by Francesco Fiori
Since the third lockdown started in the UK, Londoners’ lives have changed, especially those who practice sports and work hard to keep fit.
Many gyms have decided to show their commitment to regular exercise by putting their classes online. For some lucky people, that means it has actually been easier to stay fit during these difficult times.
Julia Niedziela, 37-year-old receptionist, said: “I moved my classes online, and it works perfectly for me; I can enjoy my daily routine while being in my comfort zone, such as my house.”
Niedziela explained that she doesn’t like to work outside her comfort zone, but she needs to keep using her membership since it’s not her fault that her gym has closed down.
Hopeful for reopening
Christian Baltaru, 34, a sales assistant at Whole Foods, said: “I can’t wait to see the gyms reopening. I feel bad about staying at home and can’t access my gym. This makes me feel frustrated and nervous, and I can’t release my stress because the closure of my gym is the main problem.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced his “roadmap to recovery”, a step-by-step process to get us out of the Covid lockdown. As part of the plan, gyms could re-open by April 12th at the earliest, but in-person group classes could only take place by May 17th, if not later.
After the recent announcements, Baltaru doesn’t know how to manage his sporting life.
In the beginning, Niedziela was enjoying online classes. She said: “I am disappointed about this month and a half extra, but I need to interact with others and get out of my house.
“Usually, I go out for a daily walk, but it is not the same as going to the gym. I had the opportunity to freeze my membership, but I can still access online classes through my gym’s website,” says Niedziela.
Outdoor sports are expected to return earlier, which should give fitness fanatics some relief. Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi told LBC that March 29th is the day team sports will be allowed, including organised team sports and outdoor swimming pools.
“The simple way to look at this is that outdoor is safer and therefore we prioritise versus indoor,” he told LBC.
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