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Akira Kyles|The Fayetteville Observer

Ruby Murray served her country for years, and from that she learned the importance of fitness. Shenowuses fitnessto benefit her communityand spread awareness abouttwo causes dear to her.

Murray joined the Army in 1989 and served for more than26 years. At one point in her military career, Murray found herself in need of losing weight to keep her job.

I started teaching fitness about 18 years ago, and it literally started whenI ended up becoming pregnant with my daughter and I had to lose almost 70 pounds," Murray said. "At the time serving in the United States Army,I had to realize that I had to lose that weight.

I knew that I had to go and hire me a personal trainerin order for me to stay inthe military, which was my way of living and to also provide for my family.

After losing weight, Murray ended up falling in love with fitness and started getting certified in fitness training.

I have a total of 13 certifications, and fitness just became my baseline, said Murray. I felt that was my happy place of just basically physicalfitness and also just helping others find their happy place.

It was through Murrays newfound love of fitness that she started postpartum fitness training for Fort Bragg, which she ran for nine years.

Through her platform as a personal trainer, Murray became anadvocate for bringing awareness of domestic violence and cancer.

On Saturday,Murray held a Turn the Park All Colorsprogramat Hope Mills Park to raise cancer awareness. This was her ninth cancer awareness event, which she usuallyholds on Fort Bragg. She had to move it off base because ofCOVID-19 restrictions.

It says something because I've been fighting a lot for my friends, which I do have a lot of friends that are cancer survivors. Family members are cancer survivors. But I hold cancer awareness very dear to my heart because it's like it's hitting different angles, said Murray.

Murray used Saturday to showcase different types of cancers people may not know about.

This year, I wanted to use the message of turning the entire park different colors of ribbonsbecause different colors or ribbons are existing now not just for cancer, but colon, throat, skin (cancer) I can go on and on and on, said Murray. As I started learning more about the different types of cancers, that really (was)mind-boggling because I was like, well I never knew that we had that many types of cancers.

At the park, Murray also collected clothes and toiletries for homeless veterans. She had vendors with informational literature on cancer and healthy food samples.

Murray plans to sponsor another gathering on Fort Bragg whenit full reopens that will focus on fighting cancer.

It's all dealing with fighting. How can you fight something when somebody is watching you and they see you as perfect but really you're fragile and you're broken? said Murray. So it's about taking that mended vessel and allowing that vessel to be whole again.

Along with her military background and platform as a fitness coach, Murray is also a JROTC instructor at South View High School, teaching students in grades nine to 12. In her second year teaching, Murray was the teacher of the year for the 2017-18 school year, she said.

Murray said she is a big giver in her community and currently has logged more than 3,500 volunteer hours.

I just always liked to effect change and make a positive outcome on one person's life. And I feel that if I make a positive outcome on one person, like, I have done my job for the day, said Murray.

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'My happy place:' Vet turned fitness coach uses fitness to benefit people in Fayetteville area - The Fayetteville Observer

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Staying fit, trim and healthy can be challenging for college students, and gaining the notorious Freshman 15 is all the more likely these days given restrictions necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thats why health buffNickSiegel 21 decided to spread the fitness gospel online. His blog,seagullstrength.comis a fitness guide tailored to the needs and mindset of busy college students, featuring workouts that can be performed in a dorm room or outside in a quiet treed spot on campus.

You might think that someone who had been a lifeguard for the Recreation and Wellness swimming pool, served on the Campus Community Emergency Response Team, and belonged to Stony Brooks Sailing Club would be brimming with health and self-confidence but it wasnt always that way.

In fact, the Stony Brook University biochemistry major, who is minoring in marine science, suffered from a poor self-image for much of his teenage years. Caving to peer pressure to look bigger, the self-described ectomorph spent much of his youth attempting to bulk up, with unsatisfactory results.

Eventually he learned a hard lesson: His disparagers and taunters only cared about preening before the gym mirrors. Siegel eventually shifted his emphasis from simply looking good to feeling fit and being healthy. During the course of his exercise journey, while reassessing his fitness goals, Siegels weight fluctuated from a scrawny 130 pounds to a bulky 180 pounds, and back down to 160 pounds and lean.

