can do and learn to evolve the things that you can’t. Being productive can have a profound effect on mood and wellbeing. This is a great time to learn a new language, become a better cook or do some online learning. Maybe it’s finally painting that room, refinishing a piece of furniture or redoing the garden. In fact exercise is one of the best stress busters of all. It can be working in that garden, or going for a walk or maybe a bike ride. If you keep your social distance and keep a mask handy it’s perfectly safe. There are countless online exercise videos you can follow from home or if you prefer the comradery you can do an online group class. Many don’t require exercise equipment either. We as well as many others offer Live Online personal training. Same customization, same guidance and immediate feedback as if you were in person only now in the comfort of your own home, without the virus risk, and without the back and forth drive.

I can’t stress enough that exercising outdoors is extremely safe as long as you practice social distancing and wear a mask when you get close to someone. Wearing a mask not only protects you, but also those around you. I think wearing a mask doesn’t make you look weak it makes you empowering. Super heroes wear masks too.

I have worked in the health and exercise field for many years, in health clubs, studios, small gyms, etc. and I would not feel comfortable exercising indoors. If it’s a small one on one thing with no-one else around, with good ventilation you’re probably good, but in an environment with multiple people exercising or a quarter filled health club no way. Three reasons; 1) People exhale significantly harder when exercising meaning droplets travel much farther.   2) Particles can stay airborne for several hours; 10-15 minutes can expose you to a significant viral load. 3) That’s a whole lot of surfaces getting touched; they are only as clean as the last time it was disinfected. There are some gyms allowing clients to exercise in an outdoor area, as long as you are socially distanced and everyone is wearing a mask you should be okay, just don’t touch your face.

Covid-19 is on the rise again and though the death rate has declined a thousand people a day are still losing their lives. As the number of positive tests goes up so will the death toll. History shows us (Spanish flu) the second wave was far worse than the first, Europe is already seeing the beginning of this. This doesn’t mean you should give up, this too will pass. The best thing you can do is keep your mind engaged in healthy pass times, eat healthy choices, stay physically active and sleep adequately. All of these things help your immune system function at optimally and your stress levels to decrease.

Be safe – be well.

July 22, 2021

Today would have been my brothers birthday had he not fallen victim to Covid-19 last May. Sadly this pandemic has not faded away and new cases are once again on the rise. Variant D has proven itself to be significantly more contagious than the previous forms. Viruses usually evolve into less lethal, but more transmissible pathogens. We will likely not see the loss of life we experienced last fall and winter since many more of us are vaccinated, but positivity rates are up five fold in Los Angeles. Breakthrough cases and deaths among the non-vaccinated are also on the rise. Though I wrote the original article 8 months ago, I would say all the concerns and recommendations with the exception of out door masking still stand. In fact exercising outdoors is extremely safe. I would still be leery of crowded indoor areas without masking especially in places where people are breathing heavily.

This is just my two cents. All the best.