Back in the old days before COVID-19, many of us had routines that we practiced, to keep healthy.

• Some of us went to the local gym and lifted weights, ran on a treadmill, or worked out on elliptical machines
• Some ran around the neighborhood with our fitness-minded friends, and then retired to a pub to socialize
• Some participated in road races with several hundred or perhaps several thousand of our closest friends, raising our arms in triumph as we crossed the finish line

Back in 2019, I did all of those things, but what can I do now, and what will I be doing in the new normal, when the lockdown is over, but COVID-19 is still a concern? How can I get the exercise my body needs without unduly exposing myself to a coronavirus infection? I face a conundrum. Most of the things I have done in the past to get the exercise I need have involved putting me into situations where an infectious agent might be lurking.

After the reopening, should I go back to the gym where I have a membership that has been suspended due to closure during the pandemic?

As a person who is at high risk due to age, this is a question with serious consequences. It potentially has serious consequences for a person of any age. Before COVID-19, my gym had staff sanitizing equipment and common areas on a regular basis. I expect that activity to be stepped up to a major degree once the gym reopens for business. Will that be enough for people older that 60 and people with comorbidities such as obesity or diabetes to feel comfortable returning to a place where multiple people are using the same exercise machines or lifting the same dumbbells? Is the staff going to follow every member around and disinfect surfaces after she moves from treadmill to elliptical machine? That seems unlikely.

Unfortunately, with many gym members reluctant to come back to the gym and possibly expose themselves to disease, some such businesses may not survive, despite their best efforts to make their facility as safe as possible. The venerable and iconic Gold’s Gym filed for bankruptcy this month. In the new normal, going to the gym to work out may no longer be normal for a lot of people. On the other hand, purveyors of treadmills, barbells and other exercise equipment could see an uptick in business to individual consumers, as their traditional customer base of membership gyms struggle to survive.

Running around the neighborhood with your running pals is bound to be different–if it survives at all as a group activity. Running involves breathing hard, which means spewing a lot of microscopic droplets into the air as you exhale.

• How long do those droplets remain suspended in the air?
• Is it even possible to get enough oxygen through a mask while running?
• How much space should I allow between myself and the runner in front of me?
• How can I safely pass the runner in front of me?
• Assuming the pub reopens, how close to my friends should I sit?
• Is our customary hangout conscientious about keeping surfaces disinfected?
• What sanitation practices are being enforced in the kitchen?

The answers to these questions are not easy, whereas a year ago, we gave no thought to them at all.

Is road racing even possible in the new normal? Popular races traditionally feature hundreds to thousands of runners of all ages and genders. They are packed tightly together at the starting line and tend to sort themselves out into clusters as the race proceeds. How can social distancing be practiced when everyone is trying to follow the same route to the same destination at the same time? Hmmm. Is there a multi-route, multi-destination, staggered-start time race format as the new normal?

Keeping fit is as important as it ever has been, but we may not be able to do the same things that we have done in the past to maintain fitness. What will the new normal of fitness maintenance be? The answer to that question may serve as the basis for entirely new forms of exercise, that in the process, spawn entirely new businesses. What is your idea for COVID-safe exercise? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section. I’m available as a consultant.

BIO:

Allen G. Taylor is a 40-year veteran of the computer industry and the author of over 40 books, including Develop Microsoft HoloLens Apps Now, Get Fit with Apple Watch, Cruise for Free, SQL For Dummies, 9th Edition, Crystal Reports 2008 For Dummies, Database Development For Dummies, Access Power Programming with VBA, and SQL All-In-One For Dummies, Third Edition. He lectures internationally on astronomy, databases, innovation, and entrepreneurship. He also teaches database development and Crystal Reports through a leading online education provider. For the latest news on Allen’s activities, check out his blog at wwwallengtaylor.com or contact him at allen.taylor@ieee.org.