I used to get cranky and hungry all the time, but now that I am focusing on my nutrition and eating the right foods at the right times, I feel more energized and refreshed throughout the entire day, even when I am hungry, Siegel said. Meditation has also helped me feel less anxious and stressed about everyday activities and schoolwork, and I am more in tune with my body and my feelings than ever before.

His ultimate objective: losing fat and gaining lean muscle in its place. The Seagull Strength blog helps to keep him on track and offers friendly, often humourous, advice to his peers.

Seagull Strength is a play on words of my last name Siegel, and I also like the alliteration. A good friend of mine [Sid Maharjan] also designed the logo that can be seen on both my website and Instagram of a seagull lifting a dumbbell, he said.

The blog is structured into four categories, or what Siegel calls the four Ms of fitness: meals, muscles, meditation and mindset.

Every Tuesday, he posts a new blog entry in a different category of fitness, eventually rotating through all four topics.

I understand what kids like me are going through, and I understand how hard it can be to stay fit and healthy in college, Siegel said.

His blog and videos come with a common sense disclaimer for the exerciser to consult a physician before beginning a fitness program.

It is important to mention checking with your doctor first because maybe one student has knee problems and should not be doing an exercise like squats, while another student has perfect knees and squats are the best thing to be doing, he said.

Siegel became interested in fitness at a very young age, but more recently became fascinated with the world of nutrition and how it ties into health. In particular, he realized that obesity and obesity-related deaths in America are escalating problems.

If you have been overeating since a young age,it can be extremely difficult to change your habits and lose excess weight later in life, he said. That is why I believe starting to focus on your health now, as a college student or even younger, is extremely important to prevent obesity later on in life.

Siegel said the point of his blog is to promote overall fitness.

I dont want people to complete my workout plans, lose 10 pounds, and then stop and immediately gain it all back, he said. My goal is for them to learn some good habits that they can continue throughout the rest of their college experiences or even their lives to stay fit and healthy for extended periods of time.

Siegel said he turned to Instagram during quarantine as a way to motivate himself to continue working out.

If I forced myself to post my workouts on Instagram, I would have my followers hold me accountable to actually complete them, he said. However, I quickly fell in love with the planning, filming and editing of the videos I was making, and started posting more and more. Then I saw my following increase, so I wanted to post more informative information that was scientifically based to help teach people about fitness and exercise.

Instagram, however, has its limitations it doesnt have much room for captions and most people arent on it to learn. Siegel came up with the idea of a blog that allows longer articles and a website that people can visit to learn how to stay healthy and fit.

Up to now, Siegel relied upon advertising his blog through Instagram and other social media platforms such as Facebook and Snapchat, with mixed success. Although he is now simply relying on word of mouth and hoping people sign up for email notifications on his website, his ultimate goal is to get more people to sign up for his email list.

He credits Stony Brook University biology classes for helping him understand how to read and research articles in a more efficient manner, especially when he is trying to find the best and most reliable ones to cite in his posts.

Although Siegel would never consider himself a computer whiz, he does have a wealth of technology experience that has helped him understand how to use the software needed to design his blog website.

For example, he is the assistant to the conference and events coordinator at Stony Brooks Southampton Campus, where he helps set up AV equipment and troubleshoot technology problems.

Siegeltakes a community-minded approach to fitness, and is always eager to help others benefit from what he has learned.

When he first got started with Instagram, he offered fitness advice to friends and family, sometimes even designing whole workout plans for them for free.

I really just enjoyed helping them improve their health and fitness, and it made me feel so good to see how grateful they were, he said.

Siegel realizes that no fitness journey can be completed alone, and he emphasized how much it meant to him that his friends and family were always there to support him in both his own personal fitness journey and now his new journey to help others, which was sparked by a national tragedy.

In late May, George Floyd was killed by police officers in Minneapolis.

Having seen the video of him being murdered, I knew I had to do something, so I started selling workout plans on my Instagram for $10 each to raise money to donate to the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, he said. My parents offered to match whatever I was able to raise. I ended up raising $300, and in total, since I started my Instagram, I have helped 28 people with either exercise advice or full workout plans, and I dont plan on stopping anytime soon!

The fitness regimen on Siegels website is based on plans that he had made for others.

