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Jill Kyzer removes acupuncture pins from the ear of Laura Mick of Manchester. Mick volunteers at Hope for New Hampshire Recovery and said ear acupuncture can help relieve anxiety and sleep disturbances.

After 10 weeks of being closed, Ashley Oberg will be able to bring back a few clients for classes starting June 1 at Barre Life, her small fitness studio on Elm Street in Manchester.

She said the space can only fit six to seven socially distanced people for barre classes, maybe eight for yoga.

Its a very small amount, but its better than nothing! Oberg said. She has already marked spaces on the floor with tape, and stocked up on cleaning supplies.

Yoga studios and other small fitness centers like Obergs can start classes again on June 1, as long as people stay 8 to 10 feet apart, and in groups of fewer than 10 people. Gyms will be allowed to bring in clients for one-on-one training and small group classes on June 1 under the same restrictions.

Oberg put out a poll on Instagram to gauge how her clients felt about coming back and said most reported feeling comfortable with a group fitness class. Oberg said instructors who dont yet feel comfortable in groups can keep teaching classes online.

I think were just going to take it day by day and see how people are feeling with coming out in public, Oberg said.

The states guidelines require a 30-minute space between classes for cleaning, so Oberg said she plans to alternate in-person classes with virtual classes which she said really took off during the pandemic. The virtual classes kept the studios numbers steady through the pandemic, Oberg said, with locals and people from all over the country tuning in to classes.

Personal care businesses, including nail salons, massage therapists, acupuncturists and tattoo artists also will be allowed to open June 1, as long as they follow guidelines issued Friday by the state.

In a press briefing Friday, Gov. Chris Sununu said these businesses will be allowed to reopen in part because social distancing and stringent sanitizing is more easily enforced in these settings.

These are just first steps, Sununu said. He acknowledged that not everyone will be happy with the restrictions, but said they were not arbitrary. The guidance is mandatory, Sununu said Friday. We have to keep customers and employees safe.

Im cautiously optimistic, said Ryan Ouellette, a piercer who owns Precision Body Art in Nashua. He said tattoo artists and piercers have always sanitized surfaces and equipment, but measures to deal with an airborne illness like wearing masks will be new for the industry.

Ouellette said he plans to start working through a list of about 100 clients whose appointments were cancelled after the governors first stay-home order was issued in March before he starts taking new appointments.

Sununu has not yet set a date for gyms to re-open for customers to use equipment on their own. He said instructors and trainers can make sure equipment is clean if there are small groups than if customers are milling around from machine to machine.

Kathy Twombly is excited to reopen her Laconia acupuncture studio on June 1 and get back to the patients who need her help with ailments from chronic pain to post-traumatic stress. Twombly said the guidelines will make her halve the number of patients she sees at Gate of Life Acupuncture. She does not know if she can sustain the business that way.

But at least theyll be able to get in, she said.

See the article here:
Acupuncture, body art and group fitness among businesses to resume June 1 - The Union Leader

OLYMPIA Some small-group indoor fitness activities like weight training, yoga and martial arts can resume under the second phase of Gov. Jay Inslees four-part coronavirus reopening plan.

Inslees office issued guidance Tuesday night allowing groups of five or fewer people at gym facilities, or one-on-one fitness sessions by appointment to proceed under the second phase, with safety guidelines. And just as the state was granting some business more leeway under phase two, the states AGs office was again going after businesses that are defying Inslees Stay Home, Stay Healthy proclamation.

Ten small counties have been approved by the state to move to the second phase, with two more small counties eligible to apply. Inslee on Tuesday morning announced that another 10 counties including Clark, Kitsap, Spokane and Thurston are eligible to request the permission of state health officials to move to the second phase.

Other counties are expected to move to the second phase on June 1, if public-health data on the virus continues to move in a favorable direction, officials have said.

The guidance comes as at least two fitness centers became a flashpoint of frustration over the governors emergency stay-at-home order, which is intended to slow the spread of the virus. Those gyms in Puyallup and Arlington reopened in defiance of the order. They agreed to close Tuesday night after being sued by the state Attorney Generals Office. And in Snohomish County, the stateAttorney Generals Office on Wednesday delivered a cease-and-desist order to the owner of a barbershop who had refused to close his doors after being warned by the state and the Snohomish Health District.

Robert Daniel Martin, of Stag Barber & Styling, was notified twice in writing by the state Department of Licensing that he was violating Inslees order, but he continued to see customers. He did not return calls Wednesday seeking comment about the cease-and-desist order.

Meanwhile,the safety guidelinesfor fitness training will allow a host of small-group activities such as weight training, yoga, martial arts, gymnastics, and similar instructor-led classes to resume in counties approved for the second phase of reopening.

