Did you go back to the gym after vaccines became available? How goes it?

November 8, 2024 7:10 AM

So I have not been to the gym since late February 2020. Although I bike and do some stretching at home, I am significantly, significantly weaker and less fit. I am considering going back to the gym but also could be talked out of it. What is your experience?

I have just had real trouble doing any kind of bodyweight or HIIT workout indoors. Before the vaccines, I just about managed some exercise videos most days and now I ride my bike.

Before the pandemic, I went to the gym three times a week in addition to biking, lifted weights and did the elliptical, and I was so much fitter, stronger and healthier - everything has gone downhill for me since then, and I don't really see how it's likely to improve. I don't have space at home for a real workout set-up and when I'm not literally at the gym other things seem to eat my time.

Have you gone back? Do you feel like it's safe? How do you manage covid risk?

If you have decided totally against going back ever, tell me more about that.

posted by Frowner to Health & Fitness (32 answers total)

I go wearing my FFP2 when I do, but that’s because I find the discomfort very easy to manage in the scheme of things (i.e. compared to the bodily overwhelm experience of exercise in general). I haven’t needed to use my reliever inhaler but I’d stop and take it outside if at all possible in the circumstances, then return.
posted by lokta at 7:19 AM on November 8, 2024 [3 favorites]

I have been going for 2 years but the gym has big garage-style doors and big-ass fans that keep air moving and I wash my hands a lot. No negative results to report in a virus context.
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 7:22 AM on November 8, 2024

I've started going to the gym since late 2023. It felt weird and wrong to be in such close proximity with so many huffing puffing people, and in some ways it still does? But my belief is also that the risk from Covid is a lot lower now than it used to be, and this level of risk is acceptable to me in the same way that driving is an acceptable risk and dating men from online apps is an acceptable risk.

My thought is: making my life smaller and worse to avoid this current level of risk is too heavy a price to pay, because I am here on this earth, and I will live *fully* for as long as I am permitted to by the forces of man and nature. YMMV.

I'm vaccinated against covid and I get regular booster shots as often as they are recommended. That is all the precaution I take. FWIW I have never had Covid as of yet, as far as I know. I test twice a month and also every time I have respiratory symptoms.
posted by MiraK at 7:22 AM on November 8, 2024 [12 favorites]

When I go, I go in the early morning, or mid afternoon to avoid crowding. For me, I'm relatively low risk and physical fitness is essential to my mental health. As with all things COVID, it's a very personal calculation.
posted by larthegreat at 7:23 AM on November 8, 2024 [1 favorite]

I am seriously immunocompromised. No gym for me. My doctor told me it's one of the less safe places for airborne illness, like an indoor restaurant, a concert, or a church service with singing. She told me I should probably plan on never doing these things again even with a mask on. Take from that what you will.

As with all things COVID, it's a very personal calculation.
Actually, airborne illnesses are a community problem and not a personal choice, as much as mass media and the people in power want to make us believe it's about personal choices. If you do go to the gym, please at least wear a mask.
posted by twelve cent archie at 7:27 AM on November 8, 2024 [17 favorites]

For what it's worth, I went to the gym a fair bit this year, for 6 months of physical therapy, usually a couple times a week in a racquet club gym setting. I wore a mask whenever I went, and it wasn't very full during the middle of the afternoon. It was actually fine, and I didn't get COVID from that.
posted by limeonaire at 7:43 AM on November 8, 2024 [1 favorite]

I haven't gone back, and instead remain focused on running outdoors and strength videos at home (Peloton).

However: I did research and my city has several outdoor gym / fitness class / personal training options! That doesn't work for everyone climate-wise, but might be worth looking to see if it exists in nicer months. The ones I looked at did have equipment and everything (a few bikes, weights) and wasn't just dance cardio/yoga etc.
posted by soleiluna at 8:23 AM on November 8, 2024

Exercising is good for your health in ways that should be balanced against the risk of catching diseases at the gym. I’ve been going to the gym twice a week since February. It’s important for my mental as well as physical health. I go with a friend who has bad knees and can’t walk on pavement for long, having a buddy is important for both of us to exercise consistently. I don’t wear a mask - I did when I went in ~2022, but it’s uncomfortable, the mask gets wet from sweat anyway, and I’m socially awkward enough without hiding my facial expression. I still haven’t gotten COVID ever, and I get all recommended vaccinations promptly.

In an ideal world, we would societally be making choices to protect immunocompromised folks. That’s not where we are, and I need to take care of myself, too, because I wasn’t doing anybody any good when I was isolated and depressed.
posted by momus_window at 8:34 AM on November 8, 2024

I prefer to go when it's as quiet as possible, which at my gym means weekday mornings before work or weekend afternoons after 2pm or so. I started going in November 2022, and every time I've been sick since then there's been a much more likely cause (in-person work or socialising with someone who then turned out to be sick) than picking it up at the gym.

