Fernwood Fitness looks to reopen Greater Sydney and NSW clubs at midnight on Monday

Fernwood Fitness will reopen its 20 women’s-only clubs across Greater Sydney and NSW at the stroke of midnight on Monday 11th October as the state’s lockdown eases having passed its 70% double-dose vaccination milestone.

In line with NSW Health guidelines, fitness and health clubs across must ensure all staff, members and guests are fully vaccinated, they must check-in using the Service NSW app and maintain a minimum 1.5 metre² distance at all times.

Fitted face masks are required in all indoor exercise facilities and all equipment must be wiped down and sanitised after each use.

Surveying its members* this week, Fernwood Fitness found that two thirds of women have missed having a ‘structured routine’ during lockdown. One in three admitted they haven’t had an exercise routine at all and one in four say they’ll be prioritising their mental health as much as their physical wellbeing when they can return to their local club.

Looking forward to the reopening, Fernwood’s Mental Health First Aid Trainer and Wellness Manager Emma Robertson advised “this lockdown has been a particularly challenging time for women, both mentally and physically with significant disruptions to our sleep, exercise, diet and nutrition, childcare arrangements and the ability to socialise.

“Here at Fernwood we believe in going at a pace that suits you, we’re encouraging our NSW members to ease themselves back into the routines they have missed so dearly and to not be too hard on themselves if some habits have slipped, because at the end of the day we’re all human.”

Fernwood Fitness is a Mental Health First Aid Gold Skilled Workplace with over 300 of its trainers and staff accredited in Mental Health First Aid with the shared goal of starting a conversation and supporting the overall wellbeing of women in all Fernwood Fitness clubs across Australia.

*Based on a survey of 1,700 Fernwood Fitness members taken 6th October 2021.

Images courtesy of Fernwood Fitness/Maddy Beck.