By Chris Brown

No change in Medicine Hat cases

Province aims to clarify “confusing” gym rules

Mar 2, 2021 | 5:18 PM

ollowing 24 hours of questions about what is defined as low-intensity and high-intensity physical activity, Health Minister Tyler Shandro said that distinction is up to each person.

On Monday, the province eased restrictions on gyms and fitness facilities. Low-intensity individual and group fitness activities (pilates, tai-chi and indoor climbing) are allowed indoors for adults effective yesterday.

He added the province relied on recommendations from the fitness industry to make the recommendations, including how low-intensity was defined.

“Low-intensity fitness is stuff that doesn’t make you breathe significantly harder than you usually do,” said Shandro. “High-intensity fitness is any kind of exercise that does make you breathe a lot harder than usual. And the higher your heart rate the higher your breathing rate will be.”

Shandro said knowing those rates will vary between people and fitness level, “gym and studio and fitness centre operators need to use their best judgment in identifying what category their group exercise classes fall into.”

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“We’re relying on owners and clients to use judgment, to show good faith. We need people to follow the rules.”

The health minister said that as with all of AHS’s work on enforcing public health measures, the goal is compliance, not sanctions.

He said the province wants people to use gyms safely and that enforcement is only ever a last resort.

He also announced a telephone town hall will take place shortly with fitness operators to answer their questions.

Dr. Deena Hinshaw echoed Shandro’s comments that advice from the industry when making the decision to allow low-intensity activities indoors.

“We heard from fitness industry representatives in the multiple meetings our team has had with them how important it is for us to underline the critical role that physical activity has in both physical and mental health,” she said.

“We heard that allowing appointment-based solo activity was important. And we heard that fitness owners are committed to creating safe environments to prevent COVID-19 spread.”

She said a similar low-intensity approach has been in place for many months and COVID-19 numbers there have been relatively stable.

(CHAT News Today)