However, since many beginners have the same goals and the same equipment, I decided to upload these on to my blog so that everyone can benefit from them, not just personal friends, he said.

As for Siegel, he works out four days a week in his dorm room with resistance bands and parallettes bars, which resemble the parallel bars that gymnasts use. Two days a week he works his entire upper body, and the other two days he works his lower body. He also follows the if it fits your macros (IIFYM) style of eating, outlined in his blog.

The IIFYM Diet is one of the easiest diets to do while on a campus meal plan where I am in a slight calorie surplus, I am trying to gain some lean muscle weight.

Although Siegels blog and website take up a good portion of his time, he always has an eye toward the future.

He is now on a pre-med track, but is still undecided about which path to pursue.

Obviously, I am very interested in health and nutrition, but I do also enjoyspending time on the water and studying marine science, he said. So I am currently trying to explore all the possible paths out there and decide which one is the right one for me. I could go down the nutritionist, physical trainer or marine science paths, or continue down my current doctor path. There are many options to choose from. But after all, isnt that what college is for? To figure out what you want to do in life? And so far, Stony Brook has been the perfect place to do that!

Glenn Jochum

Link:
Student Blogger Shares Health and Fitness Wisdom With College Peers - Stony Brook News

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Safety, and mental and physical health are top priorities; $4-billion industry under intense economic pressure, at risk without adequate government support;"Canadians are in real danger of losing many of their neighborhood gyms and boutique studios"

EDMONTON, AB, Oct. 20, 2020 /CNW/ -Keeping everyone in Canada as safe as possible and focused on their physical and mental health during an unprecedented pandemic is the guiding priority of more than 6,000 fitness clubs, gyms, and studios from coast-to-coast.

Fitness Industry Council of Canada (FIC) has committed to meeting or exceeding government and health authority guidelines that have been proven to be effective at minimizing risk and virus transmission. FIC has also committed to working collaboratively with health and government officials to develop guidelines and regulations that prioritize health and safety.

"We know the positive impact exercise has on the physical, psychological, and social health of people, and are committed to providing safe solutions," said Scott Wildeman, President, FIC. "We want to work as an active partner with government and healthcare officials and help them make evidence-based decisions to protect our members and employees and keep our doors open."

"We're welcoming back increasing numbers of people in our gyms and studios, but we also desperately need government support to ensure we remain sustainable in this new normal of restrictions and shutdowns."

Canadian fitness facilities generate nearly $4 billion in revenue annually and employ tens of thousands of people. FIC represents all levels of facilities, from the largest chains GoodLife Fitness, Orangetheory Fitness, MOVATI Athletic, nergie Cardio, GYMVMT, Trevor Linden Club 16, etc. to the thousands of smaller, independent studios and gyms that are also struggling to survive amid capacity restrictions, rolling closures and threats of future shutdowns.

"As a small business owner, the shutdown in the spring stretched finances about as far as they could possibly go," said Jeff Ardron, President and GM of Fitness Unlimited Athletic Club in Maple Ridge, B.C. "We were able to reopen, but not all gyms and studios were as lucky. We have received a lot of support from our members, but if another closure were to happen, I'm not sure what the outcome would be."

"Most fitness facilities are operating at approximately 60 per cent of the pre-pandemic revenues," said Wildeman. "At the same time, they've made significant investments in additional personal protective equipment, cleaning and sanitizing equipment, staff training, in addition to other measures to protect their employees and members. Canadians are in real danger of losing many of their neighborhood gyms and boutique studios."

In association to the fitness club industry,businesses that depend on this industry such as vendors, suppliers, fitness apparel, supplement industry, cleaning companies, landlords/real estate companies, etc. have all been harshly affected.

Since the pandemic closed fitness facilities in the spring, FIC has worked closely with its provincial divisions to provide public-health-approved guidelines and standards. These efforts allowed fitness facilities to reopen carefully and responsibly in the summer, and to continue ongoing operations.

FIC member facilities are known to operate safe businesses and follow a strict set of guidelines. Among the guidelines, FIC members have committed to:

The protocols followed by FIC members ensure that the industry is ready to support individuals in the best way possible when it comes to their wellbeing. Dr. Sharkawy, a Canadian Infectious Disease Specialistfrom Toronto, ON, states that "Gyms, fitness studios can play a vital role in combatting stress, maintaining health during a pandemic" (via Twitter @SharkawyMD).

