As the Attorney General of NC has made it possible for businesses like ours to legally operate it is important that we do so responsibly. This definitely includes wearing a face mask or face covering.
With that said, here are the Do’s and
Don’ts of Exercising in a Mask so you can stay safe, stay sane, and be as comfortable as possible (and/or, you may want to get started dropping any COVID weight gain – I know I do!):
1. Do consider a face shield. Face shields are likely safer, far easier to breath in, and harder to render useless than are masks.
As you’ve seen in every grocery store you’ve visited people have a
strange tendency to remove their mask from one ear, or slide it up and
down to talk to people. It’s much harder to slide your shield around. Additionally, the wetter a mask gets – like from sweating – the less effective it is. The shield is also infinitely reusable.
2. Don’t be sloppy. Whether you are wearing a mask or a shield, do not remove it to talk to people. Removing it to talk to someone is literally the worst time to render it useless. If you are talking to people who are hard of hearing or struggling to breath, these are 2 more excellent reasons to consider the face shield.
3. Do know you are safe. There are memes on social media saying that masks can cause carbon dioxide poisoning. These are completely false. Here’s an article on the truth about mask safety.
4. Don’t be quiet. We all need each other to be safe, so if you see someone forgetting to wash their hands, skipping the thermometer, removing their mask to speak to someone, etc. please speak up and remind them. Please be tactful, but don’t be quiet.
5. Do give yourself grace. It’s OK to take some extra rest breaks. It might be because of the mask, or it might be because the stress of COVID has caused you to neglect your fitness to some extent. It’s OK to be tired, and it’s OK to give yourself some breaks from time to time. These breaks will allow you to work harder and feel better.
6. Don’t use a neck gaiter. While these can be effective face coverings, wearing one during a Charlotte Summer or
during exercise is like wearing a wool scarf – it makes you hot AF. And if you are having a hot flash you might spontaneously combust. (Fun fact: When I had long hair in the 90’s I kept it in a man bun to keep it off my neck during exercise.)