That guidance requires training facilities to develop plans at each location for controlling and minimizing exposure to COVID-19. People will have to stand six feet or more away from each other and wear cloth face coverings.

Such plans must have policies spelling out the use of facial coverings and other protective gear and how physical distancing will be accomplished at each location. It requires protocols for sanitation and disinfection procedures, hygiene, the monitoring of coronavirus-like symptoms and incident reporting.

A copy of that plan will have to be available at locations for state and local authorities to inspect. Failing to meet those requirements could mean sanctions for businesses, including being shut down.

Inslee on Tuesday evening also released safety guidelines to allow real estate firms to open more broadly in the second phase.

Those guidelines allow residential and commercial brokers to resume work in offices under Phase 2, provided people maintain six feet of separation and minimize interactions.

In late March, shortly after his stay-at-home order took effect, Inslee issued clarifications that allowed some real estate transactions to continue.

A full list of reopening guidelines for various businesses can be found at: https://www.governor.wa.gov/issues/issues/covid-19-resources/covid-19-reopening-guidance-businesses-and-workers.

Business owners and operators with questions about the guidelines or financial assistance can ask the governors office here:https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/2562f1caf5814c46a6bf163762263aa5.

Staff writer Nicole Brodeur contributed to this report.

See the rest here:
Small-group fitness classes can resume, with caveats, in second phase of Inslees coronavirus reopening - Seattle Times

With gyms shut for over two months amid the lockdown, and coronavirus cases going up, people have turned to virtual training be it Jane Fonda offering lessons on Instagram or a gym trainer sharing tips. With more people turning to at-home fitness now, the demand for gym equipment and virtual trainers has gone up.More demand for virtual trainersUnder lockdown, online streaming by gyms, health clubs and fitness studios has gone up. Some e-commerce portals, too, have added a 'digital personal trainer' section on their app. A Snapdeal spokesperson says, "Customers are buying fitness coach and nutrition expert consultations that we've recently added on our website. It lets them see how theyre doing compared to virtual classmates." Fitness enthusiasts say that using apps and virtual classes keeps them motivated. Kavita Duggal, who works in the hospitality sector, says, "I like training through fitness apps. It is not expensive, and if you follow diligently, it is as good as a gym session."Fitness equipment sales rising with people unsure of going back to gyms The demand for fitness equipment is booming in lockdown, with people setting up gyms at home. A staff member at an e-commerce website says, "Even with social distancing norms, it isn't safe to use gyms for at least a few months. So, we expect more people to order treadmills and cycles." Nitin Kumar, who works for a transport company, says, "I spent half of the lockdown watching fitness videos lying on my couch. I didn't exercise much as I didn't have weights. But now I've ordered them. Most of my friends and colleagues are also buying gym equipment as in a month or two, well have to go back to office."'Fitness equipment demand up by 60%'A Snapdeal spokesperson says, "The demand for fitness equipment in the last two months was nearly 60% more than the same time last year. The hot-selling equipment is priced under Rs 500. Exercise bands are popular due to their versatility and price, and sales of gym bags and bottles has significantly reduced as compared to pre-lockdown." Most of these orders come from NCR, Bangalore, Pune, Chennai and Mumbai. A Flipkart spokesperson says, "With social distancing being the new norm, consumers have turned home spaces into gyms. Fitness products such as yoga mats and dumbbells are seeing a rise in searches."

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With gyms unlikely to open soon, sale of fitness equipment rises - Times of India

India's limited-overs vice-captain Rohit Sharma says he has fully recovered from the calf injury that forced him to leave the tour of New Zealand midway earlier this year but the fitness test has been continuously delayed because of the COVID-19 lockdown.

The Mumbaikar had to return home after sustaining the injury during the T20 series against the Black Caps on February 2. He missed the three-match home ODI series against South Africa, which was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as he was undergoing rehabilitation at that time.

Read:Coronavirus India update: State-wise total number of confirmed cases, deaths

"Before the lockdown happened, I was almost ready to play. That whole week was going to be my fitness test but that's when the lockdown happened and I had to push back everything now," Rohit told LaLiga's Facebook live session on Saturday night.

"Once everything opens up, I have to first go to the centre (NCA) and give my fitness test and once I pass the fitness test, I will be allowed to go and resume my duties with the team."

Pacer Shardul Thakur on Saturday became the first India cricketer to resume outdoor training after a two-month coronavirus-forced break.

The Maharashtra government has allowed opening of stadiums for individual training in green and orange zones without spectators.

For latest updates and live news on coronavirus, click here

This was after the home ministry offered relaxation in restrictions for the fourth phase of the lockdown till May 31.

Rohit said he is missing hanging out with his team-mates and is looking forward to training with them when things get back to normal.

