Fitness sector keen to reopen

AMMAN — As the restrictions imposed by the novel coronavirus have brought the fitness industry to a standstill, fitness business owners, industry experts and operators addressed how the industry is handling the COVID-19 crisis during a virtual panel discussion on Sunday.

“This pandemic has negatively impacted all sectors and the fitness industry is no exception, “Actness Founder Mawaheb Homsi said during the discussion.

Homsi, who is also a wellness programmes designer, added that there are some people who are waiting to go back to the gyms, while others remain fearful at this point.

Head of Jordan Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (JFBB) Mamoun Teif said that fitness business owners together with the JFBB have formed a committee, to demand for the reopening of fitness centres and gyms, adding that they approached the Jordan Olympic Committee, after which their demands were sent to the Prime Ministry.

“No one noticed the fitness industry and everyone was concerned with other sectors,” Teif further said.

A league was established to bring together heads of federations, with the aim to develop a mechanism and protocol for the pre- and post-COVID-19 situation, in addition to asking fitness business owners to give some suggestions and share their expertise, to help shape important decisions.

There have undoubtedly been lots of problems and hardships, as about 35,000 persons work in the fitness industry in the Kingdom and all of them are negatively impacted.

There are fitness centres with leasing costs amounting to tens of thousands of dinars, Teif further said, noting that there are many landlords that ask for rent during this unprecedented time where things are changing at a rapid pace.

Hashem Kilani, a professor of physical education at the University of Jordan, said that it is important during this crisis to develop remote coaching programmes, in order to train clients while they are at home.

Meanwhile, Moath Bataineh, a professor of physical education at the Hashemite University, noted that the problem is not only that fitness centres’ clients are afraid to go back and exercise, but most of them have lost their motivation due to the change in their daily routines, along with the curfew and lockdown.

Field and practical training for sports graduates helps to implement what they have learned through courses, gain experience and access the labour market, but now they will not make use of this chance, he added.

It is not just about reopening the gyms and centres, by following precautionary measures, “but also we should be finding out more about the specific conditions for the sports sector,” Qasem Haymoor, a bodybuilding coach.

Consideration must be given to leasing, social security and sales tax costs, he added.