The Covid-19 pandemic swiftly and unexpectedly changed the lives of millions around the globe. As a result, the overall uncertainty and almost insurmountable amount of stress that has ensued is at an all-time high.
And although we’re seeing many places starting to open back up around the country, the number of cases continues to rise in some areas, leaving many people on edge and wondering when this emotional roller coaster ride will be over with.
But many would agree that it’s more important now than ever before to prioritize mental and physical health. Many businesses have had to shut down or downsize which has left many unemployed and consequently, much more sedentary or inactive.
Gold’s Gym CEO Adam Zeitsiff recently spoke with Fox News where he explained how important it is to keep gyms open during this pandemic. And apparently, he and other fitness industry leaders have been doing a lot of planning to ensure they provide safe environments for their communities.
“We all came together as an industry and we’ve been working on this for months now and we voluntarily shut our doors even before the mandates because we knew we had to do this for the betterment of humanity,” Zeitsiff explained on “Cavuto Live”.
“We’ve been working for months to deliver strict sanitizing, cleaning, distancing guidelines and protocols to help keep our communities safe”. “Exercising, it is medicine, it is very important to people.”
A group of #gyms sent a letter to the #governors of several states explaining their reopening plans and expressing their commitment to safety. @adamzeit of @GoldsGym says state officials need to consider the evidence before closing safe businesses. #Coronavirus #VarneyCo pic.twitter.com/GJtivGNO4Y
— Varney & Co. (@Varneyco) July 9, 2020
There’s no arguing against just how important it is to be able to relieve stress by crushing the weights, getting in a few cardio sessions, and participating in various “feel good” activities that are typically available with a gym membership.
“Being in gyms is an essential part of people’s lives.”
“It helps them feel better, function better, sleep better, all those things improving their physical and mental health, both of them.”
The evidence is sufficient for the physical and mental benefits of exercise. According to the American Heart Association, too much sitting and other sedentary activities can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. It’s also recommended to engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week.
“During these tough times and this pandemic we gotta keep gyms open, people need that outlet and we need to stay healthy.”
Zeitsiff was asked about people actually going as far as to sue their governors for keeping gyms closed and his response…
“It’s a difficult road because you’ve got to respect governors, you’ve got to respect the people in charge of our states. But also they need to be presented with evidence, and there’s no evidence that shows right now that gyms are spreading COVID, absolute not.”
“We had a survey of 135 gyms with over 3.5 million check-ins by the end of June and it was .004 percent less than a fraction of a fraction of a percent of people who had positive cases. So we got to have evidence, we got to have data.”
Of course, regardless of the evidence or data, there’ll always be opposing views on this matter. But Adam Zeitsiff and many others are urging to keep gyms open for the overall health and well-being of communities.
Published: 12 July, 2020 | 10:30 AM EDT
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