STAY FIT 305

GNC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Tuesday and has announced it will be closing 800-1,200 locations while in search of a buyer.

In a latter, GNC said the COIVD-19 pandemic "created a situation where we were unable to accomplish our refinancing and the abrupt change in the operating environment had a dramatic negative impact on our business."

Stores across 42 states, as well as Canada and Puerto Rico, will close as part of the restructuring process, including three South Florida locations.

Boynton Beach Mall, 801 N Congress St, Suite 763, Boynton Beach, FL

Coral Square, 9295 West Atlantic Blvd, Coral Springs, FL

Shoppes Of River Landing, Miami, FL

Greg Glassman is selling CrossFit, following intense backlash over his response to the death of George Floyd and the anti-racism movement sweeping the country.

The move, which comes just two weeks after resigning from his post as chief executive, marks a more complete departure for Glassman from CrossFit. Glassman founded the company two decades ago, and it has since grown into one of the world's most recognizable chain of gyms (or "boxes" as they're called in the CrossFit community).

"It did so well and became so popular that it has become a thing far larger than I could have hoped," Glassman said in a statement on Twitter Wednesday. "The world has changed, but the magnificent human machine, the proven benefits of CrossFit, and its market opportunity remain unchanged. It is time for the founder to bid adieu and find other creative outlets."

Glassman is selling the privately-held company to Eric Roza, the owner of CrossFit Sanitas gym in Boulder, Colorado. Roza will also become CrossFit's CEO, taking over from Dave Castro, who was named chief executive in the wake of Glassman's resignation earlier this month.

The financial terms of the sale were not disclosed. The deal is expected to close next month.

The sale comes after weeks of controversy for CrossFit and Glassman.

Gyms - which pay an annual fee to CrossFit to use the brand - said they began dropping their affiliations after requests for the company to speak up in support of the Black Lives Matter movement went unanswered.

On a June 6 call with gym owners, Glassman said CrossFit leadership was "not mourning for George Floyd," according to a recording of the call obtained by CNN Business. Several hours later, Glassman posted a string of controversial tweets referencing Floyd's death and the coronavirus pandemic, sparking online outrage.

In the following days, dozens of gyms dropped their affiliation with the company, and CrossFit lost corporate sponsors, while others said they would be evaluating their relationship based on the direction and decisions the CrossFit leadership takes.

Some in the CrossFit community have also claimed the company was rife with sexism, according to reporting by the New York Times.

Roza addressed the issues in a statement posted to Twitter Wednesday announcing his acquisition of the company.

"In the past weeks, divisive statements and allegations have left many members of our community struggling to reconcile our transformative experiences in the local box with what we've been reading online," Roza said. "My view is simple: Racism and sexism are abhorrent and will not be tolerated in CrossFit. We open our arms to everyone, and I will be working hard to rebuild bridges with those whose trust we have lost."

*This article was originally published on CNN Business by Clare Duffy and can be found here.

Like many gyms this year, SoccerShape took their classes online. Based out of Miami, they recently started bringing in Major League Soccer players and other professional players from around the world to help teach live skills classes and allow participants to learn directly from the pros.

Some of the players they have partnered with so far have included Mason Trafford (former Miami FC, now in the Canada Premier League) Sergio Camargo (former Toronto FC and now in the Canada Premier League), and Charlie Trafford (Scottish Championship player and Team Canada). They also have a couple of big-name MLS players lined up for the coming months that they can't wait to officially announce.

RELATED: Now You Can Train Like a Miami FC Player

The goal of SoccerShape's online classes is to expose people to the soccer methods and techniques that the professionals use. It is easy to train with top-level players - all you need is a ball, a couple of yards of space, and an internet connection. Whether you're 14 and trying to make it as a player, or 45 and wanting to sharpen your Sunday league skills, SoccerShape invites you to check out their classes.

While they offer soccer-specific training, SoccerShape Online is designed to be a one-stop-shop for players looking to train like a professional. There are skills and technique classes, strength and conditioning classes, and mobility and yoga classes.

SoccerShape is running a special until the end of June where for $5.99 per month you can get unlimited skills and fitness classes and be locked into that price for the length of your membership. For more information check out soccershape.com or find them on Instagram @soccershape.

Leg day is every day at Glutehouse – Miami’s latest fitness destination. The brand-new micro gym concept located inside Society Fitness is focused entirely on training legs, not a bad idea for a city that loves posting “suns out, buns out” Instagram pics.

