Lockdown was a hammer blow to the fitness industry, and the landscape will never be the same again. Some gyms closed forever after spending months out of business. Others were able to pivot well, offering online coaching, or were large enough to absorb the hit.
Although many have reopened their doors after the extended lockdown period, most gym floors are a far cry from being the bustling hubs they once were. With restricted entry, shorter opening times, frequent sanitising and social distancing in place, the experience feels sterilised in more ways than one.
Despite government guidelines informing gyms on how to keep us safe, and the venues enforcing their own ideas of best practice, unanswered questions linger for prospective gym-goers who remain on the fence about returning to their old haunts.