"Yes, I miss my teammates, hanging around with them and having a banter with them. Although as friends we are trying to stay in touch through the video calls to see what's one been up to, things like that and we manage that pretty well," he said.

"When you are playing together, almost from 365 days, we are together for 300 days, we are playing, travelling together, so it's like a family. So the first thing I want to do is to catch up with all these guys and try hit some balls as soon as I can."

Mumbai is one of the worst affected by the contagious disease and Rohit said it might take more time for him to resume training.

"I am assuming that those (other) places might open up lot earlier than Mumbai, the city where I stay and which is the most infected. I feel the other guys will send me videos of catching up with each other a lot earlier than I do," he said.

The 33-year-old opener, who resides in Mumbai, said during this coronavirus-forced lockdown, he focussed on his diet and also managed to do some running.

"I have been very good with my diet, because it is so easy to put on weight when you are not doing anything. Although, we have got a little gym over here, little running area, where you can do some running, its about 50-100 meters, you can go (and run).

"I have managed to get some running done, although it's not like what you generally do on the field, but it is at least something," he said.

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Have to clear fitness test before I can resume training: Rohit Sharma - Deccan Herald

Fitness

After Governor Baker's plans to reopen Massachusetts were announced Monday morning, gyms were included in phase 3. Will we even want to go back?

Photo via Getty/Illustration credit Amanda Lucidi

After a lot of anticipation, the details of Governor Bakers plan to reopen the Massachusetts economy were revealed on Monday, with gyms and fitness studios getting included under Phase Three.

Phase One, which includes places like hair salons and car washes, plus some business offices outside of Boston, starts on May 25. Phase Two, which includes restaurants, retail, and nail salons, tentatively starts on June 8. Right now, theres no announced start date for when Phase Three could begin, and Baker has made clear that the state could still shift back to earlier stages of the plan if cases start going back up again. But regardless of when Phase Three happens, we already know theres a long road ahead before anything approaching business as usual returns.

Even as I sit down to write this article, Im toggling between Twitter and a beautiful new barbell on RogueFitness.com. And, more unusually for me, Im weighing strangers opinions on the internet against my own internal conflict over whether I should even start up my gym membership again when social distancing measures are lifted, or forget traditional gyms entirely and start building out my own home gym. For this #gymlife gal, I never could have imagined a life withoutthe gym. But after being forced into a gym-free lifestyle for going on three months now, Im actually starting to enjoy it. And I found other Bostonians are experiencing the same thing, after I asked people about it on Twitter.

Some people have even found it easier to stick to a fitness routine during quarantine, like Jessica Chahanovich, who writes, Ive had a gym membership and never went. Ive been working out more during quarantine. Some people said they werent planning on going back to a gym membership because they dont want to pay for the amenities they wouldnt be receiving at upscale places like Soul Cycle and Equinox. Others have committed to at-home workouts, like Shawn Johnson, who simply writes, No, Im sticking with the Peloton at home. New converts to the convenience and accessibility of online classes or virtual training systems like Peloton and Boston-based rowing company Hydrow were common among the responses. Bruce Smith, founder of Hydrow, says the company has seen a five time increase in sales since Januarytheyre even hiring in their Cambridge office.

How fitness studios handled the shutdown may also play into peoples decision-making around restarting their memberships, as in the case of Boston Sports Clubs, which laid off all staff and refused, initially, to let members cancel memberships. Based on how BSC handled everything in March,Im a lot more likely to cancel and just work out outside, Melanie Prior says.

Other respondents admitted they were just downright scared of enclosing themselves in tiny studios or big rooms of people sweating, grunting, and touching everything in sight. Even people who were trying to help their favorite local studios during the shutdown were experiencing some second thoughts about going back. As Samantha Washburn put it, My gym is locally-owned, so Im keeping my membership for as long as I can do so, but I dont love the idea of working out in an enclosed space. And unfortunately, the Phase Three information does not provide any kind of restrictions and guidelines that gyms will have to follow to ensure the safety of their clients.

That hasnt stopped gym and fitness studio owners from taking matters into their own hands. Jess Fracalossi, owner of the Handle Bar spin studio, has started a manual for all boutique fitness owners to consult on cleaning and social distancing protocols. Other places, like AMP in Downtown Boston, say theyre ready to go as soon as they get the go-ahead. I ultimately think it will depend on how strict the restrictions are to see if it even makes sense to open that early, Steve Bergeron, co-owner of AMP says. After surveying their own members about returning to the gym in the near future, though, he says a majority of them werent interested in coming back soon, and some likely wont come back until there is a vaccine.

Local writer Miles Howard (who is a Boston contributor) is in this camp. Theres no way in hell Im going back to the gym until theres a vaccine, he writes to me in a private message on Twitter. I used to be in the gym 4-5 days a week, but Ive since transitioned to walking and hiking locally, yoga, and resistance band workouts at home. Thats my M.O. for the foreseeable future.