RELATED Perfect Your Perky Peach with 3 Glute Activation Exercises

The concept is simple really. Each week there are two different circuit-training workouts – A and B. Workout A is offered Monday – Wednesday, and Workout B is offered Thursday – Sunday. The idea is that guests and members go through each workout once.

Here’s where it gets interesting, the circuit is “always-on” for guests. The entire circuit is five stations, 50 minutes in length, with one person starting every ten minutes.

RELATED 3 Booty Building Exercises You’re Forgetting to Do

“It’s a supplemental program to what you already do - train at your gym, and come to Glutehouse for your lower-body training,” said Glutehouse founder, Adam Becker, who has been working on the concept for nearly two years.

Becker is also the Co-Owner of Society Fitness, a popular Brickell hotspot for HIIT training. The launch of “Glute Camp,” a lower-body focused class offered at Society Fitness since early 2019, is what inspired Becker to design an entire concept dedicated to training legs.

RELATED Mel G Shares 5 Booty Building Exercises You Can Do Anywhere

What makes Glutehouse even better is the affordable price point. Glutehouse fills a price void between group fitness and personal training, often too big of a leap for the average consumer. But that price point comes with a catch … sort of. The circuit is monitored and assisted by an on-floor trainer who can coach and answer questions, but the exercises are preloaded each week onto a proprietary app that members can watch ahead of time and come prepared. In short, less personal training, more affordability.

“The app demonstrates movements, reps, instructors, and what and how you should be feeling,” explains Becker. “The app becomes your ‘personal trainer’ and the floor coach guides you through your workout.”

RELATED The Secret on How To Set Your Glutes On Fire…Anytime, Anywhere

Glutehouse is currently in soft launch for $99/month, and expected to open with regular hours starting in September.

For more information, visit https://www.glute-house.com/.

54D expects to launch a second South Florida studio in the Miami Design District before year-end.

A boutique group fitness brand, 54D combines high-intensity group training, custom nutrition, and recovery therapy. Founded by former professional athlete Rodrigo Garduño, the system guarantees results to anyone who is willing to fully commit for the 9-week duration of the program.

Miami Fitness Brand Has International Success During COVID-19

In the meantime, their flagship location in Coral Gables at 4210 Ponce de Leon Blvd will be reopening on June 22.

The 54D family will welcome back members, staff, and newcomers with a “summer session” that will run between June 22 and Aug. 1, with classes at 6:15 a.m., 9:00 a.m., and 6:00 p.m. on a drop-in basis. 54D’s signature nine-weeklong training program will kick off August 10. 

All 54D studios have been retrofitted with industry-standard air purifiers and will operate under stringent safety and hygiene standards, as proposed by medical health experts, to ensure the wellbeing of members and staff.

Garduño kept the 54D movement alive despite the temporary closure of its brick-and-mortar locations during COVID-19 by hosting daily workouts via his social media channels, reaching hundreds of thousands of new people across the globe.

“I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to reimagine how 54D can reach our followers, even without the ability to offer our full signature program in our studios,” Garduño said. “I couldn’t be more excited to reunite with our members and staff, and grow the movement, on- and offline.” 

To learn more visit https://www.54days.com/.

The South Florida fitness scene is starting to open back up, and the results are … positive with a splash of hope. Before we dive in to the now, let’s set the table.

After 78 days of closure, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez announced on June 4th that gyms in the county could resume operations starting June 8th, while adhering to certain levels of guidelines and restrictions. That announcement came over a week after Broward gyms and fitness centers were given permission to resume business on May 26th.

Throughout quarantine, we heard firsthand from gym owners like Jessica Bergman of Downtown Strength and Conditioning, share stories of pivoting business models that resulted in success.

“We were thriving in this online environment although it wasn’t anything we ever thought about or even knew would be to do,” wrote Bergman in a May article here on STAY FIT 305. “We learned how to coach to remote athletes of every level, we learned about how to be better trainers, deliver cues, and “coach” people who weren’t physically next to us.”

RELATED 3 South Florida Gym Owners Share Life During the Quarantine

But as Gimenez spoke the words all gym owners were waiting to hear, a question popped into everyone’s mind – would guests and members return? Bergman and other owners knew changes needed to be made to accommodate the guidelines but to adapt to the behavior changes that were undoubtedly coming.

