A.J. Perez

That could happen sooner than you might expect. Gyms and group fitness studios, after a big lobbying push IHRSA and gym executives, were part of the White Houses Opening Up America Again Phase 1. A spokesperson for the Surgeon General said gyms can open if they adhere to strict physical distancing and sanitation protocols, language that echoes previous general guidelines from the White House.

Equinox, SoulCycle, and other gyms will require members to be scanned by a thermal thermometer to ensure theyre not running a fever, one of the many symptoms of COVID-19. Xponential Fitnessthe parent company of Pure Barre, YogaSix and Club Pilatesis among the chains that will make members sign new waivers of liability specific to the coronavirus. Golds corporate-owned locations (which are managed differently than locations owned by franchisees, notably) and 24 Hour Fitness will close at least once during operating hours to disinfect. OrangeTheory will require members to wear masks to work out.

All the measures are meant to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus, which <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2004973" id="221c7d18-21da-3b88-ad36-daa419218620"> research has shown </a> can linger in the air for up to three hours in certain conditions and droplets can remain viable on plastic and stainless steel surfaces for up to 72 hours. Gyms in at least 45 states have been shut down as a result of the pandemic, according to International Health, Racquet &amp; Sportsclub Association (IHRSA).

While major national chains surveyed by Mens Health are readying to reopen, none have set firm dates to do so.

<h1> Gym Reopening Has Already Begun </h1>

Coronavirus Pandemic Causes Climate Of Anxiety And Changing Routines In America

Georgia, one of the last states to issue a stay-at-home order, allowed gyms in the state to re-open Friday. At least four Golds franchise locations opened their doors, Golds CEO Adam Zeitsiff told Mens Health.

Under Georgia Gov. Brian Kemps executive order issued Thursday, gyms are required to comply with a 16 different measures in order to resume operations. Those rules include barring patrons exhibiting a temperature greater than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, cough, shortness of breath, or other respiratory symptoms, limiting capacity to ensure proper social distancing, and halting both group classes and childcare services.

LA Fitness planned to reopen May 1 in Georgia, but e-mailed members earlier this week to announce the chain put those plans on hold. Life Time and SoulCycle told Mens Health they dont have immediate plans to open their Georgia locations.

Zeitsiff said Golds doesnt operate any corporate gyms in the state andlike most franchise fitness locations in the gym businesstheres no way to keep franchisees from opening their doors as long as the independent locations adhere to their own local and state guidelines.

They are good operators and theyve been working (to make their gyms safer) ahead of time, Zeitsiff said. Theyve gone above and beyond. Theyre concerned about their team members and their community as well.

Executives and company spokespeople for major chains said theyd expect gyms to come back online on region-by-region basis. Each have put added emphasis on cleaning their facilities, providing hand sanitizer to members and making providing contactless check-ins.

<ul><li> 24 Hour Fitness plans to institute hourlong blocks followed by 30-minute closures to clean. Golds corporate locations will close at 1 pm local time each day for an hour to disinfect, something the gym chain is calling an intermission. </li><li> Equinox and SoulCycle will have UV-C phone sanitizers available for patron use </li><li> OrangeTheory will require staff members to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) and coaches most wear non-surgical masks. </li><li> Golds, Life Time and 24 Hour Fitness are among the chains that will train employees on how to approach members who dont properly social distance or wipe down equipment. </li><li> OrangeTheory has removed all furniture in the lobbies. </li><li> Golds has ordered 250,000 surgical masks. Those will go to markets where face coverings in public are mandated, but solely for those members who forgot their masks at home. </li><li> Contactless check-in will become universal at major gyms and fitness studio chains. </li></ul>

<h1> Are Bigger or Smaller Gyms Safer? </h1>

There has been some back and forth between big-box gym chains and smaller fitness studios in regard to what standards should apply to which types of businesses. Generally, all fitness facilities are lumped together as governors, counties, and city officials have shuttered non-essential businesses.

They have 40,000-square feet to manage and we have a thousand, said Anthony Geisler, Founder and CEO of Xponential. They have 40 times amount of the work to do. At the big boxes, most people dont go in and touch one thing and leave. They will go in and use the treadmill for a little, see somebody interesting and go on the elliptical for a bit. Then maybe theyll go lift a couple dumbbells because it makes them feel strong. Unless you have somebody walking behind that person, disinfecting everywhere they went, and that person is asymptomatic, thats very tough.

