The National Clinical Director, Jason Leitch, caused some consternation among the MTB community by claiming that MTB doesn’t class as exercise.
While government guidelines state that we’re all allowed our one stint of exercise a day, the National Clinical Director to the Scottish Government, Jason Leitch has weighed in, sowing yet more confusion about what is and isn’t allowed by claiming that mountain biking isn’t exercise.
Leitch was quoted as saying “Can I just emphasise that exercise is exercise, not recreation, not your hobby. It’s not the time to go mountain biking. You need to just use it for 30, up to 60 minutes from your home to exercise to stay healthy and then stay at home.”
The global pandemic caused by Coronavirus has led to governments implementing lockdown legislation, and the UK is one of them. As it stands, we have yet to see ‘full’ lockdown conditions put into place.
There are four reasons UK residents are allowed to leave their homes, one of which is for daily exercise.
Government websites all state that under the current Coronavirus rules and guidelines we are allowed “one form of exercise a day, for example a run, walk, or cycle – alone or with members of your household.”
As we enter week three of lockdown, Professor Leitch added his opinion that mountain biking does not fall under the guidelines as to what constitutes exercise.
credit paulbox©
What does it all mean Basil?
Do you remember those memes doing the rounds a few years ago, four to five photos of various different photos with ‘what I think I do, what my mum thinks I do’ etc etc? This might very much be the case here, so there’s no reason to start burning effigies of the professor just yet.
Also, just be wary that he is an advisor to the Scottish Government, not their spokesperson. Scotland is currently mirroring British guidelines and legislation on COVID-19 for the most part.
We shouldn’t have to remind anyone to keep it in their pants while out on their bike, don’t drive to the trails, and don’t go with anyone that isn’t in your household. We’re very lucky that we’re not in the position most European countries are in where they’re not even allowed out of the house to exercise, so let’s keep it that way shall we?
So while Professor Leitch’s comments might be a little misinformed, in our opinion, there’s no reason to sending it either. A&E departments might well be quiet, but that’s probably because the excellent NHS staff are busy elsewhere, and they don’t really have time for your broken collarbone right now.
If you need even more reminding, just remember Singletrack Magazine’s simple hashtag #NoCarNoGnarNotFar. As you were.
