How to maintain wellness and fitness outside of your home during this period

This time, practicing yoga will no longer be limited to your screen.

That’s right—Singapore has finally reopened the country. Most activities have resumed but still follow certain safety protocols to prevent the further spread of COVID-19. This transition is referred to as “phase 2 reopening”. Since there has been an increase in the transmission of the Delta variant virus, Singapore is retaining the implementation of Phase 2’s restrictions. This was a decision made by the COVID-19 Multi-Ministry Task Force who assessed the situation and said that community infection rates remained high despite the phase 1 reopening. That gave them the idea to take one step forward in normalizing the activities of the people in the country. However, safety and preventive measures are still strictly implemented and to be followed by the general public to avoid incidents of transmitting the virus. 

Under this rule, activities in gyms and fitness studios are included. Exercising and staying in shape is one of the most important things in people’s minds right now, especially since being healthy can lessen the risk of suffering gravely from the virus. With that said, we can finally do our workout in public places with other people so long as we maintain social distance and follow other safety measures.

Understanding phase 2 guidelines

With Singapore’s reopening, we are no longer limited to exercising within our homes or in open parks. We can engage in any sport or fitness activities with other people whether indoor or outdoor. Just don’t forget to maintain preventive measures and other details that would reduce the risk of spreading infection.

In Phase 2 (heightened level), social gatherings are given more limits. Social gatherings, especially fitness-related activities, are allowed to operate but under strict protocols. Those who are not wearing masks are not allowed to stay inside an enclosed studio but for outdoor activities, the group size is limited to two unmasked persons. Masked groups, on the other hand, can participate in both indoor and outdoor fitness activities but only if the group is divided into two, with a maximum limit of 30 persons. The Delta variant of COVID-19 is highly contagious so all guidelines must be followed by everyone. 

Below are the important factors to consider in the phase 2 reopening:

• Personal health and wellness services will reopen
• Social gatherings should only consist of 2 people
• Swimming pools, sports halls, hard courts, gyms, and fitness studios will be open

Yoga classes in phase 2

Although mass or cluster gatherings remain highly discouraged, we can still exercise as a group with a limited number of participants and proper distancing. This way, we can actively stay in shape while at the same time keeping ourselves COVID-free.

So, how does this apply to attending yoga classes?

Yoga practice is a great way to maintain a healthy lifestyle. It nourishes our physical, mental, and spiritual selves and helps us to face our day-to-day activities better. It provides a lot of benefits that contribute to the improvement of our well-being. However, we all know yoga is also a social type of workout (other than being a personal one). One of its striking appeals is that it’s more fun being practiced as a group. It gives us a sense of belongingness and assurance that other people, despite coming from other walks of life, are also going through the same life-changing journey as us.

Fortunately, yoga facilities are among the fitness studios in Singapore that will be reopened. We don’t have to endure long-distance training with our instructors or limit ourselves to meditating in nature parks. It’s now allowed to attend a yoga class in an actual studio where we can see our yoga instructor personally and do our stretches with fellow participants.

Well, it might not be exactly the same as before but it’s a start!

How to keep our health safe in yoga classes

How can we keep ourselves safe from COVID-19 while participating in yoga sessions? As fitness studios open themselves to the public, what measures should we take to prevent further transmission of the virus? Here is where we lay out the guide for you.

Workouts are an inevitable part of our routines, especially with the lockdowns and everything. Many of us do our best to keep ourselves in shape especially with the lack of physical movement. Now in Singapore, we’re allowed to slowly resume our physical activities but there are precautions we should still take.

Here’s how we can keep our health safe in these workout classes:

1. Find a well-ventilated gym

Why is that all this time only exercising outdoors or in open areas are allowed? It’s because there’s a higher chance of viral transmission if an infected person is spreading it in an indoor area that’s enclosed and poorly ventilated. If you want to join a yoga class, you must choose a studio that has a wide space and is very well-ventilated. This makes the risks lesser for you to catch or spread the virus faster.

2. Wipe or sanitize equipment before and after use

Certain yoga sessions require the use of props. Yoga mats are already a given but things such as pillows, bolsters, blankets, straps, and others are usually rented from the studio. If you can’t bring your own, make sure to wipe the ones from the studio before and after you use them. Try using a cloth and a disinfectant spray. Continue doing this habit even if the pandemic ends; it’s just basic human hygiene and decency. Wipe down the yoga mat before and after use. Disinfect your mat, spritz both sides with a disinfecting spray before and after every use. 

3. Bring your own yoga mat and clean it well

Concerning the point above, it’s much better to have your own equipment. Why? It’s because you don’t have to share it with other users, therefore reducing the risk of spreading the infection. Having your own mat is a must but you should also know how to clean it well. Stretching our limbs and getting into postures cause a lot of our sweat droplets to land on our mats so every after session make sure to wipe it clean or wash it.

4. Choose group classes with fewer people

The fewer people in a class, the better. You have to choose classes that include a maximum of five people, which was clearly indicated in the strict guidelines of phase 2. This will guarantee lower chances of the virus spreading and infecting more people. Keep in mind, doing yoga involves a lot of breathing. Imagine doing that in a room that’s filled with groups of people. Even when there are less people around, see to it that everyone in the room is practicing strict social distancing, ensuring that a distance of at least 2 meters is being observed.

5. Wear your masks if you’re not exercising

Understandably, wearing face masks isn’t that great while you’re working out since it might give you a much harder time breathing. To address this, Sweatbox modifies its studio ventilation and temperature, as well as the class intensity, in order to make masks more wearable and convenient. You can also remove your mask so long as you do this when you are executing the poses. Refrain from talking or doing certain movements with your mouth that can cause you to spit. Just keep your lips sealed, stay quiet, and focus on how to connect with your inner energy. 

6. Take a shower after your session

After facing the intensity of your workout session, take a shower. It is heavily advised to us to do this every time we return home from being outside, especially in public places. This includes when you’ve come from fitness classes. Yes, we normally shower even before but this time the main goal is to rinse off any possible bacteria that we took home with us.

7. Ask the studio if and how they disinfect

Other than you being careful on your own, it’s also important to know how the studio you are attending classes in is managing disinfection. Sessions can sometimes last for hours which means many people have probably been in that room you were in; or will be there after you. Every after session, the staff must disinfect the entire studio for the sake of everyone’s health.

We offer safe yoga classes in Singapore!

If you feel like the phase 2 protocols are still putting weight on your shoulders or if you aren’t ready to go back to the outside world and join a group yoga class, you can always choose the second option: join private yoga classes. Sweatbox made yoga a safer practice, designed to cater the varying paces and preferences of every yoga practitioner, making sure that the Phase 2 guidelines are being followed. 

Being the best yoga studio Singapore, we teach in various areas of yoga such as hatha yoga, hot yoga, and vinyasa yoga, and many more! For more details on this, you can visit our website or contact us.

Those who want to attend physical classes are welcome in our studios. Rest assured, we do our best in following strict measures in preventing the further spread of COVID-19.