I'm not here to add any more fuel to the hype about the Corona Virus that is quickly spreading. No doubt this is a serious situation, and scary for a lot of people, especially for those who are most at risk, but I think most of us can agree that there has been a lot of overreaction and misinformation going around.
That is NOT to say that we don't need to be smart and take precautions, because actually we DO.
For the fitness types who workout at their local gyms or boxes, decisions are going to need to be made here quickly whether or not you feel safe or want to expose yourself to an environment where people are sweating, breathing heavy and sharing equipment.
As of the time of this writing, I'm in a holding pattern and business as usual with my fitness routine. However, I am going to take some extra precautions during this time to limit my risk and I think you should, too.
I'll be keeping some Lysol wipes in my gym bag, as well as a bottle of hand sanitizer (If I can find some!).
Also, I'm going to want to avoid as much direct contact on the equipment as I can, especially if I have open sores on my hands, so I'll be sure to use gloves like WODies, and finger protection like Nubs. For squatting, no doubt I'm using a squat pad on my neck.
Look, none of this may be necessary, but I'm looking at preventing a situation that is going to take me out of my fitness routine. And if I do happen to get sick, being stuck at home for a few weeks isn't going to be very helpful for keeping up with my fitness journey.
So I say screw it, for ME, its business as usual, but play it safe. Again, that's just me. I'm not here to tell anyone how to feel or how to stay safe during this outbreak.
I will tell you however, if you ARE planning to continue to workout as normal, to please be considerate of others... wash your hands, clean your equipment when you're done with it, and if you feel any symptoms, please stay home.
If you are wanting some extra protection for your hands and avoid touching equipment as much as possible, I highly recommend you consider using WODies, Nubs, or Death Grips.
WODies and Nubs are fully washer/dryer safe as well so you can keep them clean until this all blows over.
I wish you guys all the best, and hope you will continue to make fitness your priority no matter what happens.
Stay safe,
Jeff Hunter
CEO JerkFit LLC
JerkFit.com