But there are always going to be people who want the in-person gym experience. As Hydrows Smith sees it, theres a subset of people who are die-hard fitness goers and theyre going to run (not walk) back to their favorite places as soon as the time comes. That certainly rang true with many of the responses from my informal Twitter poll, with people saying things like, Hell, Im going back to the gym ASAP or I cant wait to go back to my beloved Equinox. Ill be the first one there. Virtual fitness? God no! Or as Twitter user Justin Thayer wrote in response to one of the other fitness fanatics, Right!!! Ill be waiting in line outside the door just to hug the rowing machine. Lol.

On the other end of the spectrum, Smith says a bigger subset of people are realizing the current situation is a good set-up. Theyre having this experience where work and working out at home are going really well for them, he says. In the same way theyre saving by not going out or commuting, theyre doing the same by not going to a gym.

Many Twitter respondents are taking a more cautious approach. Jorge Andrs Trevio says hell continue to work out outdoors until it starts getting cold again. After that, Ill reevaluate depending on how things are going, he says. I have been working out twice as much during quarantine. Nikki Torday writes that she plans to wait until things are extra safe. Im everyones immune-compromised friend, she explains. But even she is missing the atmosphere and community traditional gym set-ups embody. Once it is safe, I will be going back. I miss my work out friends and working out in the studio, she says.

The question of what a COVID-safe gym looks like remains an open one, but it does seem people are reconsidering what their fitness routine will look like. As for myself? I ended up purchasing the barbell. I should expect it within 7-10 business days. Which is a hard and fast deadline I wish someone could give me on gyms reopening. And maybe thats really my main hang upthe lack of control and fluctuating uncertainty I have regarding when gyms will open and if Ill be ready to walk through the door when that time comes. I hope to return one day, but with so much unknown about pretty much every aspect of my future, I would like one thing to be clear in the meantime: when, where, and what time I can get my hands on some iron.

More:
Go Hard and Stay Home? As Gyms Prepare to Reopen, Fitness Fanatics Are Unsure about Returning - Boston magazine

Gyms and fitness studios have been closed for upwards of two months and people who are trying to stave off the quarantine 15 but cant afford at-home equipment like the Peloton bike or the digital training Mirror have been turning to digital publishers free online workout class alternatives.

In the past two months, PopSugars fitness vertical has seen its YouTube channel add nearly 1 million subscribers, bringing its total to 4.6 million. Additionally, time spent on its videos is up 90% month-over-month from March to April, making April the channels top-performing month ever, according to the companys YouTube analytics.

YouTube is not exempt from the fact that right now increased audiences do not equate to more advertising revenue. Like any other digital platform, advertising is down, with two publishers reporting last month that CPMs had fallen more than 20% from record earlier this year. PopSugar has seen a decrease in CPMs on the platform, but a source familiar with the brand said that it is lower than that 20% figure.

But PopSugar general manager Angelica Marden said that there has been an increased interest from fitness brands who see this time as an opportunity to sell their products to fitness enthusiasts who are stuck at home.

The conversations in the fitness space are completely unusual, said Marden. Its greater than your usual new year, new you burst of conversations that we normally have in January with partners. Its a moment for fitness.

And with canceled in-studio production, Angelica Marden, general manager of PopSugar, said that it has been difficult to produce new videos for the platform, which in turn makes it harder to apply brought to you by and product integration ad spots.

One Fathers Day campaign for Fitbit was able to be produced from a trainers home, but otherwise, where there isnt the ability to have new production, she said her team is just focused on trying to grow distributed revenue.

The fitness vertical has started turning to other platforms, like Instagram Live, where production of new content is easier and brand partners have started testing what their role could look like.

On IG Live, fitness instructors, like those from Barrys Bootcamp, have been streaming 30 minute workouts from their homes. Marden said that her team has begun selling brought to you by or product integrations within those live streams.

So far, several of these IG Live spots have sold, she said. She wouldnt disclose the price but said that they are priced very similarly to other sponsored Instagram Stories.

Traditionally, brands in the fitness and weight loss category operate seasonally with their ad spend, with the New Years and the start of summer being two keystone areas for running more extensive campaigns, said Jon McGraw, director of strategy and planning, owned and operated at advertising agency Blue Wheel Media.

March through May would typically see significant decreases in terms of advertising, but without access to gyms and the increase in habitual snacking, he said fitness and weight loss brands see an opportunity to step in. Weve certainly seen aggressive ad spend increases when we wouldnt have seen it, said McGraw.

One area for PopSugar that is still free of both advertising and reader revenue that was built with the intention of having a paid subscription model is its Active platform, which was rolled out two months ago. It now has more than 80,000 active users, according to Marden, and is currently being used to fill the funnel with potential subscribers for once the pandemic is over and the product becomes paid.