I did mask with an FFP3 at the gym (as well as everywhere else) for about six weeks before I had surgery last April (I needed a negative PCR within a few days before the surgery and would have lost a lot of money out of pocket if I'd tested positive), because I was isolating from pretty much everything else and needed the exercise benefit to keep me sane, and it was effective - I didn't catch anything and tested negative before surgery. I only do weights, and found it feasible to do my regular workout while masking.
posted by terretu at 8:44 AM on November 8, 2024

i checked out a few gyms before going back. the one i choose to try is clean, has a lot of space & long hours, so i can go when there are not a lot of people & also maintain distancing. before vaccine rollout, i got a bike, used my kayak & walked a lot. i think i ultimately prefer being outside more than lifting weights, so i'm back to that
posted by HearHere at 8:47 AM on November 8, 2024

n.b. the 3M Aura 9210 masks are probably the best for exercising with. They don't collapse on your face when you're breathing heavily.
posted by seanmpuckett at 9:30 AM on November 8, 2024 [2 favorites]

With the caveat that I am not immunocompromised, I have been back for the last year or so. I try to go at a less crowded time anyway, because it's more pleasant that way. My gym(s) do not have open windows or anything but are relatively spaced out, at least in the weightlifting area and have high ceilings. I am (and so is everyone else) good about wiping down equipment and washing my hands after.

In addition to staying up on boosters, I also have been using the antiviral nose sprays religiously for the last year. I like the "betadine cold defense nasal spray" but have also used Covixyl. I'm often in crowded public places for work, too. I use it before and after being pretty much anywhere with people inside. It is not PERFECT and not as effective as masking, I know, but the only time I've been sick at all since I've been using them is the time I was out and didn't use it after being in a crowded space. I feel like they're a great thing to add to your repertoire that are often overlooked.
posted by jeweled accumulation at 9:32 AM on November 8, 2024 [1 favorite]

I went back at some point after vaccines came out, because I felt really blah and weak. At first I wore disposable masks. Then I'd wear a mask while walking through but take it off at a weightlifting station. Now I go in without a mask. My gym is moderately crowded at times, but I feel like picking a station (or an eliptical machine or something) and staying there mitigates the risk a bit. I also figure most people going to the gym are not going to be feeling ill, so probably not spreading too-bad diseases. Mainly, I realized I need to work out regularly for a lot of reasons, and I decided to take the risk because I don't have space to work out at home. So far haven't caught Covid at the gym.
posted by unreadyhero at 9:55 AM on November 8, 2024

I have never gone back, not just because of covid though, but myriad reasons. I do not have room for a real home gym but I figured out a home regime that works for me with yoga and body weight stuff. that may not work for your goals though. at this point my goals are really "just stay strong enough to not be in constant pain and risk of injury due to age" fun!
posted by supermedusa at 10:33 AM on November 8, 2024

This seems like a great question for your doctor tbh. If you have conditions that put you at extra risk from covid, maybe it's not a good idea. If you don't, though, the health benefits you'll get from working out seem extremely worth it. I go to the gym (and tennis, and the ice rink, and swimming pools) because the quality of my life is much higher when I'm in decent physical condition, and while I do not enjoy getting covid, the risk is worth it to me (also afaik I've only gotten covid from family gatherings rather than the gym, so!) I also can't really work out at home. Your calculus may vary.
posted by goodbyewaffles at 10:38 AM on November 8, 2024 [3 favorites]

By the time I went back, my trainer had switched to a much smaller, more private facility so there are never more than 10 people in the space at a time. It's much safer I believe than my office job and I have to be there two days a week. If you can afford it, I'd look for a smaller more exclusive gym space with fewer people.
posted by Kurichina at 10:40 AM on November 8, 2024 [1 favorite]

I went back and wear a KN95 mask when doing weight training. I get my cardio outdoors or at home. I am not immunocompromised and the benefits outweigh the risks, in the same way my regular biking on a bike trail next to the freeway does - the cardiovascular benefits and mental health benefits of that outweigh the risks of the increase in time spent in more air pollution.

