A survey of 12,913 participants from 139 countries between March 24 and March 30 sought to gather data on how COVID-19 had altered physical activity habits. The results, from RunRepeat, a company that specializes in helping people find the perfect athletic shoes, showed that people were exercising at a greater frequency than before the pandemic.

RunRepeat asked participants to report how many times a week they normally exercised or played sports both before the lockdown and after the outbreak went global. For the purposes of the survey, the groups were defined according to their weekly exercise frequency. An average athlete worked out one to two times a week; moderate athletes up to three times a week; and avid athletes more than four times a week. Here’s what the researchers found:

  • People who normally exercised one to two times a week increased their activity by 88%, on average.
  • Those who normally exercised up to three times a week increased their exercise by 38%, on average.
  • People who normally worked out more than four times a week decreased their movement by 14%, on average.

For more information and additional details, visit runrepeat.com/exercise-covid-19-study.

September 2020 Question of the Month

During the pandemic, which strategies, if any, are working best for changing your

programming? For example, are you scheduling more body-weight training to avoid shared use of equipment? Or are you not making any programming changes? What physical activity programs are working best to attract participants? Please share your success stories.

We want to hear from you! Email executive editor Joy Keller, [email protected].

See also: Webinar: Reopening Guidelines from CFA: A Blueprint for IDEA Member Facilities