Overall, Marden said the conversations that PopSugar is having with its advertisers are on track to getting the number advertising deals which still accounts for the bulk of the brands revenue back to what they were before the pandemic.

How PopSugar is benefitting from the at-home fitness boom

Read more here:
How PopSugar is benefitting from the at-home fitness boom - Digiday

Gyms and fitness centres in Kamloops and the Interior Health region have been given the green light to reopen, with pandemic-related protocols in place.

An order by Interior Healths chief medical health officer that closed all fitness centres, gyms, yoga studios and similar personal training facilities was lifted as of May 19. The order, issued April 2, was rescinded in accordance with phase 2 of B.C.s Restart Plan.

Gyms and other fitness centres will be able to re-open as long as they can meet requirements to protect staff and clients against the spread of COVID-19. Any facility wishing to resume operation must develop a plan based on measures laid out by the Provincial Health Office.

Guidelines call for at least one staff member being present when a facility is open, with 24-hour unrestricted access suspended. In addition, the number of patrons inside will be limited, with fitness centres urged to move to a booking system.

Patrons will be screened upon arrival and asked if they have COVID-19 symptoms, while space between cardio machines will be increased and/or every second machine will be not in use. Group classes will not be offered unless participants can remain six feet (two metres) from one another at all times. Basketball courts and similar group sports areas, saunas, hot tubs and steam rooms will remain closed.

Drinking fountains will be closed, although water bottle-filling stations will be permitted if appropriately sanitized. Food service will be prohibited.

No Limits Fitness, on Eighth Street in North Kamloops, plans to open its doors on May 25.

Co-owner Justin Grover said renovations undertaken during the COVID-19 shutdown will make it easier for clients to follow health protocols.

Grover said the gym bought 2,500 antibacterial cloths and 250 sanitizer spray bottles. Each client will receive a cloth and a bottle of disinfectant when they check in. Enhanced cleaning will take place each night, as well, he said.

Our renovations expanded our gym area by 40 per cent, so it will be easier to space out equipment, Grover said.

The ladies-only area and the kids zone have also been expanded, Grover said, and a separate entrance has been built for those areas and the yoga studio.

It came from storage rooms and board rooms and unnecessary space, he said. We had a storage room there since it was Malones [former business] collecting dust. We threw out old restaurant equipment from there.

Temporary rules in place to help limit the potential spread of COVID-19 at No Limits include measures barring out-of-town residents from working out, doing away with free trials and keeping the saunas and steam rooms closed until physical-distancing protocols are no longer in place.

Masks and gloves are not required for now, Grover said, but clients will be allowed to wear whatever protective equipment makes them feel comfortable.

We took this very, very seriously, Grover said. I want people to come and I want them to feel comfortable. So, if a mask is what they need to feel comfortable, of course they can wear a mask. If everyones doing their part, sanitizing before and after, and if everyones doing their part and staying home if theyre not feeling well, it should be safe.

Martina Schnelle, owner of Yoga Loft downtown at Seymour Street and Fourth Avenue, said she was thrilled to hear news of fitness centres reopening.

She expects to open on June 1.

Most definitely, because this took quite a while to figure out, she said. We didnt know which category or phase we would be in.

Schnelle said she has clients anxious to get back into the studio, but there will be changes to limit any potential spread of the novel coronavirus.

Definitely smaller classes to have enough space in between people, she said. Usually its 30, so we will cut that in half.

Schnelle said she also expects to have floor markings and rules prohibiting things like mat-sharing. Surfaces will also be disinfected after each class. And just be careful to keep our distance, she said. I still believe thats the most important thing. I think thats the major thing.

Safety precautions are important, Schnelle said, but so to will be managing the anxiety of her clients.

You have to respect peoples fears, she said. Theres so much information out there. Everybody believes things a little bit differently.

Michael Jodoin, owner of the Kamloops Orange Theory studio in Columbia Place in Sahali, said his gym will not be open for another month at least.

Im excited were starting to move into the next phase of getting things open but, to be honest with you, Orange Theory will not be reopening on Tuesday, Jodoin told KTW. Our level of separation is not there yet.

Orange Theory is a group workout studio. Jodoin said the chains locations were not built with physical distancing in mind.

Were working with Orange Theory Canada on coming up with a structure that will work inside with the footprints we have, he said. Right now, with the design of the studio, its not designed to be a social-distancing studio.

Were looking at the possibility of mid-June, but that depends on other factors. A lot of that will have to do with whether gyms and restaurants that are reopening are able to stay open and not creating another spike.

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Kamloops fitness centres ramp up for reopening - Kamloops This Week

As 49 states and D.C. take the first steps in releasing their economies from coronavirus restrictions - with Connecticut set to follow suit on Wednesday - the fitness industry is adjusting to life post-lockdown.