Geisler said that his chains had a few instances where members of his chains suspected they had COVID-19 before the shutdown, although they didnt ultimately test positive. But during the lag between symptoms and getting the test results back, staff contacted those who were in the same classes to warn them.

Zeitsiff countered that larger gyms like most Golds locations allow for better social distancing.

We are finalizing the formula for how many people for X number of square feet now, Zeitsiff said. We are going to keep track of people coming in and out. It could become a little awkward, like when youre waiting for that table at a restaurant thats not ready. We operate in a larger box. With cardio and strength (sections), we can control and manage it carefully. These arent 1,200-square foot studios where its harder (to social distance).

Dr. Michael Dee Gunn, a professor in immunology at Duke University School of Medicine, told Mens Health theres no current data that would give the nod to a larger gym vs. a smaller studio when it comes to the likelihood of person-to-person transmission of the coronavirus.

We dont exactly know and thats part of the problem, Gunn said.

\"If someone just coughs, theres an aerosol that can hang out there for hours\"

Gunn added that people can take stepsno matter the size of the workout areaby wiping equipment down before and after each use. That's a bigger undertaking than it's billed, and one that some experts are not confident will be feasible even under the most stringent conditions.

"In principle, the cleaning protocols sound good, but, especially at non-chain gyms outside major cities, these are the kinds of regulations that rarely wind up enforced or obeyed," says Men's Health fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S. "Remember the last time cleaning your bench and dumbbells was top of your mind? Gym machines are notorious for rarely getting proper scrub downs in the first place, beyond the occasional gym-goer who wipes down their own equipment, so its hard to expect these places to do a complete about-face. It all sounds good on paper. In practice, it remains to be seen how well anyone enforces any of this."

As far as what gyms can do besides increased cleaning procedures already planned, Gunn said creating fresh airflow within the gym would help.

The thing I worry about most is being in an enclosed space where the air is stagnant, Gunn said. If someone just coughs, theres an aerosol that can hang out there for hours and you can inadvertently walk into a cloud of coronavirus. Id feel much more comfortable being outdoors. One thing that maybe should be considered is, can you open these buildings up to a greater extent and bring in exhaust fans to create more air movement?

<h1> How Will Members and Staff React When Gyms Reopen? </h1>

Planet Fitness Opens First Canadian Branch

Golds tapped MXM, a gym-focused customer experience company, to survey more than 100,000 members on how likely theyd come back in the days following a gyms reopening. Zeitsiff said 86 percent of those who responded to the online survey said theyd come back.

Life Time surveyed its employees and found "more than 90 percent of our club leaders and 87 percent of front-line team members look forward to coming back to work once locations are reopened," according to a company spokesperson.

But Geisler said he thinks the industry might face staffing issues.

There are franchisees that want to open, but their instructors dont want to teach, he said.

New York-based fitness trainer and instructor <a href="https://www.instagram.com/patrickmcgrath/?hl=en" id="eccdfdc1-fb94-3627-a09f-12270d871ffd"> Patrick McGrath </a> said hes thought about the risk/reward when it comes to returning to work.

Youre caught in a tough position, McGrath said. You want to go back to work because you miss it. As much as you can protect yourself by wearing gloves and masks, you know theres still a chance you could get sick.

Masks, waivers and temperature checks will become the new reality for many gym-goers as fitness facilities around the country begin to reopen after the coronavirus shutdown.

What Your Gym Might Look Like When It Reopens for Business

Thats the day the gyms were closed, Liles told Mens Health. My expectation was that I was going to go back to work. Now, its basically like Im back on vacation.

Liles is among the more fortunate trainers, with a substantial 32.8k Instagram follower count and a solid base in the at-home fitness space as a founding trainer at <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a25462005/smart-home-gym-tonal-mirror/" id="b8b1eb40-8ec5-3987-a822-be6aacbf8b72"> Mirror </a> , a $1,495 interactive home gym system that streams a variety of different workouts to peoples homes. But thousands of other trainers have <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a31479904/personal-trainers-coronavirus/" id="7c842585-099f-3c61-a6f9-e31d7a70cb7c"> had to pivot from one-on-one client work </a> to video chat services like FaceTime and fitness apps to stay connected with their chargesand to keep some income coming in during this pandemic.

Our industry is one that is all about social interaction and a lot of trainers depend on their studios and gyms to train people, Liles said. A lot of trainers will want to keep their clients in the loop and this could inspire trainers to start their own digital or virtual training business, but the hustle is hard for those doing this for the first time.