“First, we had decided to add classes almost every hour of the day,” said Bergman. “As soon as our morning class schedule went off successfully on Day 1, and the new program format worked, we realized this was going to be OK.”

That sentiment is shared amongst many gym owners and operators throughout Miami-Dade and Broward county.

“While legally we can only operate at half capacity, the love and support to get back into the studio have been 100%,” said Aurea Dempsey, Director of Marketing and Operations at SOL Yoga. “We had no idea how people would react and if they changed behaviors. Your living room is never going to replace human connection with others. Our new clients and returning members have been very patient – classes are selling out and selling out quickly.”

Patience is a common theme gym owners have noticed in their returning members and guests. In the current coronavirus climate, patience seems to be lacking, but not when it comes to the gym.

“Everyone has been kind, patient, and caring and it has made the class experience wonderful,” said Adam Becker, Co-Owner of Society Fitness in Brickell.

RELATED Kamps Fitness to Remain Closed Amid Gym Reopenings in Miami

Francine Acevedo-McCaughan, Owner of Code of Life on Key Biscayne shared similar thoughts, “We had to move the machines around in the studio in order to achieve six feet social distancing, and the clients actually really love it and say it looks even better than we had it before. Clients seem open-minded and amenable to all our new normal guidelines. Quite frankly, I think they are very appreciative that we are taking this seriously.”

So, as members and guests continue to make the decision best for them on whether to return to the gym or not, owners are remaining positive and hopeful.

“We hope to continue to see our gym and our industry recover and remember that even when the world outside our walls may be in a bit of a strange place; we are still the happy place for many of us,” said Bergman.

RELATED This Miami Gym Owner is Lobbying Congress to Include Fitness in a Coronavirus Bailout

National gym chain 24 Hour Fitness filed for bankruptcy on Monday and announced that it will be closing 100 gyms across the U.S., including several in South Florida.

CNN reported that the company stated in its Chapter 11 filing that it has secured $250 million in funding to help reopen some of its clubs, although 100 gyms in 14 states would be shuttered.

That leaves the company with about 300 clubs.

Below is a list of the 24 Hour Fitness locations that will be closed in South Florida:

Town & Country Sport
8400 Mills Drive, Miami.

Coconut Grove
2982 Grand Ave., Miami.

Miami Cutler Ridge Sport
20851 Dixie Drive Highway, Miami

Pembroke Pines Sport
8333 Pines Blvd., Pembroke Pines

Boynton Beach Super Sport
1775 N. Congress Ave., Boynton Beach

Clubs in Orlando and Greenacres will also be closed. All remaining clubs should be reopened by the end of the month.

"If it were not for Covid-19 and its devastating effects, we would not be filing for Chapter 11," CEO Tony Ueber said in a statement to CNN. "We expect to have substantial financing with a path to restructuring our balance sheet and operations to ensure a resilient future."

Ueber said the restructuring will also help the company reinvest in their existing clubs and assist them in “introducing several new innovative products and services."

24 Hour Fitness opened in 1985 and is a privately held company.

*This article was originally published on local10.com by Amanda Batchelor and can be found here.

Last week, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez signed Amendment 2 to Emergency Order 23-20, allowing gyms, fitness centers, and other activities to resume on June 8.

RELATED County Gives the Green Light for Miami-Dade Gyms to Reopen June 8

Now that we are here, what should you expect when you return to the gym? Let's take a look as some of the guidelines and restrictions that are in place for gyms and fitness centers operating in Miami-Dade county.

https://twitter.com/MayorGimenez/status/1269307794685116427?s=20

Note - these are just some, not all of the guidelines and restrictions in place. See the full list here (Page 88).

Building Occupancy and Access Requirements

• Monitor building occupancy and restrict customer access to no more than 50 percent of the building's indoor maximum occupancy.
• In no event may the combined indoor and outdoor operation exceed 100 percent of a building’s legally permitted occupancy.
• All individuals are required to wear facial coverings when entering and exiting facilities and within facilities except when conducting certain activities where it is not possible to wear facial coverings.
• Provide an exit from the facility separate from the entrance, when possible.