If a commercial gym doesn't work, I wonder if you could put in some time/effort toward finding a longterm solution from a mutual aid network or your social network? Like a friend or community member with an extensive home gym in a garage space, who would let you use it weekly while solo with open windows. Or a personal trainer you could do work with in exchange for money or labor or other goods who has a private or at-home facility with air purifier/open windows/mask.
posted by lizard music at 11:06 AM on November 8, 2024 [2 favorites]

I'm in a similar situation as Kurichina. I found a small gym with limited classes (because they focus on personal training). The biggest class is about a dozen people and they only have a handful of classes in the day so if I hit a lunch class or the first of the evening block I'm only sharing air with a relatively minimal number of people. It's more expensive than a quantity focused gym but I appreciate the minimization of risk. And all the other small gym bonuses!
posted by platypus of the universe at 11:09 AM on November 8, 2024

I went back starting in 2022 and have gone to a gym or a class 5 days a week since then. I do not mask anymore; I did at first but eventually like other folks mentioned above, it became pretty obvious that the combination of my face shape, sweat, and breathing were rendering it pointless. KN-95 style masks never really sealed on my face unless I stood perfectly still and barely breathed in a perfect climate controlled situation, lol. If you easily get a good seal with your masks your mileage will vary!

I do try to go to the gym at less crowded times (joined a 24/7 gym this year to make that easier -- no other dummy is working out at 11pm on a Tuesday) and take classes in the least-popular slots. I am aggressively vaxxed.

Obviously it's very difficult to know if I've ever had a fully asymptomatic case, because I have not done anything like constant testing for a very long time at this point. But I have only had one confirmed case of COVID since 2020, and one that I strongly suspect (although I tested negative throughout, over 10 negative tests!) so personally I have not been worried about the safety at all.
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 12:08 PM on November 8, 2024 [1 favorite]

I caught Covid at the gym (early 2021, pre vaccine) and have not gone back. But I have a functional home gym now. If I had no room for that I might reconsider.
posted by ClarissaWAM at 12:24 PM on November 8, 2024

Spouse and I were both regular gym goers, but have not gone back to the "regular" gym, and don't anticipate doing so. Risk of covid and resulting lifelong issues are a) very high in gym and b) nowhere near worth it, in our math.

We do go to a climbing gym, occasionally and at strategic (uncrowded) times, masked.

We also have a lot of home gear, and we're the types who use it.

I do know trainers who will work in your home, or outside, with you. That's one option, though $$ I'm aware. Could you see setting up some sort of trade/accountability deal with a friend?
posted by Dashy at 1:52 PM on November 8, 2024 [1 favorite]

Oh I should definitely clarify: NEITHER my confirmed nor suspected COVID cases had anything to do with the gym. The first was well before i returned, and the second was a pretty dang clear transmission from smol child sneezing DI-rect into my face.
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 1:58 PM on November 8, 2024

I've been back at my very normal, crowded gym (tends to be full of 20-somethings due to it being very cheap) for at least a couple of years, going anywhere from 1-5X most weeks depending. There are a few people who wear masks, I do not. I have yet to catch COVID from the gym, although I had it once from (I believe) a party I went to. I keep up on boosters, but it is not worth the cost and inconvenience to find a fancy outdoor gym and I have limited space to do that much at home.

For me, lifetime physical fitness is more important than avoiding ever getting COVID, and this decision is based on my extensive reading of a broad set of research on the topic and my own baseline health (no serious underlying health issues at this time). I would say go off-hours, wear a mask, if you are particularly nervous, but I think it's probably worse to let your physical health go than risk the occasional upper respiratory infection.
posted by ch1x0r at 2:05 PM on November 8, 2024

I started weightlifting at a new to me gym in February 2024. I wore an N95 to lift weights 3x per week, but by May I had my first COVID infection. Did I get it at the gym? I don’t know, it could have been when I was outdoors unmasked, at orchestra rehearsal in my N95, or while running errands in my N95. I haven’t gone back for a couple reasons but might try again this winter.

I had planned to get a season pass to the outdoor pool and swim laps last summer, but getting COVID derailed that. I hope to be able to do that next year.
posted by Maarika at 2:44 PM on November 8, 2024

It sounds like you continue to be Covid conscious even now, which is a rarity. (I appreciate you!)

There is so much propaganda from supposedly trustworthy sources about how Covid is not as much of a risk now, but science doesn’t back that up. Covid is still spreading and mutating, vaccinations don’t prevent transmission, and we have lost many of the data sources we could use to assess risk and have also lost free mitigations like masks and PCR testing. I don’t think many of us are really able to make a well-informed decision about risk when it comes to Covid. This is a novel coronavirus that impacts every system of the body including our vascular system and our brains. It’s only been five years. 40-60% of infections are asymptomatic and rapid tests are not sensitive and accurate enough to trust (pro tip: test three times, each 48 hours apart, swabbing throat then cheek then nose).

For me, I am not returning to the gym at this point. I splashed out in 2021 on some free weights and a treadmill and still mourn the loss of my beloved YMCA pool. I’ve embraced workout videos and online yoga classes. I do know people who have, though, and they 1) try to find gyms with open walls/good ventilation, 2) always always wear an N95 (a valved N95 would be a comfortable option if others aren’t masking up), and 3) going at less busy times and/or first thing in the morning, so fewer people have been heavy breathing in the area.

