AFTER months of closure and various operational changes, regional Victorian gyms are almost back to regular programming.<\/p>\n
Having only opened its doors earlier this year, Bannockburn\u2019s Pulse 24\/7 gym managing director Samantha White said while it\u2019s been a tough start to business, it\u2019s nice to get back to work.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were open for 36 days and then closed for 82 and we weren\u2019t eligible for any government funding so it\u2019s made things a lot more difficult than usual,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow, when you come into our facility you have to sign a COVID declaration form, do temperature testing and follow all the COVID-safe procedures.<\/p>\n
\u201cThrough the second half of the lockdown, we ran outdoor classes and group classes, one-on-one training outside when the weather permitted and since reopening, we now aim to have group fitness up and running 1 February.\u201d<\/p>\n
Although patrons visit the gym for a variety of reasons, Ms White said it\u2019s nice to be able to reinstate a sense of normalcy through being active.<\/p>\n
\u201cSince reopening we have found a lot of people have signed up that have never visited a gym before and it was all about their mental state of mind,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of people have found that over this time anxiety and depression have risen.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo be able to step back into normality or people reaching out for health and fitness, with the endorphins and the feel-good hormones released with doing so not to mention the health benefits, is great for them.\u201d<\/p>\n
In considering that both returning to the gym and becoming a brand-new member can both be daunting, Ms White also offered a variety of tips to help individuals in regional communities get active.<\/p>\n
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Prepare the night before<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cLayout your gym clothes and pre-pack your gym bag the night before,\u201d Ms White said.<\/p>\n \u201cDoing so will not only save you time, decision making power but you are also preparing your mind for a workout several hours in advance.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n