To date, Canadian fitness clubs, gyms and studios have accommodated more than 20-millionworkouts since gyms and studios initially reopened after the nationwide spring shutdown. A critical key to its success is the industry's unparalleled ability to control and track who is working out in their clubs and studios. Using electronic card swipes, mobile apps and in-person monitoring, facilities are actively managing the social distancing and traffic flow within their facilities. If a suspected exposure is identified, fitness operators can alert anyone potentially impacted more quickly and more accurately than other businesses.

"Ontario gyms are working around the clock to maintain the trust of our members, our employees and public health officials," said Wildeman. "It's unfortunate that, like other industries, a few isolated incidents have garnered disproportionate attention where standards and protocols were not followed by members or operators. Thousands of fitness facilities have reopened safely, welcomed members back and are well prepared for any additional waves of COVID-19."

"We're going to continue to work together to protect our employees, members and communities and offer the safest environments we can. It's in all our interests to keep everyone safe, physically fit and mentally healthy."

About FICFitness Industry Council of Canada(FIC) is the not-for profit trade association that represents the voice of fitness facility operators across Canada. Representing more than 6,000 facilities with more than six-million members nationwide, FIC pursues a legislative agenda in the hope of bettering the fitness industry for both consumers and operators. FIC aims to work with both industry and government to improve the health and physical activity levels of Canadians.

SOURCE Fitness Industry Council of Canada

For further information: For more information, or to arrange an interview at a fitness facility: Trisha Sarker, Executive Director, Fitness Industry Council of Canada (FIC), [emailprotected], 780-908-1710

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National Coalition of Fitness Clubs Taking Extraordinary Measures to Support COVID-Weary Members and Fitness Professionals - Canada NewsWire

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Since many indoor gyms and boutique fitness classes are still closed because of the pandemic, people have had to get creative with at-home workouts, streaming classes, and even virtual personal training with their trainers. Tracee Ellis Ross, who has shown off her intense workouts on Instagram before, is no exception.

In a new video, the 47-year-old actress hilariously documents one of her one-on-one virtual training sessions, and her love/hate relationship with working out is so relatable. When her trainer prompts Ross to perform a side plank, she jokes that it is not her favorite exercise, and tells her, "I don't look forward to any of this." She also comments on how her trainer is "the slowest counter in the world" when she is prompted to hold her side plank for 20 seconds, and says, "I hate it," midplank. We can relate! Check out the funny video above.

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Tracee Ellis Ross Complaining to Her Trainer About Holding a Side Plank Is All of Us: "I Hate It" - POPSUGAR

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Massachusetts Association for the Blind and Visually ImpairedHonors Local Volunteers From Brookline at Annual Celebration

Brookline Family Recognized with MABVIs Family Volunteer AwardOn October 1, the Massachusetts Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (MABVI) honored its many volunteers at its annual Volunteer Appreciation Celebration on Thursday, October 1, 2020, with a virtual celebration via Zoom. In addition to honoring its volunteer force of nearly 400 individuals, MABVI presented several special awards to recognize exceptional volunteers including a family from Brookline.Brookline Family Recognized with MABVIs Family Volunteer Award

The Li of Brookline Mass. was recognized this year with the Family Volunteer Award for their years of service supporting individuals who are blind or visually impaired. The award recognizes outstanding volunteer services provided by a family. Kevin Li volunteer work currently supports two individuals. His family has been volunteering with one client since 2016, The familys volunteer work started with Kevins mother Dayu, and his brother Michael, who won the Family Volunteer Award two years ago. When Michael went off to college, Kevin continued to provide support for their client. Kevin has also been a positive role model for his peers and friends. He took the initiative to introduce Brookline High School students to join MABVI volunteer program. Kevins dedication continued after the COVID-19 break out by reaching out to see if there were any other people he could support. He is now helping a client by picking up groceries and running errands as needed.Our volunteers commitment to our community demonstrates an exceptional amount of love, hard work, and ingenuity, said Sassy Outwater-Wright, Executive Director of MABVI. As the world changes rapidly, blind and visually impaired residents of Massachusetts face unprecedented challenges to access the things we need. The volunteers availability to help support us as we negotiate these challenges is critical and profoundly powerful. I want to extend my since gratitude all they have done to support MABVI and the people we serve.Go to http://www.mabvi.org/volunteer for more information about volunteer opportunities with the MA Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

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Pilates and Fitness - Brookline, MA - Patch.com

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Premier Doug Ford said he will look into reopening boutique fitness facilitiesin the provinces COVID-19 hotspots and defended his decision to reopen dance studios.

