WELL, we’ve been here before. We’re one week into Lockdown Number Two, and for many people, not being able to get to the gym is what they’ll miss most.
Per capita, Shepparton has more gyms than any other town in the country. Okay I haven’t fact-checked that one, but to a newcomer to the town, it does seem that way.
Last Wednesday evening, only hours before restrictions came into place, I watched on as dozens of keen Crossfit enthusiasts at Shepparton’s Nemesis Strength and Conditioning lined up to receive their share of take-home kettlebells, dumbbells and medicine balls.
It had the feel of soldiers arming themselves for a six-week deployment.
Gym sessions here haven’t stopped, they’ve just moved online.
If Lockdown One was about stocking up on Prosecco, Lockdown Two has the feeling of a campaign.
Head coach at Nemesis, Tareke Le Lievre, said his gym’s patrons had reluctantly accepted their fate.
For many, gym sessions are as much about providing structure to your week and socialising than sweating and waking up the next day wondering if you’d been hit by a bus.
“At least for us, this time we know what we’re in for: It’s six weeks,” Tareke said.
“That’s the shining light for this one. It’s a positive, it helps heaps with programming. The first one we didn’t know when it would end.”
Tareke said he saw a bunch of new members come on board immediately following the first lockdown and months of sitting at home.
“A lot of people realised how beneficial it is – not just the physical side, but the mental benefits of coming in and meeting all the different people there,” he said.
“It’s what stands out. You create these relationships.”
The current lockdown is scheduled to run through to Wednesday, September 16.
