Someone from late 2019 walking into a gym today would be shocked by what they saw as those working out in Saskatchewan are required by a provincial health order to wear a mask even while exercising. They'd notice a few other changes as well, and gym owners have had the unenviable task of keeping up with all of them. 

Though the latest round of restrictions from the province did not shut gyms down as some owners feared they would, it did impose a few new rules. The mask-wearing is the most noticeable of them, and it may be making people hesitant to sign up for classes. 

"A lot of people want to wait, they don't want to wear a mask," said Encompass Fitness owner Brady Johnson. "But just taking that step and easing into it to wear a mask is definitely going to be hard in the beginning but a lot easier than waiting until the mask mandate is over and then starting down the road."

According to Johnson, general uncertainty around the pandemic has made some people nervous about signing up for a gym. Once people start working out with the mask, however, it's relatively easy to get accustomed to. 

"I know studies have shown there isn't much of an effect on the body," she said, "but I think mentally it's just harder, maybe feeling a little claustrophobic or maybe feeling like you can't breathe or can't perform as well. But we've found within the first week or so everyone is a lot more comfortable and it kind of seems to become second nature."

The challenges of the pandemic year forced Encompass and every other gym in Saskatchewan to make changes and endure some tough times. Fitness centers were shut down from March 18 to June 8. Businesses like Encompass, which are very client-based, had to get creative. 

"It really gave us an opportunity to think outside the box and to expand," Johnson said, "which we got to do. It was actually a good challenge."

Johnson added that once they were able to reopen in June, there was an increased interest in the gym, so much so that there were lines outside on the day they reopened. She also said that the community of people within the gym was something that their patrons clearly missed during the shutdown.