Why do so many people think exercise is the problem?

[Lookingforwardtomyeastereggs]

I'm so sick of people on here calling for complete lockdown. So hear me out.

My dh is still going out to work (non essential) and mixing with others, his employer have been slow to put measures in place. Yet they're still being allowed to operate.

The road round here are so busy again, all these cars can't be going on essential journeys. Neighbours are breaking the rules by going on car journeys with non household members. These are just a few examples.

Now I've completely stuck to the rules, haven't so much as been to a shop in weeks, I'm wfh with two dc, and the only time I leave the house is to walk, every other day, around where I live. I rarely see anyone, the streets are quiet.

Now how am I causing the problem here?

People need to find something to blame. If they themselves don’t exercise it’s easy for them to point the finger and say it’s those who are the ones causing the problems.

I’m mystified as well.

Contact is the problem. So long as you are distancing, exercise isn't.

Exercising is not the problem. Dont see anywhere saying that. It's people sunbathing or having bbqs etc. The only time exercising is a problem is when everyone decides to drive to the beach or park crowding it out - but if they are moving it's not an issue, it's that so many are sitting.

Mystified as well. Having a go at cyclists too on my fb village group constantly. Most people are sticking to the rules, but some people here are proper curtain twitchers and then post on fb.

Yeah should have said outdoor exercise.

I can't speak for every single person or place can only speak of what I've seen. But on my walks I might see 3-4 people, and people are crossing the road to avoid one another. Yet the amount of cars on the road is insane.

Obviously people stopping for picnics isn't on (I haven't witnessed tim his at all), but it shouldn't be too difficult to have pcsos to move people on.

There are far more risky things going on out there.

A hell of a lot of people really don’t understand why we’re social distancing or why congregating in parks isn’t allowed - i.e. because it transmits person-to-person in close contact through droplets and if everyone is side by side in the park that increases the risk of it being spread. Plenty of people seem to think it’s because Coronavirus is airborne and therefore every time we inhale or exhale outdoors we’re putting lives at risk. Hence wanting people breathing outside their homes banned.

Exercising is not the problem. Dont see anywhere saying that. It's people sunbathing or having bbqs etc. The only time exercising is a problem is when everyone decides to drive to the beach or park crowding it out - but if they are moving it's not an issue, it's that so many are sitting.

There are absolutely loads on here calling for outdoor exercise to be banned, green spaces to be closed altogether, complaining about cyclists and joggers.

By cyclists I don't mean these idiots that are cycling in big groups. People even want the person cycling to work or who's stopped, or the parent taking their kid for a ride around the block.

It’s not exercise that’s the issue, it’s some very thick people. Trouble is because people are allowed out for exercise, some take the piss.

3000 people in a certain park in London the weekend
People sunbathing in public spaces
People at the beach
People sitting on benches in Richmond to enjoy the sunshine

And they were all “exercising” well that’s what they would tell you.

Give some an inch and they take mile.

I get some don’t have a garden / live in a small space with dc but the longer they ignore the rules the longer this goes on for. Quickest way to get us back to normal is to stop taking the piss!

It is all they see, so what they feel they can control. They can shout at us and tell on their neighbours.

People are terrified, and if they read the DM or Sun then they are reading stories of young mothers dying and that makes them more scared. So they are sitting in their dark houses shouting "bread, milk, and fresh air is not essential" and hope their suffering will save lives.

They also probably don't exercise, so really believe it isn't essential. They are not used to exercising and don't know from experience how essential it is for mental and physical health.

In my opinion, all of those blaming exercise rather than this totally incompetent government, and just the simple bad luck of a pandemic, are unfit, daily mail readers.

(waits for angry mob telling me "jesus wept" or "my daughter is a keyworker and your 5k alone on the hills at 6am is going to kill her because you passed within a meter of a kissing gate")

Exercising isn't the problem.

It's people getting to close to each other or doing things they KNOW they shouldn't be doing.

Since lockdown the DC and I have been for a walk around our local park about 4 times. Yesterday was horrendous, a group of men were inside the play area playing on the equipment. A group of three women (2 middle aged and the other late teens) walking side by side and not moving over to create a good distance between them and others.

I'm not calling for a full lockdown or closing of parks/beaches but I do think it is time to start imposing heavy fines on employers who make their employee come into work unnecessarily, and people who congregate in public places, and people who refuse to adhere to social distancing and mix households.

