Don’t want to step into the political sphere or be just another voice commenting on what’s going on atm but I seriously hope everyone involved in the health, fitness, sport & well being sectors strongly counters yesterday’s threat to ban all outdoor exercise for everyone.

It’s almost unbelievable that a ‘Health’ Secretary should threaten to ban exercise, which supports the immune system! The administration should see outdoor exercise as a precious part of the solution & work to shape behaviour so that people can become more resilient.

Banning all outdoor exercise because some people go sun bathing or gather in too greater numbers is like banning food shopping because some people stock piled or banning driving because some people speed. As a response to the issue it could not be less appropriate.

If some people are still making poor decisions, tackle that. If you need to tighten the rules - enforce location restrictions, make it compulsory to be actually moving vigorously while in public spaces, not just standing & chatting from a distance.

Deploy troops to force anyone flouting guidance into an on the spot boot camp at gun point (I’m joking). Do things to enforce exercise but don’t ban it, UNLESS science requires it. This is a political reaction to ‘disobedience’ not a medical development. Better leadership needed.

To clarify, this thread is not about our personal interest. We’re fine here if there’s total lockdown. We have a garden, we have a large selection of free weights, we have bikes & a turbo trainer - we can do plenty of cardio & strength. I’ll practice karate, yoga, pilates.

Others are not as fortunate as we are. They don’t have equipment, they don’t have a garden. Going for a daily walk could be the one thing holding them together & their only opportunity to keep fit. People in cities don’t have a choice about being around other people either.

We have to devise protocols to fit different locations & circumstances. Perhaps in cities, it is appropriate to enforce covered faces, to create tight neighbourhood limits but we have to try & enable everyone to take outdoor exercise daily

Caveat: If viral transmission intensifies in any area then absolutely, scrap this whole thread & lockdown that area completely because that is a medical need but we must ramp up enforcement & stronger rules before just banning outdoor exercise for everyone, regardless.

Sorry, just got a bit incensed by it all! Exercise is not frivolous & it’s not a luxury. It’s essential. I’ll get back to writing about the positive benefits of Sport Walking now.