On Tuesday, Ford said that dance studios could reopen because they use a cohort model similar to public schools.

The premier said he would look into other boutique fitness facilities that offer classes, but he noted comparing them to dance studios is like comparing apples and oranges.

How it was explained to me was very simple: These groups are coming in different groups into the boutique fitness areas compared to a dance studio that is there for teaching, and they have a cohort, if you want to call it that, compared to the fitness studios. I dont think you can compare the dance studios with certain students over and over again to fitness areas, Ford said.

On October 10, dance studios, gyms, fitness centres, movie theatres, and indoor dining establishments were ordered to shut down in Toronto, Peel, and Ottawa, with the same happening for York Region on October 20.

Ford said that he is doing everything he can to make sure we get these places reopened as quickly as possible, but he did not clearly state which places were allowed exceptions like the dance studios.

Dont get me wrong, we are looking into the boutique fitness centres, but then the next question as we move forward will be how about the other fitness centres and then it keeps going and going and going, he said.

On Monday, dance studios were given the green light to reopen.

Attendees must pre-register for each class and remain two metres apart at all times. In line with the provinces indoor gathering limits, there can be no more than 10 people in a studio at a time.

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Ford will "look into" reopening boutique fitness facilities in COVID-19 hotspots | News - Daily Hive

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Fitness center Curves is celebrating its 28th year of being one of the largest chains of fitness clubs for women worldwide.

Successfully navigating the COVID-19 pandemic effects is proof for Curves that its time-proven concept is resilient and agile. Curves is also known for their coach-led 30-minute training circuit.

Curves is now offering members within the Loveland area the ability to work out either from the safety of their own homes or at the local Curves of Loveland clean and sanitized gym. MyCurves On Demand is an at-home workout that replicates the traditional Curves full-body workout utilizing a resistance band in place of equipment found inside clubs.

This past year has been filled with exciting changes and unexpected challenges, said Krishea Holloway, president, and CEO of Curves NA and Oceania, Inc. I am proud to say that both our franchise partners and the Curves team have met 2020 head-on by finding new and innovative ways to continue serving our members, Krishea.

Members of Curves can stream their workout from any smart device, with new content being added regularly. Curves has expanded the MyCurves On Demand program to produce MyCurves On-Demand + Coaching, including live one-on-one weekly virtual coaching from their own homes.

Through courses from Balance and Posture to Stretching and Stress Management, Nutrition and Weight Management, Curves educates members on how to make improvements in their lifestyle. Additional courses includedynamic e-learnings, weekly content review, and an extensive library of functional exercises.

Each local Curves coach works to be a supportive and highly-motivated fitness enthusiast dedicated to helping women reach their health and fitness goals. For the last 28 years, their mission has been to strengthen women through fun, fast, and safe programs to aid them in their goals regarding health and fitness.

As our gyms reopen, we look ahead to 2021 and beyond with enthusiasm, said Krishea.The entire Curves team remains more committed than ever to providing our franchisees and members the best programs and services possible, Krishea said.

For more information regarding the Curves program and membership options available in the Loveland area, visit http://www.curves.com or call 970-669-9400

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Curves of Loveland Celebrates 28 Years of Innovating Fitness - North Forty News

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Living in South Florida, we are blessed with lots of nature trails. From the beaches to the Everglades, there are tons of beautiful sceneries to walk and find some fitness. Heres what you need to know.

Essentials

While Florida is known for its unpredictable weather, one thing is almost always certain: the heat. Regardless of where you go hiking, its essential to bring water, snacks and sunscreen. Even if youre only hiking one mile, given the heat and humidity, you dont want to risk dehydration. Wear some comfy, lightweight clothing and good walking or hiking shoes, pack a small backpack with the essentials and get on a trail. Some other good items to bring include bug spray, a knife or multi-tool, first aid kit, sunglasses, and of course, your phone, in case you want to photograph or video some cool wildlife, insects or flowers.

