04/07/2021
At 16 years old, as an unaccredited trainer in my small town, I knew I wanted to be respected and valued for what I brought to the world. I had a passion for teaching and coaching people how to be responsible for their health. A degree in Kinesiology was where I decided to begin. That was 2003. Finally, in May 2019 I was offered a position as an Exercise Specialist within our Primary Care Network. At this point I had been self employed in the health and fitness industry for ten years.
As a member of the Alberta Kinesiology Association, as well as in the direction that I have worked to take my business, I have dedicated years of my life to advocating strongly for the respect of the health and fitness industry and increasing the professionalism within it. Could we all benefit from an even higher professional standard in our industry. Absolutely. And I will continue to dedicate my life to championing this value.
Who knew that during a ‘worldwide pandemic’, with a newborn daughter on my hip, I would have to take my biggest stand yet!
According to Stats Canada, with larger than significant studies to support these numbers, 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous movement GIVES you…
• A decrease in the incidence of hypertension by up to 60%
• A decrease in the incidence of diabetes by up to 58%
• A decrease in the risk of cardiovascular disease by at least 50%
• A decrease in the risk of stroke by 31-45%
• A decrease in the risk of colon cancer by up to 60%
• A decrease in mortality and risk of recurrent breast cancer by 25 to 50%
• A 40% decrease in the risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease
• Proven to be as effective in treating depression as medications or cognitive behavioural therapy
• Proven effective in the management and treatment of neurological disorders
• DECREASED RISK OF PREMATURE DEATH BY UP TO 50%
No offense shopaholics, but there is NOTHING you can buy in Costco or Walmart that will contribute like this to your well being and the prevention of disease. I believe the above equates to a lower hospitalization rate for our entire population. Am I right? Comorbidities have been linked to higher risk of covid and it's effects. Many comorbidities are lifestyle related.
Now... a “gym” can be a lot of things. From Pilates to weight rooms, from CrossFit to yoga….to the GOA we are all basically the same. Okay. Now, is a “gym” necessary to achieving 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous movement per week. Absolutely not. However, if our society did not need additional support, coaching, and motivation we would be looking at a different picture. Besides that, those that do “need” a gym to achieve this recommendation and more, rely on the culture that they surround themselves with in these environments. Every “gym member” is different and thrives in these unique environments. If our population were self-motivated we would be living in a very different world.
I appreciate this quote from an owner of Sweat Science Boxing in YYC “…it is important for people to understand that gyms are not just about vanity. For many, the gym is a place where they keep their mental health situation under control. It is a place that gives people a reason to want to feel healthier. It is a place where people can be a part of a like minded team who are all working to make their lives better. It is a place where people get support. It is a place where people keep their addictions at bay. It is a place where people work through their stress before bringing it home to their family.” For many, gyms are essential to their success.
In both my public and private experience, gyms are the most undervalued and underutilized pieces of our HEALTHcare system. If you do not see this as a problem, then you are far more an advocate for costly SICKcare than you are about HEALTH.
In the fight against Covid, we are not only undervalued and underutilized, but we are also now being painted as ‘dirty’, ‘unnecessary’, heck I have even heard the word ‘cesspool’ used to describe businesses like mine. Disheartening is the nice way of putting how this makes me feel.
I am not denying that Covid presents a very real risk to a certain percentage of our population. I am disappointed that our public health messaging has completely failed to reflect the importance of personal responsibility to the collective health of our population. The GOA promotes 'keeping active' to our children, but has crippled every adults ability to do so this last year. I have watched my husband struggle with frustration when his main outlet of staying active was shut down. Talk about mixed messaging. What our province says they value and what they are communicating is not in alignment. "Ya kids, Mcdonald's is an important cog to keeping our population healthy but Mommy's gym is dirty and can't be trusted. Mommy doesn't need to go there anyway."
This message infuriates me.
Keep in mind, we have taken DRAMATIC steps to comply with ALL public health measures since March 2020. Including closing our facility completely for 6+ of the last 12 months. In our facility, and I know in most others I know, we have implemented high standards to maintain public safety including....
• Our member entry system gives us the most specific contact tracing technology there is among the industries that have faced lockdown. We could close and notify anyone involved within minutes.
• We have always had high standards for disinfecting high touch surfaces and have heightened this since June 2020.
• We have a commercial grade sanitization washing machine.
• We have no unnecessary staff on site.
• We have individual spray bottles for members to disinfect surfaces as they train.
• We encourage hand washing and have hand sanitization stations in the facility.
• We have reduced our capacity to 8 members at a time, in our 4000 SF space, since last June. (We chose this number by our own doing, not because the GOA required us to.)
• We have cancelled all group and personal training since June to limit the number of people in the facility.
• We have not run any fans in the facility since reopening in June.
• We have implemented masking during low intensity activity.
• We have asked members to schedule appointments, as per the GOA, to better monitor our traffic.
• We have taken out all difficult to disinfect equipment and asked members to provide their own bands etc.
• Continually checked in with our members for their input, concerns, ideas on how to make our environment safer.
• We have asked members to not socialize, high five, spot each other etc. where they would compromise the 3m of physical distance we have always asked for.
• We have reduced our sales capacity and ONLY do tours and sales by appointment. Every new member goes through a one-to-one orientation of our club’s expectations. We have imposed fines for non-compliance and have even asked members to leave our membership for not complying.
• Our trainers have reinvented themselves and their business models by offering virtual coaching, designing programs that do not require their supervision, and upping their social media presence to continue to inspire and motivate their clients. I am extremely proud of their flexibility and hard work to reinvent themselves.
Yet, it seems, according to the GOA we are the ‘problem’ and not part of the solution. When one of our public health officials was questioned about an American TV drama coming to Alberta to film, she answered ‘we are working on a framework for them to be able to operate safely within our province.’ I am still in shock at how that ‘framework’ was a top priority for the GOA. It spoke VOLUMES to me about how the GOA defines ‘healthcare’.
The most important factor in a HEALTHcare system; PEOPLE WHO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR HEALTH. Gym members fall into this category and have been given nothing but more obstacles to taking care of themselves over the last year.
Is it selfish for us to expect to stay open? Absolutely not. I believe it is selfish of anyone to believe some businesses, while not others, must remain closed for the population to feel safe.
If you truly do not feel as safe as possible in a facility, those I am familiar with have all given members the option to defer, hold, or cancel memberships. I personally have created a credit and billing nightmare for myself trying to be fair to our members during this challenging time. During the closures some have gained weight, some have lost valuable time rehabilitating injuries, and some have fallen victim to mismanaged conditions like diabetes and depression. Some have cancelled memberships to take on programs at home, or those that can afford it and have the space to do it in have put equipment into their homes. But for other’s their gym is their escape, their support, their motivation to take responsibility for their health. Good for you if you have found that elsewhere.
For these reasons, and SO many more, .
**NOTE** We will not be taking new members, scheduling tours, or accepting guest passes at this time. We feel this is the best way to manage the risk for our current members and cleaning team at this time. It is also important to the integrity of this post, as we are not doing this for financial gain or to 'steal business' from other facilities in our community. Thank you for understanding.
*UPDATE* For those asking, yes we will be sharing this with our MLA and MP. But heck, it wouldn't hurt if ya'all did too!