<h1> Gyms Face Closures, So Fitness Pros Face Layoffs </h1>

At least 15 states have closed all gyms in response to the coronavirus, <a href="https://www.ihrsa.org/improve-your-club/coronavirus-resources-for-health-clubs/" id="6292bb6b-6613-36b3-af04-9ab7a4ff46fd"> </a> ). Some counties and municipalities have also moved to close all fitness facilities. Other states like Virginia and Wisconsin have limited gatherings of 10 or more people, which allows gyms to remain open for personal training only.

\"The gym industry is being destroyed by this crisis.\"

In some unfortunate cases, those closures have already amounted to more than a temporary pause in service. There have been real ramifications already for gym employees, in the form of layoffs. IHRSA sent a letter to in a future stimulus package to support the more than 425,000 people employed by clubs and studios.

The gym industry is being destroyed by this crisis, IHRSA spokesperson Meredith Poppler said.

Poppler was unable to provide an accurate number for how many fitness professionals are recently out of work, although gyms have quietly or publicly been laying off trainers and instructors in recent days. Anne M. Mahlum, owner and CEO of D.C.-based <a href="https://www.solidcore.co/" id="9c1158d8-d8eb-39cf-af7d-e4a9c607f00d"> Solidcore </a> , <a href="https://www.channel3000.com/solidcore-lays-off-98-employees-offers-to-pay-for-staff-healthcare-through-april-additional-stipend-for-support/" id="74d34d96-713c-3862-af3d-f0ece9d1f4d0"> announced in an email Thursday </a> that her chain of 72 U.S. studios will lay off 98 percent of employees, which includes 137 full-time employees, 97 part-time employees and 397 coaches. The laid off employees will be paid through the end of March.

This is a very fluid situation, added Adam Zeitsiff, president and CEO of <a href="https://www.goldsgym.com/" id="f99b69a2-5132-32a3-a1a6-2aa1feaa902a"> Golds Gym </a> , in a statement to Mens Health. Our team members are very important to us and we are doing our best to manage all aspects of our business so we can ensure our gyms are able to reopen as soon as it is safe for our community. This includes our company-owned gyms as well as our locally-owned franchise locations.

<h1> Trainers Are Adjusting to the Circumstances </h1>

<a href="https://www.instagram.com/berryspecialfitness/" id="ff3612c8-7865-3e3c-a523-aa2a8c9bd5e5"> Stanley Berry </a> is among the trainers who have gone to Twitter and Instagram to seek to build up a client base that basically disappeared when his Washington, D.C. gym shuttered for at least two weeks. (Berry asked Mens Health not to identify the gym hes worked at for the last three years.)

\"I know Im not going to bring as much money because I cant charge normal rates.\"

A lot of people have been reaching out, Berry said. Im still kind of early, so Im not getting discouraged yet. Ive used FaceTime to introduce myself and train some people. There are lots of folks doing it already. I know Im not going to bring as much money because I cant charge normal rates.

Like many trainers who work for major gym chains, Berry is learning his existing client base is a tough sell.

Theyve already paid for their training at the gym, Berry said. They dont want to have to pay twice.

Another roadblock: gyms typically have policies that bar trainers from training their existing client base outside their workplace. A spokesperson for <a href="https://www.lifetime.life/" id="b3ef7ab4-f5e3-3776-a321-f6ebc45c2e5a"> Life Time </a> , which is paying its trainers at least through March 29, said that trainersother than salaried managersarent allowed to lead clients on their own for legal and liability reasons.

<h1> How IRL Gyms and Trainers Are Going Online </h1>

Displaced trainers and instructors have been quick to explore their virtual options in recent days, as have major gym chains. , for example, has started to stream workouts to members, while Golds Gym has made its <a href="https://goldsamp.com/" id="045a2102-b7b2-357a-aeff-5035481d4e48"> GOLDS AMP app free </a> to anyone through May 31.

\"I want people to keep working with their trainers or find another way to support them.\"

<a href="https://www.trainerize.com/" id="1b1962ee-db0f-3e7b-a248-68c21b6bf7bf"> Trainerize </a> , developer of an iOS and Android app by the same name used by gyms and trainers to set up workouts for clients, is close to agreeing on a deal that would create 1 million accounts for a major chain, the Vancouver-based companys CEO and co-founder Sharad Mohan told Mens Health. Mohan declined to specify the chain since the deal was not complete.

While nobody expected this kind of shutdown, its no surprise that gyms are seeking to shift clients to at-home workouts, Mohan said. Its natural that online training is taking off. Its always been a nice to have product for gyms to provide to clients. Its now become a must have.