Where to hike

Luckily, weve got a lot of cool places to go on hikes, around campus and far from campus. Here are some of my favorites.

Everglades National Park

The Everglades is a given when discussing where to hike in South Florida, and its not just because of its acres of land you can walk, but because of the wildlife and flora you can see on different trails. You have the opportunity to see gators, a variety of bird species and even grasshoppers and crabs. Everglades National Park is accessible year-round and has a plethora of trails to choose from. Some include Pine Island trails, Flamingo trails and Shark Valley trails. Most of the hiking trails in the Everglades are short and tame, suitable for everyone. Even if you have never hiked a trail before, Everglades National Park is a great place to start.

Tree Tops Park

Only ten minutes away from campus, Tree Tops Park is a 23-acre park filled with nature trails and a freshwater marsh. Tree Tops is a great hiking getaway, accessible year-round if you dont want to stray too far from campus. Here you will find tons of flora and fauna and peaceful trails that will transport you somewhere else. There is even an observation tower where you can get a good birds eye view of the forest youre in and is a great place for a simple picnic before or after your hike. If youre looking to do a trail with wildlife, Tree Tops has got you covered, too. Here you can find tons of turtles near the marsh.

Biscayne National Park

Farther south, Biscayne National Park is a great place to hike near the ocean. Accessible year-round, here you will find wildlife, like crabs and blue herons, and have the opportunity to cool down by the water after your hike on a hot day. Biscayne National Park offers a 9.9-mile trail that is good for all skill level hikers. Going right before sunrise is my favorite time to go because you get to reward yourself for a good hike by watching the sunrise right above the water.

Whether youve been out hiking in the mountains or have never hiked a day in your life, South Florida has got some great unique trails for you to walk, run or bike on. All you have to do is get out there.

Related

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Finding Fitness: Take a hike | The Current - The Current - The Student-Run Newspaper of Nova Southeastern University.

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ForFast CompanysShape of Tomorrow series, were asking business leaders to share their inside perspective on how the COVID-19 era is transforming their industries. Heres whats been lostand what could be gainedin the new world order.

Joey Gonzalez is the CEO of Barrys, which specializes in high intensity interval training and has nearly 70 studios across the U.S. and abroad. He is also an instructor.

COVID has been a humbling experience. The first thing we did was launch free Instagram workouts, which kept our community engaged. Then we launched a digital platform, which we built in 14 days using the Zoom platform. We had a moderator who filled in to give a front-desk experience and to shout-out people in the classes to help our instructors.

Were investing heavily in digital and it will be a permanent part of our business going forward. Were going to stop using Zoom and there will be a fully integrated social component, so you can see which classes your friends are taking. Our instructors will be able to call people out and help with their form: We dont just want to stream; we want to be able to teach.

We have nine functioning studios today across the U.S., and weve had to navigate reopening in different locations with different rules and regulations. If you took class in Boston, youd see plastic shields in between every treadmill. In D.C., were only allowed to have 10 people in the red room.

We also launched Barrys outdoors, which is pretty much what it sounds like. The majority of them offer 50-minute weightlifting classes. In New York, mayor Bill de Blasio allowed gyms to reopen at limited capacity, but blocked all boutique fitness studios from reopening. So we launched a concept called Open Gym in New York, where people can book time [in a Barrys studio] to work out with audio-guided workouts we provide through QR codes. Everything is wiped down afterwards.

The pandemic has been a disaster for our industry. A lot of brands are getting ready to announce that they are closing in the U.S.

In March, we had a workforce of over 1,400 employees. Today, we have 400 or 500, if you include part-time employees. We brought a lot of part-time desk and facility staff back to help us run outdoor classes. One of things that makes me most proud about our company is that we didnt just push a button and send a termination email to our employees. Every single person received a phone call about the status of their employment. I have been heartbroken.

The pandemic has been a disaster for our industry. A lot of fairly significant brands are getting ready to announce that they are closing in the U.S. A lot of businesses are at the mercy of landlords, so it depends on what kind of deals can be structured during the months it will take us to get through this.

