THE start of a new year normally sees many of us embark on a new fitness regime.
Gym are packed, exercise enthusiasts queue up for the treadmill and running club memberships spike.
But Covid-19 has changed the face of the fitness industry. Gyms across the north have closed down once again to comply with the latest lockdown restrictions and outdoor activities such as walking are only permitted with members of one's own household. Yet now, more than ever, health and wellbeing are essential.
Throughout lockdown, exercise served as an antidote to the doom and the gloom and provided many people with an outlet in otherwise restricted lives.
So what does the future hold for the fitness industry in 2021 and will gyms attract clients back when lockdown restrictions are lifted? Or will home gyms, Zoom classes and online personal training replace face-to-face and group fitness?
Former boxing champion and owner of Magee Health and Fitness in Belfast, Brian Magee, believes there will be a fitness explosion this year when restrictions are lifted, as more people realise the importance of exercise in the fight against Covid.
But while he acknowledges home workouts and online training are a temporary necessity, he says their solitary aspect can't be as beneficial for people as a gym environment.
“If 2020 has shown us anything it's that being fit and healthy is crucial when it comes to avoiding Covid or how we fight it if we are unfortunate enough to take ill,” he says.
“People are more mindful now of keeping fit and putting the right food into their bodies. After the first lockdown was lifted last summer, we had 49 new members join up. We were lucky because we were able to offer outdoor classes when the gym was closed that first time, which definitely helped boost our numbers when we reopened.
“We also did Zoom classes and online training and while they have their place, I'm not a huge fan of home workouts. People live in their homes, they eat there, many are having to work from home too. It's easy to feel like a prisoner in your own home.
“Humans crave company. Getting to the gym isn't just about exercise, it's also about interacting with other people. The social aspect is important. Exercising on your own can be lonely and in reality, isn't a healthy option long term.”
Brian says the ripple effect of closing gyms won't be seen for a few months yet. Some will struggle to open as a result of lost revenue, while the mental health factor won't be evident yet, he believes.
“Exercise is essential for good mental health and we haven't seen the full damage of going in and out of lockdown yet,” Brian says.
“Research by Ukactive shows the spread of germs in gyms was practically zero. Many gym owners invested money in deep cleaning, glass shields, hand sanitisers. We introduced pods, almost like members having their own wee gyms. These proved very popular and we'll keep them when we reopen as some people may still be nervous.
“But I think the days of big classes might be a thing of the past. We have to adapt to this new way of fitness and I'm hopeful that the government will realise how hard we've worked to keep people safe and just how important gyms are for good mental and physical health.”
Gary Rutherford runs ARC Fitness in Derry, which provides fitness training for people struggling with substance misuse. As a qualified nurse, he says he understands the reasons why restrictions were introduced but points out that it's also frustrating, when he sees how gym owners have adapted quickly and carefully to make their venues safe.
“As a gym owner, I can control the gym environment but I can't control places like supermarkets,” he says. "It's a very challenging time to be a gym owner as there's so much uncertainty. This is the third time we've had to close down and move everything online.
“Bigger gyms are able to facilitate individual training but our gym is too small for that. We are also community focussed and have lost that aspect of it as we moved our one-to-one training online.
“There have been negatives and positives with that. The negative is that we've lost that connection, which has always been so important to our members. The positive is that we have access to more people now.
“I can't see online training going away any time soon. I think it'll be here for the majority of this year. Covid has certainly changed the face of fitness.”
When Gary moved PT sessions and classes online, he had to change his way of training to suit home workouts. Members were given basic equipment from the gym to train with while body weight classes proved popular.
Gary believes, much like Brian, that when restrictions are lifted, there'll be a huge surge of people looking to improve their fitness. And he says there's no time like the present to start making those changes.
“When outdoor exercise is permitted for groups again, I can see nearly every green space in the city being full of people,” he says. "There's a more holistic approach to fitness now. It's been stripped right back to basics. People aren't training for size. They're training for physical and mental health.
“We're living in uncertain times so my advice would be not to wait until conditions are perfect. If you're ready and motivated, start exercising in your front room with a rucksack. Start from there until we're able to open the gyms again.”
Claire Magee (no relation to Brian) teaches yoga at Copper Rose in Ballyclare, Flow in Belfast and David Hanna Fitness. When the first lockdown was imposed, Claire offered her yoga classes online and while initially she saw the benefits of teaching this way, she soon realised online wasn't for her.
Claire believes nothing can replace the personal element of yoga; interacting with her pupils, watching them as they attempt their postures, hearing their breathing. For her, online is no longer an option, although she does think online fitness will continue to be trend for 2021 until gyms and yoga studios are able to open.
“Doing Zoom classes, taking them or taking part in them, just isn't for me,” says Claire, who is also a regular member at David Hanna Fitness. “People work from home, they eat and sleep under the same roof. I just don't get it. I need to see people, either when I'm training or teaching.
“When restrictions were lifted, and I was able to go back into the studio and take my first yoga class, I actually wanted to cry.
“It was unbelievable; I really can't describe it. I think I just need the company of other people. And as a yoga teacher, there was no guarantee they were doing it right via Zoom. It was good when there was no other option but I really believe most of us need company.
“For me, Zoom's served its purpose and while it might be around for a while, I definitely think it will eventually start to dwindle off.”
Claire also believes that as more people receive the Covid vaccine, they will return to the gyms and yoga studios.
“I think 2020 has taught us all to appreciate things a bit more; especially our health,” she says. “I think that's a major takeaway from last year – the importance of keeping weight gain at bay, not smoking, watching how much you drink and keeping fit. I had Covid myself and I wasn't well at all with it.
“I dread to think how I would've coped had I not been fit and healthy.”
