Gym Trainers Stare At The Uncertain Future With No End Date To Shut Down

Though most trainers have their online classes as a back-up, it can’t be a substitute for physical classes, they say

- Bishwabijoy Mitra

The first wave of the pandemic and resultant lockdown last year had made life really challenging for professional bodybuilder and fitness trainer Nirupam Chowdhury and several others in his fraternity. The prolonged closure of gyms and social distancing norms had forced him to fall back on the money he had saved up to participate in international competitions. Things started looking up again after gyms reopened. But then, the second wave hit. And gyms are closed again.

LIFE COMES A FULL CIRCLE

June 2020 saw different industries and services gradually opening up, but not gyms. “It was frustrating to see that even liquor shops and restaurants had reopened, but not gyms. It’s the same situation again,” rued Nirupam.

Suman Halder, a fitness trainer associated with two gyms, agreed with Nirupam. Talking about his predicament, Suman said, “I’m the only bread earner in my family. When there was no regular flow of money, I had to fall back on my savings. When my savings dried up, I joined a food delivery service. I didn’t earn much, but I could at least sustain my family.”