Its certainly not business as usual in a world of social distancing and strict sanitation protocol. In some cases, its not even business at all: gyms are still closed across much of the U.S.

But as the economy slowly emerges after weeks of shutdown, there are serious challenges ahead for the fitness market, according to Beth McGroarty of The Global Wellness Institute.

Health clubs have been expanding into spaces once occupied by department and smaller stores at shopping centers and on city streets, explained McGroarty. The widespread lockdown in March, however, decimated the revenue of gym owners and left them struggling to pay rent on their large retail locations.

This financial frailty meant a number of fitness chains continued charging membership fees after shutting their facilities.

Not a great way to build future trust, said McGroarty, if you think you have a future.

Daniel Bolling works out at the Downtown Gym, Monday, May 18, 2020, in Orlando, Fla. Fitness centers were allowed to reopen in parts of Florida today and restaurants could open at 50 percent capacity.

But its not just consumers who have suffered a crisis of confidence in the industry. COVID-19 has exposed the fault lines in the relationships of multiple stakeholders from gym owners to their employees to the government.

On April 16, President Trump revealed that fitness centers would be included in the first stage of federal guidelines for lifting lockdown across America.

The move was supported by the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA), which calculates these centers had been hemorrhaging $700 million per week at the height of movement restrictions -- more than the rest of the global market combined.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp authorized gyms to reopen eight days after the presidents announcement, by which time IHRSA believes the U.S. fitness industry had taken a hit of around $2.8 billion.

Utah, Wyoming, Oklahoma, North Dakota, and all but a handful of counties in Tennessee and Iowa, followed Georgia's lead on May 1. Currently, around 20 states have allowed gyms to reopen.

But despite sanctions at both the state and the federal level -- along with the prospect of easing their financial woes -- some fitness chains appear cautious. COVID-19 has hit the U.S. harder than any other country, infecting 1.4 million people (compared to 4.7 million globally) and killing around 89,564.

Adriana Laplanche disinfects her station during a weighlifting workout at the Palm Beach Gym in Boca Raton, Monday, May 18, 2020. Gyms in South Florida were allowed to reopen with precautions.

Planet Fitness is enacting a thoughtful and phased reopening approach, according to spokeswoman McCall Gosselin. The gym giants first quarter fiscal results show net income has plummeted by 67%.

Its reopening strategy began on May 1, when just three clubs across Georgia and Utah resumed operations.

By May 13 -- by which point Arkansas, Missouri, Alaska, Mississippi, Alabama, and Arizona had also relaxed gym restrictions -- only 50 Planet Fitness locations had opened their doors.

A very different story is playing out in Virginia, where health club owner Merrill C. Hall has accused Governor Ralph Northam of literally destroy[ing] my business by keeping lockdown measures in place.

Gyms have been closed since Northam issued Executive Order 53 on March 23, shutting all recreational and entertainment businesses in the state. It was meant to expire after a month which led to Hall launching a lawsuit to challenge the order after it was extended to May 8.

A police officer issues Atilis Gym co-owners Ian Smith, left, and Frank Trumbetti summons outside their gym in Bellmawr, N.J., Monday, May 18, 2020. The New Jersey gym reopened for business early Monday, defying a state order that shut down nonessential businesses to help stem the spread of the coronavirus.

Hall said time is of the essence, and calculates that the rent on his nine locations comes to around $750,000 per month.

His attorneys argue that Executive Order 53 is an overreach of Northams authority and trample[s] upon fundamental rights and laws of the Virginia Constitution. The case is being taken before the Virginia Supreme Court after a Circuit Court judge recently denied the challenge.

Governor Northam did not respond to requests for comment.

For now, gyms remain closed as Virginia moves towards the first phase of reopening its economy, though outdoor fitness classes will be permitted in certain areas of the state.

Elsewhere, fitness chains have found themselves firmly on the defensive against government pressure. When a number of centers shut their doors while continuing to charge membership fees, they opened the door to social media scorn and a political backlash.

One such organization was Town Sports International (TSI), which upheld membership charges after its facilities shut on March 16. CEO Patrick Walsh initially attempted to reassure customers that their concerns would be addressed once were up and functionally running.

A multi-state coalition was formed after a public outcry, made up of the Attorneys General of New York, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania. In an open letter to TSI , they threatened to take whatever steps are necessary to protect our citizens if multiple policy changes didnt take place.

The company agreed to honor cancellation fees submitted by the end of April, issue credits for membership charges, and resolve individual complaints filed with the Attorneys General.

The Town Sports Team had earlier announced that membership charges would be frozen at no cost to you across all states as of April 8.

