Gyms preparing for reopening on June 8, as part of the province's third phase. (Submitted photo/Pipes Fitness)

By Josh Ryan

Soft open for exercise

Gyms trying to make adjustments for Phase 3

May 27, 2020 | 2:23 PM

Now that the province has given gyms, fitness centres and mixed martial arts clubs a partial opening on June 8, owners and head trainers are shifting their programming to comply with guidelines.

Half capacity, increased sanitation and screening for illness for new patrons are all mandatory measures, along with suggested steps like educational signs and bookings systems to limit time slots. Miranda Wiese of Pipes Fitness in North Battleford, said they’ve modified their facility layout and schedule to avoid equipment sharing.

“So, we’ve just kind of set it up so there will be three different styles of workouts,” Wiese said. “People come in and set up at one station for their entire workout.”

Because Pipes Fitness has people already registered for classes, Wiese said they’re well set up to meet the maximum number of people in a class of 10

“We’ll drop our numbers a little bit, just so our space can safely accommodate everyone,” she said. “For the most part, it will be regular function, except no boxing classes and kids classes for now.”

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Youth classes will prove more difficult for several facilities, because of both numbers and need of extra supervision. This may result in that kind of programming being delayed till later this summer.

“We were really excited to be offering some kids camps this summer,” she said. “Hopefully, things continue and we’ll be able to get back to regular life with our kids [programming] as well.”

Being forced to close has caused some gyms to add online content for their members. Even as facilities open, this will allow for people who are immunocompromised to participate, while still staying home.

“We’ve been able to maintain most of our classes [via Zoom],” Wiese said. “And we actually started a virtual membership just off our YouTube channel.”

However, Wiese said she’s most excited to have members who participate in hockey, football, skiing and other sports back in the gym, during the busiest time of the year for offseason athlete training.

“Their training is way more specialized,” she said “And training at home for athletes is much more challenging than for the general public.”

New guidelines bring new concerns

Some fitness-related facilities will not open at all on June 8. Dylin Curiston, head coach at Four Corner Boxing, said the amateur boxing club will remain closed for now, due to the limitations set in the Phase 3 guidelines. Because they lack the square footage, classes that normally have 30 people would be reduced to eight, including coaches.

“There’s no way we could possibly run it and have all of our members be able to attend classes,” Curiston said.

From a revenue perspective, the regulations also make it challenging for some to open. Since Four Corner Boxing runs as a non-profit, Curiston said it’s already challenging for coaches to commit when they aren’t paid to be there.

“We all work full time jobs during the day and are there coaching in the evening,” he said. “So, we kind of have our hands tied trying to accommodate everybody and it’s pretty much impossible [right now].”

Curiston expects they will remain closed until the start of Phase 4.

“It’s unfortunate, but it is what is, given the circumstances,” he said.

Lifetime Fitness is reopening, but cannot provide regular 24 access to members because of provincial regulations raising staffing costs. (File photo/Josh Ryan/battlefordsNOW)

For 24 hour gyms, regular access is unavailable, because a staff member must be available on each hour to keep equipment clean. Brent Kauth of Lifetime Fitness said this will significantly increase their staffing costs, as they are only staffed 12 hours a day.

“We basically have to be open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. to accommodate everybody,” he said.

Another concern is congestion. If 24 hour gyms are limited to 18 hours, then more people will have to compete for time slots.

“You’ve got the morning people who come in really early,” Kauth said. “And if you lump them in with regular business hours, it’s going to get a lot busier.”

Kauth said he’s in contact with the health board about the possibility of minor changes, which he hopes will also include group classes being limited to 10 people.

“For a lot of clubs, that will mean operating at 25 per cent capacity,” he said. “For a lot of small businesses, that will make it a lot tougher to get through this.”

“Your bills are still coming, so you gotta get creative.”

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josh.ryan@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JoshRyanSports