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Thandeka Moyo-Ndlovu, Health Reporter
IT’S only 4.30AM, but on Bulawayo’s Masiyephambili Drive traffic already congests the thoroughfare.

The congestion is not that of cars or kombis looking for customers, but people, mostly women, walking up and down along the street in opposite directions.

Groups join in from all directions, Pelandaba, Entumbane, Magwegwe, Pumula East, Emakhandeni, Nkulumane, Richmond and Njube suburbs.

Clad in trainers and sport kits, they start walking towards the main road oblivious of the dangers that may befall them since the sun is still yet to rise.

Due to the Covid-19 imposed lockdown, the usually busy road is quiet, giving the scores a chance to group and do a number of outdoor physical activities which include aerobics, sprints, jogging and a variety of calisthenics (exercises that target large muscle groups using a person’s own body weight, like push ups).

To the fitness fanatics, Covid-19 that has virtually brought the world to a standstill, is a chance to re-invent themselves and edge away from the body that confronts them in the mirror towards their ideal appearance.

With Statutory Instrument 94 of 2020 that permits outdoor exercise during lockdown in place, residents now have all the time to set and attain fitness goals and enjoy all the goodness that accrues thereof.

However, they risk falling foul of lockdown regulations with Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube saying while outdoor exercises have been permitted, residents should adhere to lockdown conditions.

“We are worried about the attitude that people have against their masks and we will arrest anyone found to be breaking the laws on social distancing. We hear they only wear masks to avoid arrest but they are missing the whole point, masks should be worn to avoid infections,” said Insp Ncube.

To the exercising public, this is one way of beating Covid-19 as health experts have said exercise is one of the ways to boost the immune system and increase resistance to coronavirus infection.

Besides, it boosts production of four essential so-called “feel good hormones” associated with memory, good mood and even love.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), regular physical activity benefits both the body and mind and can reduce high blood pressure, help manage weight and reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and various cancers.

Mr Joel Munetsi from Old Magwegwe leads one of many groups with about 60 members which gathers to exercise daily by the roadside.

Even primary school going children have joined their parents and elder siblings in the groups.

“I realised people are so stressed out and since I could not help them with cash of food, I decided to start a WhatsApp group which has seen us on the streets daily from 4.30AM to 6AM during weekdays. As a fitness trainer, I encourage my friends and partners to stay positive and despite the lockdown related stress, they now have something to look forward to every day,” he said.

He says besides keeping people busy and away from harmful practices, outdoor exercises also help in building team spirit in communities.

“We are also aware that in order to avoid getting non-communicable disease like hypertension and diabetes we need to maintain our weight. Since gyms are closed, the least we can do is walk up and down this street to stay fit,” he said.

One of the group members is a Form Two pupil from Pumula East who is in the company of her uncle and his family.

“I know that exercising helps release those feel good hormones according to our Science teacher. When you exercise, your body releases chemicals called endorphins and these hormones trigger a positive feeling in the body, which keeps one happy and stress free,” she says adding that being away from school for a long time has been stressful.

According to Miss Sifiso Ncube, a teacher from Pelandaba, the lockdown had left a lot of people stressed and with nothing to do with their time as social distancing conditions are still in place.

“We are not used to having such lengthy holidays and yes this lockdown is bringing a lot of strains in families hence the need to do something. Waking up early for these activities means I can control how my day goes and it also keeps me positive about our unknown future in Zimbabwe,” she says.

“As we face Covid-19 the least we can do is stay fit and pray that if we are infected, we recover. We are also in winter now and exercise lessens the risk of respiratory ailments that abound during this time.”

A few kilometres down the same road, a large group of youths is busy doing push ups at a bridge in Richmond.

They are also taking advantage of a paved descent which leads to a railway line to do uphill running.

Among them is Ashley Moyo (16) from Entumbane. He says the daily meetings mean a lot to him and his group of friends. “We start exercising from about 5.30AM daily and sometimes our group can have as many as 200 people. We sometimes run to Entumbane Shopping Complex as part of the exercises and it helps keep us fit and strong,” he said.

A former Tsholotsho Football Club player Mr Craig Ndlovu is among the group and says he cannot afford to let his body wear out during the lockdown.

“We are grateful for the permission to exercise and though we cannot readily play, we can make do with these activities to keep fit. As a professional footballer, I appreciate the importance of keeping fit and we will make use of these unbusy roads since kombis and most vehicles are not mobile during this time,” he said.

Mrs Skhululekile Mdlongwa from Nkulumane, who also does exercises in the morning, says her two girls aged eight and 10 have since decided to join her as she runs along the same road.

“Exercising is now a family affair and we have since discovered more people are now willing to wake up early and exercise. We encourage others to join in, it is for free and brings about a whole lot of priceless benefits,” she says.

A local doctor Mxolisi Ngwenya said exercise is a vital component to physical and mental well-being.

“It helps with weight management, bone and muscle health and improves mood. Outdoor exercise is even better for mood improvement than indoor exercises as it reduces stress hormones and burns more calories,” said Dr Ngwenya.

“In these trying times of Covid-19, the less one is exposed, the better. Minimal to no contact is recommended, so although people need outdoor exercise, avoiding contact, taking precautions and wearing face masks is of paramount importance. If one can exercise in their backyard, the better.”

Experts have also said an antioxidant enzyme produced when exercising may stave off or lessen the risk of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), one of the complications that people with Covid-19 can develop, and it is associated with a higher death rate from the disease.— @thamamoe