Facility Requirements

• Upgrade HVAC ventilation filters per OSHA and ASHRAE guidance, use MERV 13 or higher or HEPA filters, optimize ventilation system settings to maximize introduction of fresh outdoor air through the system while maintaining proper thermal comfort and maintaining humidity level between 40% to 60% for HVAC systems.
• Increase the circulation of outdoor air as much as possible. Open windows and doors where feasible to improve natural ventilation in the facility.
• Markers must be placed to indicate the appropriate distance between individuals who are exercising.
• Social distancing markers of 6 feet must be placed in front of the reception/membership desk and all other appropriate areas.
• Make readily available dispensers of a disinfectant included on the EPA List N: Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2 (https://www.epa.gov/pesticideregistration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2) and provide patrons with sufficient cleaning and disinfecting materials, including disposable wipes, at all entrances, exits and at various locations throughout the facility and by workout stations.
• Facility and personal hygiene signage, such as signs on how to stop the spread of COVID-19, including signs on properly washing hands, everyday protective measures, facial coverings, social distancing, and requirements for patrons to clean and disinfect equipment after use, must be conspicuously posted at all entrances, exits and at various locations throughout the facility, including bathroom facilities.
• Common-use amenities, including, but not limited to, saunas, steam rooms and locker rooms, showers (except pool showers), must remain closed at this time.
• Other common-use amenities, including, but not limited to, body lotions, deodorant, razors, shaving cream and mouth wash, must not be provided. However, facilities may provide patrons with single-use water bottles and other single-use amenities.
• Discontinue providing towels, heart monitors, personal fitness mats, blocks, bolsters, or similar equipment to customers.
• Patrons must bring their own personal-use items, including, but not limited to, towels, heart monitors, fitness mats, blocks, or similar equipment that may be required for exercise
• Shower facilities must be closed, except for showers at facilities with pools, but only for use prior to entering the pool.
• Doors to multi-stall restrooms should be able to be opened and closed without touching handles, if at all possible.
• Place trash can by the door if the door cannot be opened without touching the handle.
• If toilet lid is present, close lid before flushing; place signs indicating that toilet lids (if present) should be closed before flushing.
• Provide paper towels in restrooms and disconnect air dryers or tape them off.
• For single restrooms, provide signage and materials (paper towels and trash cans) for individuals to use without touching the handles, and consider providing a key so disinfection measures can be better controlled.
• Place signs asking members and employees to wash hands before and after using the restroom.

Christa Gurka has never been one to sit on the sidelines and react. Her entire career has been built on taking action, doing the right thing, and teaching others how they can apply her learnings. So as COVID-19 continues to decimate the economy, resulting in a 13.3% unemployment rate with over 20.1 million people unemployed, Gurka knew she needed to act. Not on behalf of her own interests as the owner of the wildly popular Pilates in the Grove, but on behalf of the entire fitness industry.

“We were very fortunate at Pilates in the Grove. Taking our offering online was already in the works as part of our 2020 goals,” said Gurka. “But I know other gyms in the area and across the country are not in the same position. We are small business owners that employ amazing people that impact the residents in the neighborhoods we serve. I had to do something.”

And something she did. Gurka is part of the $1 Million mastermind group within Boutique Fitness Solutions, an organization dedicated to helping boutique fitness studios thrive. After her appearance on a local Miami TV segment, Gurka’s group reached out asking if she would help work on legislation that Congress would consider turning into a bill in the House.

“Essentially, the bill was started to provide economic relief for restaurants, but it makes sense for the fitness industry as well,” explained Gurka. “At a very-high level, it would cover a percentage of the difference in losses between a studios 2020 revenues versus their 2019 revenues.”

Gurka and the lobbying group have a long road ahead of them, with little chance of success, but that’s not stopping her from trying.

“It’s the right thing to do,” commented Gurka. “The fitness industry has been completely overlooked in all of this, and we are an essential part of the communities we serve. We help define community. We bring residents together every day under our roofs. And something needs to be done to help keep these businesses alive.”

It started in early March, when a group of CrossFit box owners that dubbed themselves the “Stronger Together” group, created an alliance to share best practices and ideas during the crisis.

“At first it was just about a dozen or so CrossFit gyms that decided to put differences and competition aside, and figure out how to navigate this situation,” said Guido Trinidad, founder of the popular, Peak360 CrossFit in South Miami, and a leader in the South Florida CrossFit community.

