By Tamica Garnett
AFTER seven months of having to get by as best they could with closed doors, many fitness trainers, gym owners, and gym goers, breathed a sigh of relief to see the reopening of gyms included in the most recent “COVID-19 Emergency Measures” that were gazetted last Friday.

It has been a trying past few months for the gym businesses. Like other sectors, some came up with creative ways to continue to be able to make an income, while the hardest hit of the lot had to close their doors entirely.

“It’s been a difficult time. We had our challenges, but for the most of us we’re just ready to get back into it and get started and make the best of what the world is facing at this time,” shares President of the Guyana Gym Owners and Trainers Association, Noshavyah King.

Herself, a gym owner, King operates Genesis Fitness Gym located on Durban Street, and believes that the reopening of gyms has been long overdue.
Gyms in Guyana have been closed, by law, since March, as part of measures that were implemented to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus, which prohibited any gathering of more than five persons. Gyms were only officially given permission to reopen from Sunday, November 1. However, they have to operate at 50 per cent capacity and ensure regular proper sanitisation is done.

In addition to clearing for the reopening of the gyms, the curfew was also raised from 21:00hrs to 22:30hrs.
“We’ve been closed for seven months and cases just continue to climb. We think that gyms are more part of the solution, and not the problem,” she said.
“With the strict protocols and safety measures in place at the gym, we can help persons to build their immune systems and help with the depression that a lot of persons may have been suffering from during the lockdown period. It gets persons physically active and overall healthier.”

With months of being at home, regular gym goers are already flocking to come back to their gyms.
“Gym is practically my life. I was deeply affected by gym being closed. It was the toughest thing ever,” expressed Kimberly DosSantos, a member of the Genesis Fitness Gym
On the news of gym being allowed to reopen its doors, she wasted no time and has been back at it since Monday.
“I feel very excited. I was working out at home but I didn’t have enough equipment really, and I would’ve seen the gym as much safer than being out in the park, because even prior to COVID-19 it was always a sanitised place,” she conveyed.

King said DosSantos was not the only client who was excited to get back to their normal exercise routines.
“Our group sessions start from tomorrow but already the list is over the limit due to the 50 per cent capacity; so we’re going to have to have additional classes to accommodate all the members,” King explained.

ONLINE CLASSES
During the months she had to close her door, King had taken her business virtually, conducting classes online. However, this opened a new opportunity for King, as she was able to now also take her business internationally, catering to clients in London, Barbados and the USA just to name a few places.
Though not a regular gym goer, Julian Cadogan is happy with the reopening and said he’s looking forward to returning to his exercises.
“During this time I’m hoping to go to gym around 5 o’clock when I’m hoping most people won’t be there but I’m not sure which gym will be open at that time and what the dynamics will be. I’m hoping persons are flocking back to gym immediately.”

At Fitness Paradise Gym, however, notwithstanding the demand, the doors are not just about ready to reopen. Hard hit by the closures, the gym had to give up its location on Lance Gibbs Street and let most of its staff go. The gym had some 600 – 700 members at the time it closed.
“We’re getting phone calls every day pertaining to the reopening, but as it is right now, I feel it’s still risky to reengage commercially until we get a venue that could accommodate a large number without putting too many persons at risk,” relates the Gym’s owner, Jermin Jones.

During the months of closure, Jones modified his service to offer personal training to a smaller number of clients and changing to a new location.
“Not only did we have to close and I lost income over the months and had to move but we had to shut down our location as a result of the COVID-19 situation, because of the makeup of the location and we had to find some way to engage persons,” he explained.

In the meantime as he continues to assess the situation, Jones said he will be continuing with the personal training where he works alongside three other trainers and a small number of clients.

The closure of gyms had effected both an increase in the demand for personal trainers, as well as outdoor training. Capitalising on this was fitness trainer, Ewin Enmore,
“Due to the closer of gyms during the Covid-19 pandemic, there was an increase of persons wanting to excerise outdoors as a new norm. The concept of not being restricted to a gym gave persons a feeling of freedom,” he said.

He is glad that the curfew hours have been extended which will free up more time for the exercise sessions.