Bedford gym bunnies desperate to workout again, according to Google

A new analysis of gym-related Google search trends during the lockdown reveals Bedford people are among the most excited in the country to return to the gym.

The charitable social enterprise Better analysed search trends for gym-related queries such as “when will gyms reopen” and “gym reopening” to discover where the most restless gym-goers live in the UK.

The ranking considers the number of average monthly searches for these and similar gym-related queries during March and April, in relation to the population in each location.

And Bedford is one of the most gym-keen places in the UK with 2,190 average monthly queries - and ranks second only to Newcastle.

Better found that between February and April, there was 511 per cent rise in people searching for “home gym” across the UK, highlighting the huge shift after gyms were shut due to covid-19, with many people seeking tips and inspiration for their alternative home workouts.

There was a 238 per cent rise in searches for “weight training at home”, while those attempting to build their own makeshift gyms were reflected in a 247 per cent rise in “garage gym” and a massive 650 per cent rise in “gym dumbbells”.

However, people’s attention has now clearly been turned to the reopening of gyms, which could materialise in the next several months.

Better’s national head of Health & Fitness, Marco Coppola said: “Gyms will reopen when the Government advice is that it is safe and only where they can ensure a clean environment can be maintained with appropriate social distancing."