Ruben Munoz uses the seated rowing machine during his workout at Flex 24 in Odessa, Texas, Monday, May 18, 2020. As an extra precaution, the gym was requiring all gym-goers to disinfect machines before and after each use to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus. (Eli Hartman/Odessa American via AP)

But some customers arent satisfied with TSIs concessions. One member, Mary Namorato, is proceeding with a class action complaint that she filed against the gym giant in late March.

Her attorney, David Gottlieb of Wigdor LLP, downplayed TSIs membership freeze as a transparent attempt to try and appear like it is doing the right thing, when it is actually doing the opposite.

We believe hundreds of thousands of gym members are on a first of the month billing cycle, and by waiting until after [April 1] to make this change allowed them to collect tens of millions of dollars in additional membership fees, he explained to ABC News.

TSI was approached for comment but did not respond.

Membership charges have proven a particularly contentious, as well as litigious, issue across the U.S.

At least six major fitness chains are facing legal challenges from customers after allegedly charging fees during lockdown. The law firm Bursor & Fisher, P.A. is acting for plaintiffs against three of these companies: 24 Hour Fitness, Blink Fitness, and Fit Republic.

In one notable case, LA Fitness is being sued by a member who had belonged to the club for 14 years.

Coronavirus class actions, however, have not just been confined to America -- and they havent just been brought by disgruntled members.

During the lockdown period, most fitness chains have furloughed their employees, while retaining a skeleton staff to deal with customer service issues. But Steve Nash Fitness World (SNFW) -- which claims to be the largest fitness provider in British Columbia -- took more drastic steps after closing.

Preston Wakefield wipes down an exercise machine at the Downtown Gym, Monday, May 18, 2020, in Orlando, Fla. Fitness centers were allowed to reopen Monday in parts of Florida, and restaurants could open at 50 percent capacity.

It said in a statement that it decided to let go of our valued team members, on account of an organizational restructuring during these tough and unprecedented times.

The move prompted Brenie Matute -- an instructor at the gym since 2017 -- to bring a class action complaint against her former employers. She claims over 1,200 employees have been fired, and that SNFW provided no notice of termination.

According to a March 17 company statement, team members will be paid to lessen the financial burden over the first two weeks of this initial closure. Matutes lawyers argue former staff are entitled to individual compensation (2-8 weeks pay) and group compensation (16 weeks pay) in lieu of notice.

Ex-employees also claim that the mass terminations derailed an internal complaint of bullying and harassment at SNFW. Theyve started a petition, which has garnered over 2,000 signatures, calling for the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal to investigate the organization.

Together we can stand and make a change for ourselves and the future of the fitness industry, it concludes.

SNFW did not respond to requests for comment.

Despite the numerous fractured relationships in the fitness industry, Beth McGroarty remains optimistic about its future.

Digital fitness classes have proved incredibly popular in the era of self-isolation, and show the publics attachment to their local gym as a place of community.

McGroarty argues that the path forward for health clubs is a hybrid model balancing online classes with selective visits to the gym to provide this human connection in our age of loneliness and disconnection.

But now, she says, its up to businesses to get that model safe and right.

Read the original post:
Fitness industry must fight to regain trust as gyms reopen - ABC News

As gyms across North America prepare to reopen, many trainers who have managed to gain a following online during quarantine aren't sure whether they'll go back.

Zumba instructor AssataMcKenzie, who was used to leading a packed room of dance devotees at various Toronto gyms pre-COVID, took thepopular Latin-inspired workoutclasses online when the pandemic began.

A following for her free "Zoom-ba" workouts streamed live via Zoomwith a laptop on her North Yorkbalcony grew quickly.McKenzie supplements her income with private online classes for small groups.

"I don't know for myself how comfortable I'll be going back to the gym, and I don't know how comfortable other people will be," said McKenzie. "I'll definitely keep the online classes going for a while."

It's a sentiment shared by other fitness experts as well, many of whom feared a major loss of business when stay-at-home orders first began. Private instructors and companies are now exploring paid online models to make more money and in some cases, they've been so successful that they plan to keep it up even as lockdown restrictions are lifted.

"I think it's been a surprise to people how much they've benefited from the at-home online workout," said Jennifer Nichols, whose Toronto ballet-based fitness studiowas forced to shut down last month.

Nichols wasn't sure her ballet boot camps would translate well to an online audience at first. But within weeks of offering free classes on Facebook and Instagram Live, her social media following doubled.

"I get photos sent to me with people working out withtheir jar of lentils or their peanut butter jar, their water bottle. With their babies strapped to their belly while they're doing barre classes," she said.

Since getting participants from New York to Denmark, she's now planning to keep half her business model virtual and developa paid subscription service for the home workouts as facilities begin to reopen.

