For serious gym goers, the coronavirus pandemic has got us flexing our mental muscles and adapting to new way of working out. Prolonged periods of lockdown have forced closure on our sacred spaces where millions sought daily refuge. Whilst it may have been a bumpy transition at first, most of us have now settled into our new regimes leaving some spectators asking: what will the shape of the fitness industry be when lockdowns lift? Will virtual endure or will old habits die hard? I believe the answer lies in what makes these spaces so special in the first place.
Social sanctuaries dating back thousands of years…
The gym[nasium] is an institution that dates back around 3000 years to ancient Greece where naked Athenian men would congregate to train their physical fitness[1]. Whilst our booming athleisure industry ensures we protect our modesty, much like today, gyms were far more than just a space to get your sweat on. Right from their origins, gyms have been sanctuaries where people socialised and share tribulations of their day, exercising their mental as well as physical fitness.
Gyms are social spaces where we make friends who share our passion for that endorphin rush, that hour of self-care and of course our fitness aspirations. I only have to speak to my mum (who has a gym in her home) to know that the small talk with her spin instructor before and after class and the post workout coffee with a friend is as an important part of the ritual as the work out itself. And with an increasingly health conscious society, a post lockdown weekend will not be complete without meeting up for a gym session and a brunch date with a friend. Gyms offer guilt free socialising at its finest.
Spaces to be seen…
Even if you are one of those ‘don’t talk to me whilst I work out’ kind of people, gyms still provide a vital hit of human interaction. There is something deeply comforting about seeing the same faces week-in-week-out in the gym.
Much like the buzz you get when the barista at your favourite coffee shop recites your order as you approach the counter, being greeted by the same person behind the reception makes you feel seen in a way that so much of this digital world often fails us. They know you and they know your commitment. They know that you get up at some god forsaken hour every morning, come rain or shine to make it to that first class of the day. Or that you squeeze in a session between the school run and your late morning appointment. They see you.
And as for your fellow gym goers, they see you too. If you are a regular, they know your spot in the studio, and how you feel when a first timer inadvertently takes that spot that we all save for just for you. Even if we never speak, we hear your name being called out by the instructor and notice when you don’t show up. During lockdown, I’ve found myself picking out runners in the park who I recognise from the gym, a moment of familiarity in a world turned upside down.
As for the ritual…
As well as important social aspects that the gym provides, the ritual that is going to the gym extends way beyond entering its golden gates. The ritual starts the moment you pull on your Lululemon ensemble and continues as you power walk /drive/cycle there whilst listening to that carefully selected pre-workout playlist. It extends to the steaming hot post-workout shower and rewarding coffee or shake that you pick up as you continue to your next destination. This ritual of mentally preparing for whatever the chosen potion, and the time taken to reflect on the sense of achievement offers at least two hours of absolute bliss. Two hours removed from every other worry in the world which no amount of convenience of being able to take a Peloton classes in the spare room can permanently replace.
What will be the shape of the fitness industry when lockdowns lift?
Whilst we have adapted better than die hards might have thought was possible it is hard to see that this 3000-year-old tradition is going to be erased from society any time soon. According to the BBC, “When will gyms reopen?” was one of the most popular search trends of 2020[2], and in October over 600,000 people signed a petition to re-open gyms.
Undoubtable, the way we train in our sacred spaces will change. Not least because of the boom in low-cost apps providing unrivalled access to personal trainers meaning we might need more floor space to train. And the rapid fit-tech advancements mean we’ll have even more accurate, real time data of our fitness activity than ever before. But virtual will not conquer all. If anything, the market for gyms has grown a lot larger with more people now taking a greater interest in their physical fitness than ever before. The gym(nasium) lives on.
