Mumbai: Most gyms remain shut despite Unlock

While many fitness enthusiasts and gym owners were happy to resume their routines on Monday a huge chunk of the gyms mdash around 80 per cent mdash havent opened yet due to lack of trainers and staff This even after the state government allowed all gyms to open with relevant COVID protocolsGym members and trainers at Reset gym on Monday PicShadab KhanAs people returned to their favourite gyms on Monday the sentiment was to get back in shape immediately While many lost their abs or muscles amid no work out during the lockdown some managed to keep their weight in control thanks to housework in the absence of maids Read on to find out the results of middays test drive on reopened gymsMembers work out at Anytime Fitness Kemps Corner on Monday PicSameer MarkandeVFitness gym Shivaji ParkGym member Sonali Bagwe trainer Vinod Chavan PicsSameer Markande Trainer Vipul GonabareThe owner of VFitness said that members were clamouring to resume Dadar resident Sonali Bagwe 34 said I could only practise yoga during the lockdown but a gym is a gym I do have difficulty breathing with a mask so I take it off while on the treadmillRelatedMumbai Andheri gym downs shutters without informing staffers claims trainerAnother trainer Vinod Chavan said It was very tough surviving during the lockdown I am thrilled to resume work tooAnytime Fitness Kemps Corner Kemps CornerJanvi Vakil Mrudang Goradia right Mohamad Ali Hajati PicsSameer MarkandeAnytime Fitness at Kemps Corner had begun operations only six months before the lockdown Gym owner Mrudang Goradia 48 was at the gym with his wife Sonal and son RohanGoradia said I suffered a huge loss during the lockdown The response from the people is good But people are having trouble working out with a mask on Student Mohammed Ali Hajati 24 said I lost all my muscles in the lockdown I am thrilled to be back Fitness is everything for meReset gym BandraA gym member gets his vitals checked at the entrance of Reset gym Bandra PicShadab KhanParvez Mistry 42 was one of the first customers to walk into Reset Bandra on Monday at 730 am There were around four to five members working out in the morning with around three trainers mdash wearing masks said Mistry Housekeeping staff cleaned the handles of the equipment and weights I felt like I was being watched mdash but it is for the greater good Its comforting to know that while customers are taking 100 per cent precautions gyms such as Reset are taking 300 per cent precautions Mistry told middayKaran Talreja 42 the cofounder of Reset said A major concern is surface contamination which we addressed by getting our facility nanocoated It is generally used in ICUs to prevent viruses from surviving on surfaces Reset is allowing around five trainers at a time Also we have 1012 members in every slot We reduce the number of trainers on the floor if they are not needed Feasibility of slashed staff and customers aside Talreja said that they are focussing on being operational for their loyal customer base Business numbers will pick up once members feel safe at Reset Around 70 per cent of our members returned on Day 1 of the reopening Talreja saidSlim Well Gym MahimA temperature check at Slim Well Gym Mahim on MondayThis gym in Mahim had a few members working out on Monday Owner Yogini Patil said Its a new beginning for us We will have only 10 people using the gym at a time People will also have to maintain sixfeet distance and wear a mask We will give masks to those without one Though they find it a little difficult to workout wearing themYashu ToraskarBusinessman Yashu Toraskar 45 from Shivaji Park said Before lockdown I weighed 90 kg but now my weight is 105 kg I am thrilled to be back in the gym Preeti Sadarangani 39 from Mahim said I lost a lot of weight during the lockdown as there were no maids The gym feels safe to work out in as there are few people at a timeYogini Patil owner Slim Well Gym PicsSameer MarkandeTrainer Raju Bhaidkar 50 said I was jobless during the lockdown This is a new startRewind Fitness Mulund WestA gym member with a trainer at Rewind FitnessAffan Momin owner of Rewind Fitness in Mulund West said When gyms were shut everyone seemed to pledge support and offer help to the community But now that the government has decided on the SOPs and opened gyms the common narrative is mdash why should we bear the losses It is not like we earned during the lockdown We too had our maintenance and other expenses In fact with gyms reopening the battle has just begun The next three months will be crucial for usAffan Momin owner Rewind FitnessAll clients whose memberships have expired or are partially over will want extensions A membership protocol has been discussed and chalked out by Mahafit an anchor group of gym owners where it has been decided that losses will be borne 5050 For everyone who approaches gyms from October 25 to November 1 we will try and work out partial extensions For instance if a sixmonth membership is pending we will bear three months loss and the other half the client will bear he saidRewind Fitness has 90minute workout slots with 2530 people in each The gym is sanitised every three hoursTransform GymsNikhil Rajpuria owner of Transform Gyms said Only the front desk and reception area were opened yesterday We will start fitness training in a week Our phones kept ringing with members asking exactly when we would open A couple of members visited different branches to see what we were doing They checked the cleaning process shifting of stuff and sanitisation measures Overall people are certainly eager to restart their schedulesSpeaking about going back to fitness routines Dr S Rajadhyaksha said People are eager to go back to weight training but do not pick up from where you left off seven months ago if you have not been training In fact pick up from a much lower level and go to the optimum one much later with regular training I would also of course stress the need for appropriate COVID behaviour within the gym There should not be any COVID complacency at allGolds Gym MulundA Golds Gym member works out at the Mulund centre Golds Gym saw a good response Manager Suraj Shetty said People have been steadily coming in There were around 70 to 80 people in the morning and all had their own towels napkins masks face shields and waterbottles There were some new faces too which means there have been new admissions he saidSuyash Kulkarni a member of Golds GymSuyash Kulkarni a member of Mulunds Golds Gym for five years said Inside the gym six feet distance is maintained between members and all the equipment is cleaned and sanitised after every use The trainers also wear masks and glovesAbs Fitness Kandivli EastRajesh Sawant owner Abs FitnessRajesh Sawant owner of Abs Fitness said My gym is primarily used by hardcore weight lifters bodybuilders and powerlifters I could feel the excitement as we opened yesterday We had good attendance in batches and overall there were 70 people yesterday Gym owners claimed that in general people were walking jogging and cycling outdoors which took care of their cardiovascular routines but not much was being done in terms of strength training Hence getting back to the routine with the dumbbells was certainly a big lure for them5050A lossbearing arrangement that a body of gym owners Mahafit want in order to adjust customers membershipsKeep scrolling to read more newsCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and a complete guide from food to things to do and events across Mumbai Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates MidDay is now on Telegram Click here to join our channel middayinfomedialtd and stay updated with the latest news