Gym Changes RE: COVID-19
Dearest StrongFitters,
Just like many other businesses, we have been preparing for the worst case scenario in order to flatten the curve for COVID-19. Our efforts have been following through with recommendations for safe personal hygiene practices, with hand washing before and after classes, spraying all equipment down with copious amounts of Benefect, and in programming to ensure we do not have to share equipment. While I believe these efforts would be during a regular flu season, we are not in your usual flu season.
There certainly is a lot of pressure to close the gym. I understand the reasons and have received recommendations from front line workers within the the health and medical field. My commitment to our members is what is preventing me from locking up the doors as I also understand the many reasons why our gym and community are important to them. This is why I will be furthering our efforts in ensuring our members will have options in being able to exercise, without having to step inside the gym or paying beyond what they already are for their membership. Here’s what we’ll do:
If you haven’t joined our StrongFit YXE Community group on Facebook, I’d suggest starting there. I know there are many people that do not have this social media account, but please understand how much easier it is for me to share information and to provide feedback from a single outlet. I promise you do not have to join any other groups or befriend anyone from the gym if you don’t want to :)
If you have gym equipment at home then you’ll already be set up for what we’ve started following - CompTrain Home Gym. They are the home-gym-friendly WODs that are the same as what is regularly programmed.
If you do not have gym equipment at home then I will be allowing equipment to be signed out for unlimited members only. If you have the space and the motivation to exercise on your own, I will provide you with the equipment and the program. If there are enough people who can work out at home, whether with their own equipment or equipment that is signed out, then we can keep the gym open with limited class sizes.
Please use MBO and sign into classes early on. Going forward there will be a hard cap on class sizes and if it is full you must attend another class. For the most part you all have done a great job in signing in but we now need 100% compliance otherwise we will have to turn people away. This is not from a lack of equipment but in order to keep a safe and effective distance from one another.
Class sizes will be limited to 10 per class. I know this will be difficult with peak times but I feel with this size we can manage distances and in sharing squat and pull-up racks. This means you MUST be on top of signing in and cancelling out of classes if you are no longer able to attend.
CompTrain classes (11:30am and 6:00pm) will still run but those who are unable to attend other classes due to class size restrictions can do the WOD during this time if they are comfortable working out on their own.
The usual protocols still stand - wash hands frequently, maintain a safe social distance, be aware of where your bodily fluids are going, no high-fives, fist-bumps, or hugs, and if you have a slight inkling that you are not feeling well PLEASE do not come in. I will even deliver equipment for you if you are quarantined.
I understand that by staying open we can be viewed as irresponsible but I firmly believe with the protocols in place and with the ones we are adopting, we can keep our members healthy and from spreading their germs. These are incredibly stressful times for everyone and isolation is going to be very difficult. By having an online community to stay in touch, offering workouts that we can all still suffer through together, and by providing equipment to reduce a huge barrier for many, I firmly believe we can come out stronger and closer than ever.
I will be closely following http://www.saskatchewan.ca/coronavirus to see if there are any further measures that we should be taking, but be aware that there’s the possibility of a temporary gym closure.
If there are any questions or concerns, I am always available for my favorite people.
Sincerely,
Jason