RELATED Savvy Miami Gym Owners Are Finding Ways to Drive Revenue During Coronavirus, and Members are Loving It

Organized by Mike Osuna, founder of Train8Nine, and another individual responsible for ushering in the popularity of CrossFit in South Florida via the I Am CrossFit chain, the group quickly evolved into something more as the days and weeks passed.

“We started to meet every week and discuss how to manage reopening,” said Jessica Bergman, owner of Downtown Strength and Conditioning. “But we realized the fitness industry wasn’t being addressed in the reopening plans, it was being left behind.”

RELATED A Silver Lining in Fitness: A Miami Gym Owner’s Journey Through COVID-19

The group at this point had expanded beyond the CrossFit community to include gym owners of all modalities. Through contacts, the group was able to land two separate Zoom calls with Miami Mayor, Francis Suarez.

“Mayor Suarez was really open and transparent with us,” said Trinidad. “He hopped on two different Zoom calls with us really late at night to give us advice and insight into what was happening. He’s a big fitness enthusiast, and his advice was key to helping us move forward.”

Next came Governor Desantis’s announcement on May 15th, announcing gyms in Florida were allowed to reopen at the discretion of local municipalities. But the Stronger Together group, along with Miami-Dade gyms owners, were left wondering when it was their turn.

Realizing gyms could be left behind without action, the group, through another series of contacts, was able to get in contact with the office of Miami-Dade County Mayor, Carlos Gimenez. They learned a “working wellness” group was being formed to advise on the reopening of local gyms. On May 22nd, the group had its first call with Mayor Gimenez and addressed their concerns.

“We developed some guidelines and proposals for the county to consider to help expedite the discussion and decision making for when gyms can reopen,” said Omar Luna, City of Miami Springs Recreational Director and owner of Springs Athletics in Miami Springs. “We didn’t want to waste anytime.”

On their second call with the County, the group was told that June 8th should be the target reopening date, with Mayor Gimenez mentioning that during his May 29th Virtual Townhall.

“It’s time for gyms to open,” said Bergman. “They need to be given the chance to resume operations safely and responsibly with guidelines just like every other business in the area.”

RELATED 4 Ways COVID-19 Will Change the Fitness Industry

As gyms owners across the county expect to hear good news this week, one lesson can be learned – collaboration not competition is the key to long term survival and success in the new age of fitness.

In a Friday afternoon Virtual Townhall, Miami-Dade County Mayor, Carlos Gimenez, says June 8th is the "likely" date for gyms to reopen but stops short of making it official.

"Our wellness working group is finalizing those plans," said Gimenez. "We will be giving you good news on that soon. Our target date for partial openings is June 8th."

For clarification, the June 8th date is not official. It is the target date Gimenez and the wellness working group are targeting.

In his comments, Gimenez lists examples of potential fitness modalities that could be acceptable. But what is clear, Gimenez and the working wellness group are still finalizing what will and won't reopen.

You can watch his comments in the below video starting at the 8:41 mark.

https://twitter.com/MiamiDadeCounty/status/1266455485332353024?s=20

JUNE 4, 2020 - 10:48AM

Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez opened his Thursday morning press conference with the announcement that gyms can reopen on Monday June 8. Watch his comments starting at the 2:31 mark.

https://twitter.com/MiamiDadeCounty/status/1268535901623181314

JUNE 3, 2020 - 4:58PM

On Tuesday, March 17th, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez announced the closure of all county gyms. Now, after 78 days of closure, Miami-Dade gyms have been given the green light to open on Monday, June 8th, albeit cities within the county can decide to keep gyms closed longer, although that doesn't seem likely.

In a June 3 afternoon call, Gimenez confirmed the date with the "working wellness group" - a collection of fitness professionals who have been working with the county on reopening.

RELATED Behind the Scenes: The Miami Gym Owners Pushing the County to Reopen

The remarks and upcoming order allowing Miami-Dade gyms to open comes over a week after Broward gyms and fitness centers were given permission to resume business on May 26th.

Beginning today, commercial gyms, studios, and fitness centers may reopen in Broward County. Per the County's announcement, this includes dance, martial arts, yoga, spinning, and personal training studios.