Trainerize has seen steady growth over the years, but new subscriptions are currently triple the daily levels seen before March 10, according to Mohan.

<h1> What Trainers Can Look to Doand How You Can Help </h1>

As bleak as the outlook looks currently, one of the biggest names in the business offered struggling trainers some hope.

When there is something big like a Katrina or an earthquake, the gym stopped being part of the routine for some die-hard clients, Beverly Hills-based personal trainer <a href="https://www.instagram.com/gunnarfitness/" id="88fb883f-bb61-3c18-af40-a0ccfb41ba5c"> Gunnar Peterson </a> told Mens Health. This is a natural time to shift and make changes. If you, as a trainer, stay alert and aware, you will find that some people who werent training before will use this shutdown as a way to get their health together.

I always try to stay positive. Thats just who I am as a human being. If you lose a couple people, dont panic because youre going to get some new people. Or maybe those who stayed with you are going to bring new people.

Peterson, the director of strength and endurance for the Los Angeles Lakers, added that this is the time for trainers to be frugal and to study up.

Use this time to get better, Peterson said. Maybe you can use this time to not only create an online presence that will not just keep your income coming in but surpass what you were already making. It can open doors.

\"Trainers are streaming workouts for free on Instagram and Facebook Live. Send them some money.\"

As many trainers take that advice and adjust to this pandemic-forced shift in their careers, Liles said hes trying to spread the word to get people to support fitness professionals, including by using crowdfunding sites like GoFundMe or via direct payments through Venmo and PayPal to offer financial assistance.

I dont want people to take what we do for granted because what we do really benefits peoples lives, Liles added. I want people to keep working with their trainers or find another way to support them. A lot of trainers are streaming workouts for free on Instagram and Facebook Live. Send them some money.

Do you want to help? Listen to Liles, and contact your favorite trainer about how you might be able to support them or others in their network who are struggling during this period. Men's Health will look to highlight as many fitness professionals as possible to support the larger fitness community as we make our way through this crisis together.

Fitness Trainers Need to Be Paid During Pandemic

<a href="https://www.instagram.com/gerrenliles/" id="33c766a0-ec36-339f-ae10-66a594600711"> Gerren Liles </a> returned from a trip to Italy days before the country went into coronavirus lockdown earlier this month. The New York-based Equinox trainer was set to return to work after a 14-day self-quarantine on Monday.

Fitness Trainers Need to Get Paid During the Pandemic, Too

Like schools and places of worship, fitness facilities have been temporarily shuttered around the globe in response to the spread of the coronavirus that causes the illness COVID-19.

Its all in an attempt to halt community spread, meaning an illness with an unknown source of infection. The CDC confirmed last week that has already happened in the U.S. in a case <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/a-second-case-of-coronavirus-found-through-spread-in-california/2020/02/28/ae53c93a-5a77-11ea-9b35-def5a027d470_story.html" id="db4a23e3-022b-322f-a2dd-78b89195f49d"> in Santa Clara, California </a> .

In cities that have been hit hard, I think its a prudent decision, Tara C. Smith, a professor of epidemiology at Kent State University and infectious disease expert, told Mens Health. It makes sense to close public placesat least for a brief period of timewhere you have a lot of people congregating and sharing space to stem the transmission of the virus.

\"We are being as proactive as possible.\"

More than 80,000 people in 53 countries have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and nearly 3,000 people have died as a result of the coronavirus, <a href="https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20200301-sitrep-41-covid-19.pdf?sfvrsn=6768306d_2" id="1e07376a-2865-32d5-aba6-ad53dbd7bfdc"> according to the World Health Organization </a> . The <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/health/a31158940/coronavirus-covid-19-what-to-know/" id="012c7305-b383-392c-a3c7-0db439721cea"> virus can be spread </a> via small droplets excreted by an infected person (usually by a cough or sneeze) that are breathed in by somebody a few feet away. It is also believed that the virus could be viable on surfaces for several hours.

If you touch the surface that has a virus on it and then touch your mouth, nose or eyes, you basically inoculate yourself with the virus, Smith said. Thats where hand washing comes in. Thatll eliminate that source of transmission.

