Lockdown 2.0: Should gyms have stayed open?

Lockdown is back for England, with businesses putting shutters down once again. But one business that’s caused a lot of controversy, is gyms. 

The issue first hit headlines when Body Tech Fitness owner, Nick Whitcombe, refused to shut his gym doors when Liverpool was put under Tier 3 restrictions last month. He said “We are not staying open for financial gain but more for our members’ mental and physical well-being.” And that “Gyms should be supported in fighting against Covid obesity, mental health and many other conditions and diseases.”

Other gyms backed up Body Tech Fitness as the second lockdown came around. AStar Muscle and Fitness gym owners, Joe Davies and Keith Brook also refused to close “to support and look after the mental and physical needs of our members.”

Supporting their arguments is over half a million signatures on a petition to keep gyms open too. 

It’s clear people know the impact regular exercise can have on our bodies physically and mentally. From reducing stress, warding off anxiety, feelings of depression, boosting self-esteem to improving sleep to name a few.

How does CBD help with our physical well-being?

As well as having stronger antioxidant benefits than vitamins E and C, CBD can interact with the endocannabinoid system (ECS), which helps your body maintain balance for many processes, including pain. CBD’s main function is to help slow down the breakdown of the body’s own endocannabinoids, so it can use more of what it’s naturally producing, working as a modulator to help the body regain homeostasis. That means when the body has the right amount of CBD, balance begins to return and the body starts to heal itself.

Naturally, a good workout will come with some aches and pains, but now we’re housebound, our movement’s going to reduce. That means if you aren’t working out as much, or as hard as you normally would, those aches and pains could be a lot tougher to deal with when you start hitting the gym again, so CBD could be a great option. It’s also WADA approved (World Anti-Doping Agency), which means athletes can use it to support their physical well-being too. 

What do you think? 

Should gyms have stayed open? Let us know in the comments.