Gym closures eating away at physical, mental and business health, fitness interests say.
By: Tiffany Mongu CBC News Posted: May 10, 2021 5:00 AM EDT
(Paula Comfort) said the province’s decision to restrict clients from gyms isn’t fair and seems arbitrary.
“One of them is, they’ll say, ‘You can have 10, 20 or 30 people in your facility,’ yet, some facilities are the size of a football field and other facilities are small boutique clubs, and yet the same rules apply to everyone.”
Fitness industry pushing to reopen
The fitness club owners interviewed by CBC K-W said their clients depend on their physical health and well-being to also boost mental health.
People don’t get enough exercise when they’re confined at home, said Hallman.
“There are many reasons why people need the gym. Sure, we could run outside, we could walk outside, but it’s not the same,” said Hallman.
“As we get older, we need to be lifting heavier weight and doing less cardio … and to be confined in your house, I don’t think mentally it’s good for anybody to be in your house 24 hours a day, eating, drinking, watching TV.”
Over the past year, the council has worked collaboratively with government and health authorities to raise awareness about the gym industry’s needs and relevance during these times, but it’s been unsuccessful.
The council plans to hold a news conference Wednesday, where it will call on the province to create a safe and effective reopening strategy for the fitness industry.
Most of us in this industry care about humans, their performance and for them to live more life,” she said. “All of us are in this for the impact we have on people’s health, and when I say health I’m talking fitness health, mental health [and] everything.- Paula Comfort, Ontario council member, Fitness Industry Council of Canada
Comfort sees the industry as a big part of the solution to what’s happened over the last year with respect to chronic health care and mental-health crises.
“Most of us in this industry care about humans, their performance and for them to live more life,” she said. “All of us are in this for the impact we have on people’s health, and when I say health I’m talking fitness health, mental health [and] everything.”