Gym Lockdown

Taja Watkins-Scott, BS 

Physical Health & Wellness Associate

​Before we went into full lockdown in the UK, the gyms remained open and I was happy that I still had my safe haven to keep me sane within the madness going on around the world.

​Let me give you a little insight:
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I’ve always loved physical activity and sports ever since I was kid and that hasn’t changed in adulthood either. If I’m completely honest, the gym never used to appeal to me.  I can’t even tell you why, it just wasn’t for me at the time, I guess.

It wasn’t until June 2017 when I sustained a severe back injury in an old job of mine which could have potentially ended my career as a massage therapist for good, before I’d even been able to really get out of the starting blocks.  I was devastated as you can imagine and ended up in a really dark place emotionally and spiritually.  This wasn’t a space I wanted to be in at all.
As my back began to heal with the help of physiotherapy, I decided to give the gym a go and see what all the fuss was about.  My sole purpose was to strengthen my back so that I could greatly reduce my risk of future injuries.

It honestly did all that and so much more!  As the months went on, I felt my back getting stronger and the remnants of my injury fading away.  What was even better was that I was gaining strength emotionally and spiritually too.  I was finally getting my mojo back.  The physical changes I noticed were encouraging too, despite this not even being the reason for me starting the gym. I was really feeling myself and this was definitely an added bonus.  Everything was going so well over that two- or so-year period.

Now let’s go back to the start of lockdown.  As I was saying, the gym was my safe haven in a world gone mad and I remember telling myself “as long as the gyms stay open, I can get through this”.  Famous last words!  Please believe that the same afternoon I had said this was also the same day that all the gyms were being closed until further notice as announced by our Prime Minister on the evening news.  As you can imagine I went into panic mode and my anxiety was through the roof!  What was I going to do now?

After the initial panic and pity party I had for myself, I picked myself up and got pro-active.  I ordered some really heavy-duty large resistance bands so that I could emulate back-squats and deadlifts, after all, they were my bread and butter in the gym when laying the foundations of my road to recovery a few years prior.  They took so long to arrive due to the pressure placed on our postal service and no doubt many other gym bunnies trying to find replacement equipment for the interim.  I didn’t wallow this time, instead, I took myself out in nature and started going on runs in addition to YouTube home workouts.

I found so many little gems in my neighbourhood that I didn’t even know existed and probably never would have if we weren’t forced to slow down and take it all in.  Exercising in nature really is a beautiful thing.  I was able to practice mindfulness while working out and was able to maintain my physical strength and fitness while building on my spirituality and emotional wellbeing.
The moral of the story is...there are always blessings in the lessons, even if you don’t see them in the moment.

Taja Watkins-Scott, BS

​My name is Taja Watkins-Scott and professionally, I am a holistic bodywork therapist specializing in Swedish massage, sports massage and rehabilitation and acupuncture. Personally, I would describe myself as a nurturer and spiritual being navigating the human experience of life and while on this journey I am using my gifts to bring love, light and healing to as many people as I possibly can to raise the vibration of the world around us. I am a firm believer that our health should be considered holistically as every aspect of our lives;  physically, spiritually and emotionally are all interconnected. I take this approach with my own life and treat my clients accordingly. Although I am a bodywork therapist, many of my clients have found a safe space in me to be vulnerable and let go of anxieties they may be holding on to. As someone who also lives with anxiety it warms my heart that others can find a safe haven in me to let go of theirs. IG @Mahtaj_massage