Studios Plan New Standards of Safety for Reopenings

Commercial gyms and fitness facilities will have restrictions and safety guidelines in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19, which include:

• No more than 50% building occupancy permitted; gyms and fitness centers must monitor and restrict customer access once the occupancy limit is fulfilled. If possible, provide an exit from the facility separate from the entrance. Facilities are asked to consider offering senior hours.
• Social distancing markers should be placed in front of the reception desk and all other appropriate areas. Equipment stations must be appropriately distanced.  
• Patrons entering the facility must have their temperature checked. Any patron with a temperature above 100.1 degrees Fahrenheit or who appears to have flu-like or COVID-19 related symptoms must be denied entry. Employees are required to wear facial coverings and have their temperature checked prior to commencing work each day.
• Shower facilities, except at aquatic facilities for use before entering a pool, must remain closed.  
• Facilities must make readily available dispensers of a disinfectant and provide cleaning materials, such as disposable wipes. Patrons must sanitize each machine/equipment after each use.
• During daily operation, facilities must routinely clean and disinfect surfaces such as faucets, toilets, doorknobs, light switches, and all furniture/equipment that is in use.
• All seating, counters, weights, weight bars, mats, machines, and other fitness equipment must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected daily upon closing the facility.
• Restrooms must be sanitized no less frequently than hourly. Soap must be readily available for patrons.

Gyms and fitness centers are required to conspicuously post signs about how to stop the spread of COVID-19. In addition, facilities are recommended to open doors and windows for better ventilation when possible.

At this time, gyms in Miami-Dade County are still closed.

For many fitness professionals, the COVID-19 pandemic is the first real crisis they have faced in their careers. The economy has been on a tear since the 2008 housing crisis. The invention of Instagram has skyrocketed bottom lines for trainers and influencers. And the commercial real estate developing boom has ushered in a wave of new fitness concepts around the world.

COVID-19 introduced economic realities and uncertainties to the entrepreneurs and professionals that they have been forced to overcome. Some of the changes and band-aid solutions might slowly die, but there are a few that will inevitably change the fitness industry forever.

Here are 4 ways COVID-19 will change the fitness industry.

Virtual Now Has a Bigger Slice of the Pie

Prior to COVID-19, brands like Peloton and Mirror were causing major disruption in the fitness industry. Their engaging and community driven platforms were attracting consumers of all demographics, offering an at-home experience that couldn’t be ignored.

COVID-19 introduced nationwide stay-at-home orders, forcing consumers to embrace virtual alternatives to their brick and mortar experiences. That was the better part of eight or more weeks ago, depending where you live. By now, consumers have adopted new behaviors, patterns, and routines. When the doors finally open to their favorite gym, some consumers just won’t return. They have been lost for good.

Brands Will Need to Develop an Omnichannel Experience

Now, all hope is not lost for brick and mortar fitness. Savvy owners quickly pivoted during lockdown and whipped up digital offerings of their own, utilizing popular platforms like Zoom to deliver at-home experiences to their guests.

Now these solutions might have been intended as a short-term life raft, but make no mistake, consumers will have their eye on them in “The New Normal.” That’s why brands will need to develop omnichannel experiences to attract and retain members. In other words – find a way to deliver your product both in person and online, or risk going out of business.

Full-Service Studios Will Become More Desirable

Virtual fitness solutions can deliver on-demand options at the click of a button – boxing, yoga, spinning, bootcamp, and more. This endless menu falls in line with recent fitness trends – consumers like variety and don’t want to commit to one thing. Hello Classpass.

But what virtual fitness can’t do quite as well, is replicate the in-person experience. With cautious consumers worried about their health, and new safety measures being implemented by local governments, consumers might be wary about bouncing around from place to place.

That’s why facilities that provide a full menu of services will have an upper hand in this new normal. They can offer the variety consumers crave at a perceived or realized reduced risk.

Consumers Will Be Hyper-Aware of Sanitation Policies

What might have gone unnoticed simply eight weeks ago, will now be center stage, with no sign of changing. Consumers will want to know how their favorite gym, or any gym the intend to patron, is keeping the place clean.

How often is equipment being sanitized? Are there any social distancing policies in place? What about contactless payment? And how are you monitoring and enforcing all of these policies and behaviors?

The winners will have to be practical, yet creative. Welcoming, yet strict. And it will have to be consistent and visible to members, to give them peace of mind.

Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis made an announcement on Friday that allows gyms statewide to reopen as early as next Monday, May 18.

It is now up to local governments to determine when gyms will be allowed to reopen locally.

Gov. DeSantis hinted at reopening gyms during a press conference on Thursday.