"I really do think that there is a ceiling you reach in terms of in-person fitness classes," she said. "I definitely am enjoying this process of putting things online and findinginteresting, creative ways to present the method."

Dumbbells and resistance bands flew into online shopping carts soon after isolation began. Sales of treadmills and elliptical machines also surged.

The Pelotonbike, which allows spin class lovers to stream indoor cycling classes, currently has a minimum seven-week wait on orders"due to increased demand," its website says.

It'll be up to larger gyms, such as Goodlife and Gold's, toget creative if they want tolure customersand trainers back amid fears of contagion and contamination.

Jean-Michel Fournier, a Los Gatos, Calif.-based executive with Les Mills International Groupthe powerhouse companybehind well-known, worldwideclasses like BodyPump and BodyCombatsays big box gyms are facing a crossroads post-quarantine as more people have discovered options forexercising at home.

WATCH | Britain's "P.E. teacher" Joe Wicks tells CBC news about his thriving presenceonline since the pandemic

"People went very quickly into a frenzy of buying new equipment," Fourniersaid.

Not to mentionYouTubefitness personalities, like the Body Coach Joe Wicks, have gained massive followings in less than two months. Wicks, known as "Britain's P.E. teacher" since the pandemic began, has hit more than 55 million views for his child-friendly workouts streamed for free from his living room.

"I think a lot of people will start to shift with online products or streaming services where they can deliver great content to their clients on a global scale," Wicks said in aninterview from London. "Sothat if we ever have a lockdown again,you're protected. You've got an online business and maybe a physical offline business, and then you've got the best of both worlds."

Fournier saysgyms, especially those which foundsuccess around group fitness classes, will have to offer access to alternative technologies to stay competitive. That includes providing members with digitaltraining so they can get coaching and private lessons when it suits them.

"You're going to have this hybrid model between going to the club and exercising at home," said Fournier. "Andclubs need to embrace that."

Nichols already is.

While she says nothing compares to "that energy in the room" of a real-lifeclass, she's also ready to re-shape her online instruction.

"I'll bring in guest teachers and film in fun locations," she said. "It would be great to film a class from a beach or in the park or at the cottage and tailor the workout."

For McKenzie, the shift is more personal. Her sister recently tested positive for COVID-19 but has so far been asymptomatic.

"That was my wake-up call," she said.

She says when it comes to peopletrying to stay healthy butalso stay safe,they shouldn't have to choose.

See the article here:
Quarantine put more fitness classes online, and many trainers say they're staying there - CBC.ca

Global Online Fitness Consultation Market Analysis 2020 with Top Companies, Production, Consumption, Price and Growth Rate

The Online Fitness Consultation Market 2020 report includes the market strategy, market orientation, expert opinion and knowledgeable information. The Online Fitness Consultation Industry Report is an in-depth study analyzing the current state of the Online Fitness Consultation Market. It provides a brief overview of the market focusing on definitions, classifications, product specifications, manufacturing processes, cost structures, market segmentation, end-use applications and industry chain analysis. The study on Online Fitness Consultation Market provides analysis of market covering the industry trends, recent developments in the market and competitive landscape.

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It takes into account the CAGR, value, volume, revenue, production, consumption, sales, manufacturing cost, prices, and other key factors related to the global Online Fitness Consultation market. All findings and data on the global Online Fitness Consultation market provided in the report are calculated, gathered, and verified using advanced and reliable primary and secondary research sources. The regional analysis offered in the report will help you to identify key opportunities of the global Online Fitness Consultation market available in different regions and countries.

The Global Online Fitness Consultation 2020 research provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Global Online Fitness Consultation analysis is provided for the international markets including development trends, competitive landscape analysis, and key regions development status.

Development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures are also analyzed. This report also states import/export consumption, supply and demand Figures, cost, price, revenue and gross margins.

In addition to this, regional analysis is conducted to identify the leading region and calculate its share in the global Online Fitness Consultation. Various factors positively impacting the growth of the Online Fitness Consultation in the leading region are also discussed in the report. The global Online Fitness Consultation is also segmented on the basis of types, end users, geography and other segments.

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Table of Content

1 Industry Overview of Online Fitness Consultation

2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis

3 Development and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Online Fitness Consultation

4 Key Figures of Major Manufacturers

5 Online Fitness Consultation Regional Market Analysis

6 Online Fitness Consultation Segment Market Analysis (by Type)

7 Online Fitness Consultation Segment Market Analysis (by Application)

8 Online Fitness Consultation Major Manufacturers Analysis

9 Development Trend of Analysis of Online Fitness Consultation Market

10 Marketing Channel

11 Market Dynamics

12 Conclusion

13 Appendix

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Online Fitness Consultation Market Impressive Gains including key players: HealthifyMe, FitnessMaster, Anytime Fitness, Quikfits Wellness and Fitness...

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