Still exercising despite challenge

Video

MOSSEL BAY SPORT NEWS AND VIDEO - "Exercise is like medicine and should be prescribed by doctors."

This is the view of national gym company, Wellness World, of which there is a branch at Hartenbos Seefront.

Spokesperson Ronel Jansen van Vuuren, the corporate manager, oversees all the branches in the chain.

Many people sign up at gyms in January, wanting to lose weight as part of their New Year's resolutions, so the Mossel Bay Advertiser did a spot check on gyms' January intake in the Mossel Bay area.

Van Vuuren, who has a doctoral degree in marketing, said: "We have fewer new members than in previous Januaries, but we are fortunate that we offer options other than yearly or 24-month contracts.

"People desperately want to exercise. Their needs differ from one another. We offer options for day visitors, weekly and monthly members for people who would like to check out the gym before committing themselves.

"We follow the Covid-19 regulations for gymnasiums. We must protect our employees and clients. Regulations differ from industry to industry. If people test positive the gym must close so we follow them to the 'T'.

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'Blessed and fortunate'
"We're blessed and fortunate we have had no staff testing positive for Covid-19. Gyms were one of the industries to open last after the strict lockdown which started on 26 March. They were only allowed to open again on 18 August, so we were affected severely."

Thania le Roux, Wings Fitness Studio owner, said: "We have enthusiastic people despite the current situation. They realise taking care of themselves and their cardiovascular system is important."

Le Roux said the gym in Voorbaai now had more classes to accommodate everyone, but fewer people in each class in accordance with Covid-19 rules.

She said the costs of running the gym had increased in terms of sanitising equipment and cleaning staff. "We need to comply and will do whatever it takes to stay afloat and keep to protocol. We have an effective check-in system, using an app for clients. They check in themselves and then when they arrive at the gym, we take their temperatures.

"We sanitise equipment in the morning, at half day and after classes. If someone tells us they are Covid-19 positive, we can inform people who were in the same class.

"We are trying to make it as normal as possible and still fun. There were not fewer newcomers than usual this January.

'Cautious'
"People are cautious and scared, but when they see the new people coming in, they feel more at ease. An immense number of new people are coming from Gauteng and the North-West.

"Attendence is less regular. Where people would come every day, they are coming three or four times a week. Also because classes are smaller, clients are being considerate in terms of giving another person a chance to gym. If clients feel it is congested, they won't come."

Mariaan Duvenhage, the owner of Great Brak gym, 365 Fitness, said: "We have had a number of people cancelling their gym membership because of a lack of finances. We have 30% fewer members than before the lockdown started in March 2020.

"I encourage people to reduce spending on junk food rather than cancelling their gym membership. If you exercise and keep healthy, it will lessen your chances of contracting Covid-19. Cancelling your gym membership will decrease your fitness and end up costing you more money because of poorer health and lower quality of life."

Duvenhage says the gym adheres strictly to Covid-19 protocols and has also gone to extra lengths to increase ventilation and air flow.

Wellness World Mossel Bay branch manager Stiaan van Schalkwyk.