Everybody Member Jeremy Gibbs shares “If the restrictions do get more strict I’m confident that the gym would have everything in place.”
Jeremy Gibbs from Nantwich has been a member of Everybody Sport and Recreation for about 5 years. Jeremy shares his story how he has found returning to Nantwich Swimming Pool and Shavington Leisure Centre since lockdown, how he has factored in keeping active whilst working from home, and his advice to anyone who may be apprehensive about returning.
Jeremy shares he joined Everybody Sport and Recreation “To get fit like most people across the country, it’s good for my mental health just to keep your mind busy and keep active really. The social interaction as well, meeting new people. I’ve really enjoyed the variety of classes that they do at the gym.”
Jeremy uses the gym, classes and both the indoor and outdoor pools at Nantwich Swimming Pool and at Shavington Leisure Centre he takes part in Group Cycling classes and Circuit Training.
Since returning to the Group Cycling at Shavington, Jeremy shares “That’s actually better since lockdown, because they’ve got more bikes now, they do the spin cycling in the sports hall so it’s a lot easier to get a slot on the cycling classes and it’s all very well set out, they’ve got the one way in place, everything is spotlessly clean, you go in through the main door and go out through the fire exit so there is no chance of bumping in to anybody.”
He continues “I have also done Circuit Training at Shavington, again you have the spots on the floor like you do at Nantwich, so you are in one spot. The instructors have modified the classes accordingly so you’re getting all your work out in for the full body, everything is covered and it’s just really good to get back.”
Jeremy, like a lot of us is working from home and has been since lockdown started. Jeremy shares there are pro’s and con’s to this however a pro he has found is that in terms of exercise, he has found it a lot easier to fit classes in. He shares “Previously the only classes that I could attend were in the evening. Now I can attend a class at 7:15 in the morning, get it done and then back home and turn the computer on and ready to go then, ready for the day. Much more alert and able to concentrate, done the exercise first thing.
Again I can do classes in the afternoon, possibly do a class then go back and do a couple more hours at home, it’s just so much easier to fit those in and I think you’ve got that flexibility, because there is loads of variety of classes, different locations, so even if you travel about a bit, travel about the borough, you might not be able to get to Nantwich you might be able to get to Holmes Chapel or Sandbach that day so it is quite easy to fit stuff in.”
During lockdown Jeremy kept active by taking part in Everybody Sport and Recreations online live health and fitness classes. “They’ve been really good, the instructors are so enthusiastic and the beauty of it is, you don’t feel like you’re doing it on your own because you know there is a load of other people doing it from their own home.”
He continues “Instructors I have never met before, I’m doing classes I’ve never done before like Yoga, Pilates, HIIT, GRIT Cardio, all these things I’ve never really thought of doing before, but you just think, I’ll have a go of that, I’ll have a go of that one, and you do one, you like that, you like the instructor and you think, I’ll have a go of that one as well and I just think it was brilliant during lockdown for that.”
He continues “then when we have been able to come back to the gym, then you can have a go at some of those classes that you’ve tried on the online classes.”
Jeremy has found returning to the sites really, really good, he shares the first time he came in “I’ll be honest, I was quite apprehensive, because it was just literally after lockdown had ended, but I came back to Nantwich, it was all really well set up. You booked your slot, there was one way systems in place, all the equipment was very clean, it was spaced out properly, lots of cleaning stations, the numbers were limited into the gym which was good.
It just felt very safe actually, in some respects some things are actually better than they were before, certainly with the swimming, now they have lanes for slow, medium, fast swimmers so it just splits you up, it does actually work out better than it was before. Again with the swimming, you book your sessions in so you know you have got a slot, the numbers of people are managed, there’s a one way system in place, designated changing rooms, all very clean. Certainly recommend to people who have not been back to the gym since lockdown, come back and give it a try.
All you can do is come back, give it a go, the staff are really helpful, they are as keen as us to get back, it’s their jobs, it’s their day to day lives and its really good, its good to see people, to meet people, to get in to that regular routine again and I think you’ll find, if you come once or twice you’ll feel a lot more confident and comfortable in coming again.”
“It’s just getting your foot through the door and getting that confidence and you’ll be fine.”
Jeremy shares that “As long as I can legally come to the gym, I know that Everybody will put all the measures in place to be legally to be allowed to open safely, they are responsible, health and safety is the key. Certainly been comfortable with how they’ve run it so far so I would have complete confidence in going forward. If the restrictions do get more strict, I’m confident that the gym would have everything in place.”
I’d just like to say how good the staff have been through all of this, positive, enthusiastic, the guys who have done the online videos have been brilliant, you know, it’s been a lifesaver for a lot of people being able to do that everyday during lockdown. Getting back in the gym and getting to some classes with some of the regulars that used to come before lockdown is really good and I think it’s really good for people to get back and get doing a bit of normality and a bit of what they like doing, bit of what they love.”
If you would like to find out more about the changes Everybody Sport and Recreation have made to their facilities to make it safe, visit www.everybody.org.uk. You can also visit Everybody’s YouTube Channel to watch Jeremy’s interview.