All you have to do to realise that things have gone back to 'almost' normal is step out of the house.

There are more people in shops and on the road, most people are back at work, and gyms and parks are open to those who want to exercise again.


However, the threat of COVID-19 is not over and many are still worried about going to public places, including gyms and parks, without their masks.

While wearing a mask is important in public places, wearing a mask when you're working out is not advisable, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said.

It could mess with your breathing

Can you wear a mask while exercising when the COVID-19 threat is pretty much still active?

No, you should NOT a wear mask when exercising as masks may reduce the ability to breath comfortably

The important preventive measure is to maintain a physical distance of at least 1m from others@KKMPutrajaya #coronavirus pic.twitter.com/UYvqCDYmv7

— WHO Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam & Singapore (@WHOMalaysia) June 17, 2020

We all know that breathing is not as comfortable when wearing a mask and our lungs definitely need more air when exercising.

Wearing a mask can lead to your lungs getting lesser oxygen, making you feel light-headed, breathless and tired.

If you don't stop in time, your lungs can collapse like that of a man in Wuhan, China.


The 26-year-old man, who was new to the fitness, was jogging with his mask on when he felt a dull ache in his chest.

Luckily for him, he was rushed to the hospital in time to save his life, despite one of his lung collapsing and his heart moving to the left.

The sweat is no help

When you're exercising, you obviously sweat and it gets absorbed by the masks you wear.

This further impedes your ability to breath properly, leading to complications.

Unless you're a professional athlete who is used to using the right kind of masks when exercising and have access to medical help, it may be a good idea to lay off the mask.

Social distancing, not mask is the way to go

While wearing a mask in public places does help in slowing down the spread of virus, it is a better idea to maintain social distancing when you're exercising.

This shouldn't be so hard at parks and other public places as these are open spaces, but gyms may be a little more tricky.

However, strict SOPs have been imposed on gyms nationwide so you should still be safe provided you follow the rules.