We've been in lockdown for two weeks now, I do NOT believe that people are still unsure of the rules, they're just taking the piss!

^*They also probably don't exercise, so really believe it isn't essential. They are not used to exercising and don't know from experience how essential it is for mental and physical health.

In my opinion, all of those blaming exercise rather than this totally incompetent government, and just the simple bad luck of a pandemic, are unfit, daily mail readers.*^

I think you're totally right on this.

Deelish75 I'm inclined to agree with you, the congregating, mixing households and non essential work are causing the problems not the walkers/joggers/cyclists that stick to the rules.

Yet I don't see anyone crying out about those things.

I've seen people scream about would you rather go for a walk and die or stay home. But the fact is, if I die, it will be because dh brings the virus home from work and not because I went walking.

I drove with the kids, went for a walk for an hour or so. Saw one person off in the distance, and some would shame us for doing that.

It's not exercising - it's all the people that think they're special and that rules don't apply to them.
My neighbour across the road doesn't stick to the rules and his son and daughter are both doctors. Neighbour next to them has Grandma coming to visit - I've seen her visiting twice in last few days ( and I don't spend all my time looking out the window, so it could be more often )
They think they won't pay a price for breaking the rules - they're too stupid to understand we're all paying the price, every day this continues.

There is an element of hysteria due mainly to fear but also to a number of issues that were present in society already but that Covid19 is highlighting. Three of these are that we are a very divided nation where discussion about anything becomes a non-evidence-based and personalised screaming match rather than a measured debate; we are a very unhealthy and obese nation but don't want to either accept this or consider the longterm implications; and we are not particularly scientifically literate or able to understand statitistics.
These three things have created a perfect storm when faced with something that is not within our control.

There seems to be a correlation between the people who are not going out for exercise at all or often enough, and who are completely lost down the rabbit hole of obsessing what their neighbours are getting up to. It is a loss of perspective, a loss of normality.

The sheer number of sad, frightened posters on these boards complaining about what Other People are doing or not doing, and who are feeling out of control who also state that they have not been outside for 14 days or only once or twice etc etc.

Lack of exercise has a correlation with poor mental health.

Exercise is a life saver. Literally. It can boost the immune response and it helps mental health issues which also helps boost immunity.

We NEED to exercise. We need it to stay fit and healthy and to have the best possible chance when it is our turn to catch the virus. There is a reason that HMGov put an exercise period into the lockdown regulations.

So no, exercise is not the 'problem'. But lack of exercise may very well be.

Because it’s the arrogant people sitting about in parks that are the problem. Not exercise.

Re the cyclists, its worth pointing out that a lot of Mumsnetters have hated cyclists for a long time. I've read complaints such as - they are on the road going too slow and forcing the NMer to wait 1-2 minutes before it's safe to overtake them and go at the speed on country roads the MNer feels entitled to do. Cyclists are smug (AKA seeing someone else being healthy makes lazy people feel guilty). They spend too much time and money on their hobbies (if you aren't funding it, why be upset?)

Anyway, these annoyed people haven't been out at work, and now can see people doing things they don't approve of at the best of times.

There's a subset of MN who get very angry by people making different life choices to them, even if said life choices are perfectly fine to do.

(Disclaimer, I'm not a cyclist!)

Two of my colleagues and I have all been furloughed.
One tells me she has been on a 20 mile cycle and one is off for a long walk this afternoon. I thought the rule was one hour of exercise per day?

The government said you can exercise ONCE a day as in walk, run, cycle

Never have they given a time limit

I agree. It’s really frustrating seeing proper exercise being mixed up with sunbathing and picnics and mass football games.

I will of course obey whatever rules are put in place but I’ll be gutted if we lose the permission to take a walk in the park once a day. I am sure the fact I’ve exercised more over the last year is a big reason I’ve had fewer respiratory issues than normal. I’m still not amazingly fit or a healthy weight yet but I’ve improved a hell of a lot and it’s been totally worth it even without the (huge) mental health benefits.

The park near us has been pretty empty - the odd group but mostly just the odd other family or people walking alone or with dogs. The playground bit is cordoned off and people seem to be respecting it

Because those that don’t like exercising don’t think it’s fair that those who do, get to do something they enjoy, while they are stuck inside being miserable - despite the fact that they probably should get out themselves!

@user1497787065 - that's in France. In the UK, there's no time limit and you can go out more than once. we might start getting stricter rules though, which some people will think is definately a great idea as too many people seem to be having fun...