"I think it's really important that people have access to gyms and to different exercise," DeSantis had said a day earlier. "You had certain guidelines that the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] put out, and they think that gyms were a problem, so that's why they were closed."

Allowing gyms to reopen is part of a "full Phase One" based on the progress that Florida has made in flattening the curve.

*RELATED Gyms Included in Phase One of the Country’s Reopening Plan

While the White House Phase One had included gyms, previously under Phase One of Florida's reopening plan, gyms and fitness centers throughout the state were closed, with the following exceptions:

• Gyms and fitness centers that are amenities of hotels which have a capacity of 10 people or less
• Gyms and fitness centers that are amenities of residential buildings
• Gyms inside fire or police stations
• Gyms inside any single-occupant office building

"We did an initial Phase One," said DeSantis. "We wanted to go safely, smartly, and we wanted to go step by step. I could have done this off the bat but I wanted to make sure we had a good footing."

Mindbody recently did a survey on workout trends during shelter-in-place for their in-app users. While we already know that many of our fitness habits changed dramatically with the coronavirus pandemic, there are some elements of the workout experience that haven't changed as much as one might think. Here are some of the details of the Mindbody survey:

Fitness routines before and during COVID-19

Though they’re no longer able to frequent their usual fitness studios and gyms, the majority of Mindbody app users said they’re still dedicated to their fitness routines. It turns out that, despite what’s likely a near-constant attire of stretchy pants, a quarter of people are working out more than they were before the pandemic (either more frequently or for longer durations of time).

Reasons for working out less

Forty-four percent say they’re exercising less than they were pre-pandemic. The top reason for not working out, unsurprisingly, was that their usual fitness locations were closed. Many also cited a lack of motivation and second to that, limited access to fitness equipment. It may be possible for fitness studios and gyms to address limited motivation with fitness challenges and live streams (which may hold people accountable). 

The living room is most popular room to work out in at home

Finding a space to work out at home in can be tough. The majority (61%) say they’ve worked out in their living rooms. Less popular in-home options were a bedroom (25%) or office (8%). A few even reported working out in their kitchens. Fifty-five percent say they've worked out outside at least once since the pandemic began.

Virtual workouts have exploded in popularity—and they’re here to stay

Last year, we saw a minority of Mindbody app users using pre-recorded videos (17%) or live streams (7%) to work out. During the pandemic, 70% are exercising with pre-recorded workout videos, and 75% are taking advantage of live stream video workouts. That’s a crazy high adoption of virtual! 

93% say they’re eager to get back to their former fitness routines as soon as they can

Many fitness businesses may have held off in investing in virtual in fear of cannibalizing their in-studio attendance. Despite many Mindbody app users enthusiastically moving to video workouts during this time, 50% say that if sheltering at home were to end today, they’d go right back to their previous routine, pre-social distancing. For about half, video is great for now, but they see it as purely temporary.

How do some of these Mindbody findings compare to your experience working out at home over these past couple months? Check out the full article here.

Hard Rock Stadium and the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC), a Division of ISSA, the worldwide cleaning industry association, today announced that the global sports and entertainment venue has committed to becoming the first public facility to receive GBAC STAR™ accreditation. This initiative will serve as the gold standard for facilities to implement cleaning, disinfection, and infectious disease prevention work practices to control risks associated with infectious agents.

“When our fans, players and staff are able to return to Hard Rock Stadium, we want them to have peace of mind that we’re doing everything we can to create the safest and healthiest environment possible,” said Miami Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium Vice Chairman and CEO Tom Garfinkel. “We didn’t want to create our own standard, we wanted to be accountable to the most credible third-party standard that exists. Working with GBAC ensures compliance with critical guidelines for the highest standard of cleanliness and it is our hope that other venues will follow suit as we navigate through these unprecedented times.”

In order to earn GBAC STAR™ accreditation, Hard Rock Stadium will complete 20 program elements with specific performance and guidance criteria. The program will enable Hard Rock Stadium to:

• Establish and maintain a cleaning, disinfection, and infectious disease prevention program to control and/or minimize risk associated with infectious agents such as SARS-CoV-2 (responsible for COVID-19 disease) for employees, customers, the community, and the environment.
• Provide assurance and establish confidence that proper cleaning, disinfection, and infectious disease prevention work practices are in place and implemented.
• Establish a framework for communication and raising awareness of best practices as they relate to cleaning, disinfection, and infectious disease prevention.

