Gyms reopening, the managers: “Only individual lessons? No …”

Giampaolo Duregon President of ANIF requests the application of the rules prior to 25 October. And Nerio Alessandri, President of Technogym points out …

The news of the probable reopening of swimming pools, gyms, sports centers, with much stricter restrictions than before, shook and not a little managers and sportsmen. The main ones? In the gym individual lessons only and in the pool a space of 10 square meters per person. These would appear to be the ground rules established by the sports ministry and approved dal Cts, the Technical – Scientific Committee to allow the reopening of the plants. With a premise: no aggregations, yes to sport especially for children and the elderly. Scientists fear in this delicate phase of the epidemic , in addition to the virus, its variants. Reopen gyms and facilities with the activation of courses, even if limited, it could create crowds within the clubs. But it is essential to bring young people, the elderly, people suffering from specific pathologies to make use of the physical activities, necessary for physical and psychological well-being.

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the position of anif

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“The rumors about such a structured restart were already in the air by the end of December 2020 and had certainly not impressed the managers – he explains Giampaolo Duregon, President ANIF, The National Association of Sports and Fitness Facilities which it represents 100,000 sports centers in Italy -. Unthinkable a restart reserved only for individual lessons, for the work of personal training, without the possibility of using the rooms, tools, without courses and without being able to use showers and changing rooms. This solution would represent the final act for a sector that, in 2020 and until today, has lost 70% of turnover. Sports centers also cost when closed: 50% of the expenses are active and would become l’80% with such an imagined reopening. What is asked is a restart under the same conditions that were in place before the second lockdown, which began on 25 last October. Gyms, swimming pools and all sports venues have, already since May 2020, adequate structures to the strict protocols issued by the Ministry of Sport precisely to ensure maximum health safety for all visitors. The level of contamination recorded in sports centers was actually very low, below 1 per thousand. It should also not be forgotten that physical activity occupies a prominent position in the prevention of metabolic diseases in general and therefore in the strengthening of the immune defenses. We ask to resume with quota entrances to 50% chance, masks always worn, tool sanitization after each use, distance of 2 meters between people, booking of courses via app, no stops in common areas to avoid gatherings inside the clubs. Strict rules even in the changing rooms, with the obligation to wear a mask except in the shower, gel present everywhere, constant cleaning by the staff and constantly active controls to ensure compliance with the rules “.

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the world of entrepreneurship

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On the entrepreneurial level? Nerio Alessandri, president of Technogym declares: “In recent months, health and wellness have become, more than before, an absolute priority for the people. International data speak for themselves, due to lack of exercise 45% of people have gained weight as well 50% report greater stress and the 37% even signs of depression. The impacts of such conditions in the medium term will be devastating on health and sustainability. Feeling good is convenient for everyone: to the state to lower public spending, to businesses to increase productivity and above all to people to live better and longer. It is essential that the policy is aware of this and that it allows the fitness club to reopen, with the appropriate precautions, to offer people professional and safe programs for fitness, sport and health. After months of isolation people will want to live, to meet, to socialize, to resume, more than before, to train in fitness clubs. They will do it quickly, with enthusiasm e awareness behaviors to keep… we see it every day, in countries like Australia and much of Asia, where fitness centers have reopened. The development of the ’home fitness, we have witnessed in recent months, represents a great opportunity for fitness clubs. Many people, unable to go to the gym, have continued to train at home and have not lost adherence to their active lifestyle: it is about ready consumers and eager to return to clubs as soon as possible. Home fitness is not a passing trend, it will remain. People will train both at home and in the gym, exactly in the same way they go to the restaurant and at the same time use the home delivery service. Home fitness will never replace the experience lived in the gym in terms of social relationships, variety of equipment and activities and professionalism of the service. On the contrary, it will represent a strong ally and a great additional business opportunity for operators who will be able to offer services and programs even at home “.

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