Businesses that have developed or are working on developing an at-home structure can do well: What better time to announce the new at-home bike you have been developing? The other type of business that can do well is one that has fostered a big community and good customer relationships. Thats where Id put Barrys. We didnt have the infrastructure when this hit, but we did have some of the best instructors in the world.

William Lynch is the President of Peloton Interactive, which sells connected bikes and treadmills and has an app that allows users to stream prerecorded and live classes.

Weve always believed that if you were to provide higher quality fitness instruction, with better equipment, at a better value, in a better place like home, people would gravitate toward that experience. Weve learned that that premise is true. Prior to COVID, we were seeing a mass movement toward fitness in the homewe were growing at triple digitsbut this [crisis] proved it.

We had to close our studio where we film classes, and set up equipment in instructors homes, so they can stream live. In the spring and summer, we added something called threshold deliveries, where we got the bike in a safe manner to the consumers doorstep and wiped it down. We also invested in hazard pay for our workers in order to keep deliveries up and repurposed our retail teams, who couldnt work in stores, to take customer calls due to the high volume.

We realized that during the pandemic, a lot of families like to work out together. We launched new content verticals like family fun, where families can stretch on the floor together. We also launched dance cardio as an upbeat and fun way to get a workout and barre classes due to customer demand.

Our research [suggests] that even post-COVID, most people are not going back to the gym. At least 60% of Americans do not intend to renew their gym membership. And I think thats less about the pandemic and more about the fact that you can deliver a better experience in the home. Last quarter, we saw our membership numbers explode. Its been well above triple digit growth since the start of the pandemic. Weve had to scramble to build more bikes and more treadmills. And weve been selling a lot more digital memberships.

We believe this is a permanent shift. People have seen that they can get a great workout from their home, and they can still interact with a community through the leaderboard. You can see a lot of fitness companies starting at-home programs, everyone is trying it. There will still be a place for smaller, independent studios and gyms but not at the level we saw before. Some of them will have to close.

Tracy Anderson is the creator of the Tracy Anderson method and CEO of Tracy Anderson, a fitness company with studios in five cities, and an online workout streaming service.

There has been an undeniable increase in interest in working out from home because gyms are really germy. Luckily, we reach most of our customers through streaming, and have developed a really authentic [online] experience.

The pandemic did change how we connect to some of our clients. We closed our studios in New York City, the Hamptons, Los Angeles, Madrid, and London, which was a very easy decision to make. I wasnt afraid of loss of income: We just accepted it and moved on.

I love connecting with people in person. I believe that every connection is powerful. I believe that the closer you are, the stronger the energy vibrates. So I cant really imagine a time where I would ever close every physical studio permanently. But I had no interest in opening a bunch of daytime nightclubs, where instructors are just bouncing around with people. Its hard for those [kinds of fitness] companies to convey that experience through streaming.

At the beginning of the pandemic, my business partner said we should scale back with pay cuts. I told him, Give me two weeks and I will work something out to make it up financially.

I had no interest in opening a bunch of daytime nightclubs, where instructors are just bouncing around with people. Its hard for those companies to convey that experience through streaming.

I put a stage outside in Florida where I was quarantining. I contacted this company that normally builds stages for concerts, but wasnt building as much because no concerts are going on. I was like . . . can I get a stage?

We set up three cameras. I recorded my regular classes that get streamed every week to subscribers and then I created a special live class. I havent taught live in a long time. So I offered these special two-hour live classes designed for our very committed clients, people that never let me down. That type of client will show up to the studio (pre-COVID) to spend two and a half hours in 90-degree heat with 70% humidity to sweat and move with me.

We charged $50 dollars [a person] for it, which is a bargain because no one could ever get me training them for two and a half hours for $50 in my career, and did one every other week. That made a big financial difference for us. We didnt have to let anyone go and we didnt have to adjust anyones income.

The schedule was throwing off my family time, though, because we were filming on the weekend. So were doing less of them and I might pass the ball to one of my other trainers. I might do one during the week.

Josh McCarter is the CEO of Mindbody, a booking and business management platform for fitness studios, salons, and spas in the U.S. and abroad.

We provide the business management system that a spa, salon, or studio uses. They run all of their operations with it. They manage their classes and appointments. They transact with customers.