I really feel you on the difference between working out in a gym v. at home, and I hope you keep masking up regardless of your decision. We’re all gonna need each other’s help to get through this time, which is apparently going to include unchecked Covid and now possibly H5N1? Most of the people I know and love have refused to adapt to this new reality, but I think at some point we won’t have a choice.
posted by fleecy socks at 2:48 PM on November 8, 2024 [5 favorites]

It's unclear why you cannot do some fitness workouts at home. Some hand weights or kettlebells can be the basis of a good workout that will be a prelude to gym visits. I'd say without the home workouts, it's a bit pointless to go to the gym. As you point out, you've lost fitness and muscle mass, so job one would be to rebuild the habit of exercise. If you are regaining muscle mass through some home workouts, going to the gym will be much less challenging and more rewarding.
Going to a gym without working up to it seems like a failure. However, gym visits are a necessary supplement to exercising regularly if you want to reap the increased benefits of strength training.
A regular 15- to 20-minute session of hand weights, floor work, and maybe some HIIT will rev up your metabolism and significantly improve it. Adding a gym visit or two per week will be more manageable than using the gym to compensate for your lack of fitness: my two cents worth, YMMV.
posted by diode at 5:58 PM on November 8, 2024

I started going to the gym in July of this year. I take an evidence-informed approach to covid (consistent indoor masking pretty much everywhere - haven't been sick in 5 years - it is glorious!) so I put on my fit-tested N95 (3M Aura) before entering the gym and take it off once I'm back outdoors. I go the gym twice a week for about an hour. My class has 6-8 people so in the small space we are pretty close together, though we are all moving from machine to machine so I don't spend much time near any one person. They leave the door open and ceiling fans are running to move the air around; there are 2 large air purifiers and one medium-sized one running all the time.

So far the gym owner had a flu and one of the trainers got covid but I've managed to avoid it. Being at the gym like this is great. Like others have suggested, I'm also looking around for an outdoor boot camp when weather permits.

I'm one of two people who mask at the gym, though the trainer masked after she was sick and a couple of the other people seem to do the same. I feel like a total weirdo but...whatever. As time goes on and people seem to be getting sicker and sicker with increasing frequency, I find I'm more comfortable being the odd one out (I like to think I am a trendsetter).
posted by lulu68 at 6:23 PM on November 8, 2024 [3 favorites]

I am mildly immune compromised. I resumed going to the gym in 2022. It moved into a new building a year ago so now it is crowded due to lots of new members. My CO2 monitor reads high (~1200 ppm) most days.

But I always wear a KN95 mask (which doesn't impair my ability to exercise--I can max out the elliptical machine) when I'm there (3-4 times a week) and ... I've still never had Covid despite being there about 500 hours in total.
posted by neuron at 9:50 PM on November 8, 2024 [1 favorite]

I briefly tried unsuccessfully to find it for you, but I recently saw some study (though I'm not sure if it was a new study or a reference to an old one) about the rate of transmission in various settings, with the gym higher than most things (e.g. higher than restaurants) due to the huffing and puffing. That said, my philosophy is one of costs and benefits, so if you think of the benefits of fitness as you (and we all) age, if this is key to you, it might be worth it, especially if you mitigate the risks. I bet you could find a gym that is well ventilated. Do you have a CO2 monitor you could use for testing? Sometimes libraries or air districts will have a lending library, or you could ask with your local "still coviding" FB group.
posted by slidell at 10:44 AM on November 9, 2024 [1 favorite]

This is strictly anecdotes, but: I work at a gym and have not caught COVID there. At least three of my coworkers, who have been there for years, have never gotten COVID at all.
posted by The corpse in the library at 2:06 PM on November 12, 2024

My housemate hasn't returned to the gym because evidence continues to pile up that COVID has long-term systemic effects and increases the chance of death following an infection, even after mild cases.

He broke out his old copy of "you are your own gym," which lists progressively more difficult body weight exercises, and has continued to make gains.

If you decide not to go back, maybe ask another question about how to change your exercise routines so they'll be effective for you?
posted by metasarah at 12:30 PM on November 15, 2024 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Since I'm sure that you're all agog to know what I decided: I got a couple of day passes at my old gym and tried it out with an N95. The gym told me that their membership had fallen by 50% (they've had to change their programming) and indeed, it is extremely uncrowded at off hours. Unless bird flu really heats up, my feeling is that working out at off hours in an N95 is within my risk tolerance - if we're really having a surge of covid, I can take a break, of course.

It felt so good to go back to my old weights and back exercise routine, something basically impossible without machines. My back is feeling looser and stronger already, and that is a significant life improvement for me.
posted by Frowner at 4:43 PM on December 20 [6 favorites]