Its been more than a decade since the last pandemic hit North America. H1N1, also known as the swine flu, led to the shutdown of gyms in Mexico City near where the outbreak originated. Disruptions to life in the U.S. was minimal despite an estimated 60.8 million cases <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/2009-h1n1-pandemic.html" id="2da236d9-4450-378a-a317-6075074703bb"> per CDC statistics </a> . Thats because while H1N1, an influenza virus, was easily spread, there were 12,469 deaths in the U.S. (0.20 percent of infected individuals), a rate far below seasonal flus (around 1 percent).

The death rate via very preliminary estimates for the coronavirus is 2 percent.

How Gyms and Fitness Studios Are Responding to Coronavirus

Anne M. Mahlum, owner and CEO of <a href="https://www.solidcore.co/" id="d37c6370-d1e3-3d5b-a7fe-1a2c471bcdf1"> D.C.-based Solidcore </a> , a chain that is approaching 100 group fitness studios nationwide, said shes watching the reports of the coronavirus closely and has been in contact with other national chains to develop a plan if the pandemic takes hold in the U.S.

We are being as proactive as possible, Mahlum said.

Mahlum said its hard to hypothesize exactly how Solidcore will react if the virus becomes widespread, although she added studio closures could happenat least on a regionalized basis.

We may see studios in New York close and it could be business as usual for our locations in North Dakota, Mahlum said. We will take action and work with every studio to make sure we take necessary precautions on top of what we already do when it comes down wiping down equipment and encouraging our employees and members wash their hands.

Mahlum said gym owners are largely reliant on direction from local and federal public health officials for direction, a sentiment echoed by <a href="https://www.goldsgym.com/" id="f99b69a2-5132-32a3-a1a6-2aa1feaa902a"> Golds Gym </a> President &amp; CEO Adam Zeitsiff.

In light of the current health concerns we are stepping up those efforts in each of our gyms and we will continue to watch the situation very closely, Zeitsiff said in a statement to Mens Health. Should it worsen, we will take direction from public health officials and take whatever actions are required in order protect our members, our team members and the general public.

What You Can Do About Coronavirus at the Gym

Theres good news: The steps taken by mindful gym goers and the sanitation practices at most responsible gyms and group fitness facilities are effective in stemming the transmission of the coronavirus.

\"It\'s best to stay home to rest and prevent infecting others in your community.\"

Cleaning gym equipment or other high touch areas, such as doors and door handles, etc. would be beneficial, which I hope gyms would be doing anyways regardless of the threat of coronavirus, said Emi Minejima, an assistant professor and infectious disease researcher at the University of Southern Californias School of Pharmacy. Especially as this is flu season, gym members should be washing their hands thoroughly with soap and wateror alcohol gel if soap and water is not available. Also, avoid touching your face with uncleansed hands. And if you are feeling unwell, it's best to stay home to rest and prevent infecting others in your community.

Life Time, a gym chain with more than 150 locations in the U.S. and Canada, said in a statement that its existing protocols have been found to be effective against viruses of this type, including coronavirus.

We fully recognize the difficulty in ensuring all surfaces are free of any virus, and cannot control everything, but we will work tirelessly to do what we can as an organization, Life Times statement read.

Smith, the Kent State University professor, said sweat alone typically doesnt lead to the transmission of dangerous viruses and bacterial infections, but can help sustain pathogens.

Some of them can live up 96 hours on surfaces and thats why you want wipe up sweat, Smith said. They die a lot faster when they dry out.

Smith typically works out at Planet Fitness, but she has treadmill at home shell use if the pandemic forces her gym to close. The potential that more people will work out from home is one reason analysts said why Pelotonknown for its stationary bike and streamed spinning classeshas seen its stock rise over last week as the rest of the market has been down sharply over coronavirus fears.

With new COVID-19 hotspots in South Korea, Italy and Iran, we believe certain U.S. consumers will be less comfortable over time going to their gym and more likely to order a Peloton bike to stay home, Laura Martin, an analyst at the investment bank Needham &amp; Company, wrote in a note to clients on Thursday. This may drive higher unit sales and subscription revenue in 2020 than are currently in our estimates.

Gyms in Wuhanthe epicenter of the coronavirus outbreakwere swiftly turned into makeshift hospitals as Chinese officials tried to cope with the outbreak. In other parts of China, group fitness studios and weight rooms sit empty by mandate or choice as gym goers fear the spread of the disease.

What Gyms and Fitness Centers Are Doing About Coronavirus

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A.J. Perez

Articles written by the author

What Your Gym Might Look Like When It Reopens for Business

Fitness Trainers Need to Get Paid During the Pandemic, Too

What Gyms and Fitness Centers Are Doing About Coronavirus