We started seeing businesses shut down in China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Australia, and [then] France and Italy, before we saw it in the U.S., so that gave us some insights into how we could help our customers and our industry pivot. We had previously identified virtual [streamed or on-demand classes] as an opportunity for us to expand into. When COVID hit, we shifted our focus to it and moved up the launch from August to earlier in the year.

Weve been helping studios that are not fully digital to get on our virtual platform because the preponderance of the industry is based on physical location. When they had the pivot to go virtual, the first thing that most [studios] tried was Instagram live, Facebook live, or even Zoom. But these systems are really disconnected from [the studios] core operating systems. Our digital platform enables studios to integrate their online classes with our management systems, so that people can book and pay for digital classes. This lets studios offer hybrid memberships where people can sign up for both virtual and in-person classes as things open up. We think the future of the industry is studios being able to offer both.

North of 90,000 videos have now been uploaded by our customers. And weve seen a huge uptick in consumer demand. Through our research [we found] that about 90% of consumers say theyre going to go back to their prior workout habits and regimen, but about 46% of those are saying that theyre going to tack on a virtual aspect. So we say [to studios], if youre not focused on this hybrid model, youre probably going to start losing some of your clients.

People are thinking more and more about their health and their wellnessthe pandemic has emphasized that its important. Weve seen in some of these markets that have reopened, like Hong Kong and Singapore, that bookings for classes are even higher now than what they were in 2019. I think that thats going to be kind of a lasting change that comes out of COVID, a heightened focus on peoples health.

David Long is the CEO of Orangetheory, a fitness franchise with more than a thousand locations in the US and 23 countries.

The pandemic was a really challenging time for us, we had to furlough a lot of people and were still working to build back up. Fortunately, we were able to get some PPP money, which helped us survive the tough period at the beginning of the pandemic.

I would say 80% of our studios are back open in some way. A lot of studios that couldnt open their physical locations started doing outdoor programming, and our customers loved the variety. We want to make sure that as studios reopen, theyre delivering a valuable experience and what people are looking for, so that they can come to the studio two or three times a week. Were still opening a double-digit number of locations [this year]. Even in July, we opened some. We recently opened one in Denmark.

We introduced [an on-demand] daily workout globally in March [through our website] that people could do from home. In November, were launching a digital club: Its really personalized and hopefully will give our customers a roadmap of what to do and how to do it to get the best results. We want to take a customized approach, so well integrate heart rate monitoring like we do in the studio.

Members can already monitor their heart rate when they go for a bike ride or a jog when theyre outside of the studio [through Orangetheory monitors]. The number of people using [those monitors and synced with the Orangetheory app] has skyrocketed. Were working on building our products around that for the most part. But we also know that our big differentiator is the live authentic coaching, so we want that to be part of the experience too. So we are adding a digital [club], OT Anywhere. But for it to succeed it needs to be customized. Holding people accountable is important.

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How COVID-19 has changed the fitness industry - Fast Company

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107 Chambers Street and Allison and Frederick Thompson (Google Maps, Tribeca Health & Fitness)

An independently owned gym in Lower Manhattan has fallen victim to Covid-19, joining a long list of businesses ravaged by the pandemic.

Tribeca Health & Fitness, located at 107 Chambers Street, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on Friday and announced its permanent closure on its website.

We are heartbroken to announce that we will not be reopening, the website said. The prolonged Covid closure has made it impossible for us.

Since 2017, Allison and Fred Thompson have been the owners of the popular gym, which occupied more than 10,000 square feet of space across three levels, according to the website.

In the statement, the owners said they tried every avenue to save the gym, the pandemic was more than they could bounce back from.

The business owes more than $1.4 million to its creditors, while its assets totaled about $92,000, according to the bankruptcy petition.

With the closing, the self-proclaimed largest family-owned fitness facility in Lower Manhattan has joined the pool of sports clubs and fitness centers crashed by the pandemic in recent months.

Town Sports International which owns sports clubs in New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last month after the forced closure of gyms led to big losses in revenue, Reuters reported. The national chain 24 Hour Fitness also filed for bankruptcy in June.

Contact Akiko Matsuda

Excerpt from:
Another fitness studio in Manhattan goes belly-up - The Real Deal

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