The GBAC STAR™ accreditation is part of an ongoing commitment by Garfinkel to make Hard Rock Stadium the leader in sustainability efforts with a focus on health and safety. Recently, he led the charge to phase out 99.4% (2.8 million) of fan facing single-use plastics in the food and beverage operation at Hard Rock Stadium starting with Super Bowl LIV.

For more information and to read the full press release click here.

The home-fitness cycling company Peloton Interactive Inc. said it set a record Wednesday, April 22 for the most people streaming a single live class, with 23,000 participants.

This participation record is not just company-wide, but also for "the largest live workout count of any class ever" according to Peloton. As everyone works out at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, this has been a huge opportunity for Peloton. The company now has more than 2 million subscribers worldwide.

The record-breaking class was led by Robin Arzón, Peloton's vice president and head instructor. Arzón broadcasted the 30-minute Pop Ride from her living room. This is the first time that a Peloton class was filmed outside of their studios in New York and London.

The company's previous record was 19,000 riders in its Turkey Burn class on Thanksgiving Day 2019.

Gyms are included in the list of businesses allowed to reopen as part of Phase One of the Trump Administration's guidelines.

Announced last week, this three-phase plan to reopen the country will vary state by state at governors' discretion. In Georgia, one of the first states to move to Phase One, both Planet Fitness and SoulCycle have already shared that they do not have a set date for reopening at this time even though they are technically allowed. Orangetheory Fitness, however, will be opening some franchised Georgia locations as soon as May 11.

Anthony Geisler, CEO and founder of Xponential Fitness, said he believes boutique fitness studios are safer to reopen than big gym franchises because they are often smaller spaces. Exponential Fitness manages eight boutique fitness chains including Row House, Pure Barre, and Club Pilates.

In the meantime, gyms owners continue to work to develop company-wide standards for cleaning and social distancing to keep members safe once they do reopen.

Updated Friday, April 24

Miami Beach City Manager Jimmy L. Morales announced Friday morning that Phase One of the reopening plan would require special guidelines, including no more than 10 people being allowed in gyms at a time. The date for reopening is still TBD. Phase One will not go into effect until the number of active COVID cases drops for a consecutive 14 days.

This afternoon Barry's Bootcamp CEO Joey Gonzalez announced that the company let go of their part-time employees.

While the company initially continued to pay all employees in full the first two weeks after the Red Rooms were mandated to close, and continued to pay full-time employees and instructors for the following two weeks, Barry's Bootcamp was no longer able to continue these commitments.

"Sadly, after this, we had to make the difficult decision to let go of our part-time employees," said Gonzalez. "We are so grateful to these people who have served you with a smile and given their time and energy to furthering the Barry's mission."

Gonzales also shared that he would be waiving 100% of his salary and that senior leadership were also waiving "a significant amount" of their pay.

This announcement follows similar ones made by Flywheel and Solidcore last month.

"Our goal has been, and always will be, to do the absolute best we can to take care of our family during this time, and ensure we can continue to pay our employees who are working hard behind the scenes to bring you Barry's At Home," said Gonzalez.

The Barry's Bootcamp studios here in South Florida are franchised locations and do not fall under this corporate announcement.

As if closing all non-essential businesses hadn’t already affected the fitness community, two of the big chains just took a major hit. Solidcore announced last Thursday that they laid off 98 percent of their workforce, and Flywheel made a similar announcement on Friday.

Solidcore's founder and CEO, Anne Mahlum shared that while laid-off employees would receive their final paycheck in full and that the brand will continue to pay for staff healthcare through the end of April, "making this decision is our only chance to be standing at the end of this."

Mahlum also shared that she has forgone 100 percent of her salary as well.

"No one wanted to make this decision, especially me, but the harsh reality is that our studios are closed and while we know that this is temporary, we do not know when we will be able to re-open them," said Mahlum.

Details on the layoffs were shared in an email to studio members as well as on social media. Solidcore had 137 full-time employees, 97 part-time employees, and 397 coaches before Thursday's announcement. They have been a company for 6 years now.

In a less public announcement about laying off 98 percent of their employees, Flywheel shared, "It is our greatest hope that this team will be able to carry the brand through the current crisis, find additional ways to support impacted employees, and be ready to welcome you to work out with us again."

Founded in 2009, Flywheel employed over 800 employees across 29 locations.