Community Chat

[Icegoddess]

My gym opened yesterday although they were allowed to open last Monday along with hairdressers, retail stores, dentists, etc.  I have now been to the ear doctor, the dentist, and now the gym.  I go to the YMCA and they chose to wait and open on the date that they had been planning for.  Here is MY gym's procedure:

You sign up online (or call) for an available session.  Each session is 75 minutes after which there is 15 minutes of cleaning.  Locker rooms, saunas, hot tubs, classes, and the basketball court are off limits except the pool can be used for laps only.  You can't drink from the water fountain.  They had taken out of service every other cardio machine.  There is a limit of 50 people for the fitness arean +4 for the walking track which is above the fitness area.  I ended up having to call to sign up since the online system kept trying to sign me up for the downtown Y and not my nearby one.  At that time I asked about using the track as part of my workout and since they had not thought of people wanting to combine their workout they just signed me up for both.  I chose the 7:30 am session.

I really don't think there were anywhere near 50 people there at that time of day and there was nobody on the walking track, so when I went up there I had it to myself.  Also, even though they spend 15 minutes between sessions cleaning, there were people also going around during the session cleaning machines.  All-in-all everything went well except that 75 minutes is not quite enough for my normal workout and I had to cut my running short by half.  

I was pleased that I had not lost any upper body strength.  I did, however, lose some flexibility, so stretching hurt, and I was happy to stop my running short (which I hate to do anyways).

There is another gym that had opened shortly before all the shut-downs and it is right next to my grocery store.  I noticed on Sunday afternoon when we stopped at the pizza place in front of it for lunch that it was covered over with cars.  I can't imagine that many people being able to do any amount of social distancing.  I'm glad that is not my gym, although hubby did try to get me to consider it when they opened because they were offering crazy deals.  

I did see the President/CEO of the YMCA on TV this morning talking to Dana Perino and he said they were doing some things that had not been mandated by the CDC, such as keeping pools closed for now.  

[willdob3]

@Icegoddess  Thank you for your detailed report. I’ve been wondering how gyms would manage things. It sounds like the Y is on top of things. It also sounds like you’re is a big one! The area with machines is pretty small.

Do they have a weight room as well? I wonder how they’d work that since people have totally different weight routines. 

[SXMGirl]

@Icegoddess  Our Y is scheduled to reopen on June 1, and I am wondering how they are going to manage it.  Yours seems to be much larger than ours and it seems that they have a good handle on how to manage.  Thankfully, my trainer there has been doing zoom workouts with those of us who usually train with her.  I am looking forward to getting back there, but I have no idea how that will go.  

[tucsongal]

Our Y has not yet announced when it will be reopening but they are working on it. I am doing classes online and hope they will continue to offer these after opening for those that don’t feel comfortable going back yet. I can’t even imagine trying to social distance in the workout area, which is not that large to begin with. 

I have been very impressed with them throughout this; they have continued to offer services for the community, including childcare for essential workers and providing meals. For that reason, I have continued to pay my membership(they offered to discontinue memberships, let you pay all or half which I thought was also a good thing to do). 

[Icegoddess]

@willdob3 I don't know how mine compares to other Y gyms, but the cardio equipment, weight machines, and the free weights are all in one big room which is consdered the fitness area, with a walking/running track encircling it from above.  

@SXMGirl My Y has been doing Facebook Live workouts.  Not sure if they had any other online classes or if personal trainers were doing anythng special. I just never work out at home, no good place to do it.   I know I heard a fella say he was teaching spin classes online since he had a spin machine at home.  He's not one of the Y instructors but normally teaches elsewhere.  He's kinda elderly, so maybe associated with the VA or something.  I heard him say he was doing 4 classes a week which was more than he ever taught "over there" wherever over there is.  I'm sure the lady he was talking to knew.  

[SXMGirl]

@Icegoddess  My Y is also doing virtual classes, but many of them are at 5:30 and 6:30 in the morning.  My trainer generally sends a workout every day for me.  Since I have been paying my fees every month, they have reduced them by 20 percent through next spring.

I have done some of the Silver Sneakers workouts, as well as Suzi Fevens' workouts.  She is a trainer our of Nova Scotia, and she does a variety of workouts during the week.

[FrostyBabe1]

My YMCA hasn't announced any re-opening plans yet. I suspect it will probably be July at the earliest before gyms in Michigan are allowed to re-open. They have sent several e-mails detailing all of the steps that they're taking, including FINALLY replacing the nasty carpet in the "full service" (extra charge, adults only) locker rooms. 

They've started a private Facebook group for members, with instructors and trainers leading classes of all kinds (except the pool classes, of course) at various times of the day. The videos are all archieved so that they can be done at any time that's convenient for members if the live class time doesn't work for some reason. 

We were given the option of suspending our memberships while they're closed, or continuing to pay the monthly fee. I opted to continue. They're providing much needed daycare for essential workers, meals for over 1000 needly families every day, and making lots of upgrades to enhance safety. That all takes money.

I will likely be one of those standing at the door, waiting to be let in when they do re-open. I've been training diligently at home, both on my own and using the Y videos, but it's just not the same. 

[Meowingkitty]

LA Fitness opened yesterday here in Arizona and the pools, sauna, hot tub are off limits but I did get an email that when the pool opens only every other lap will be open.  No word on water aerobics which is the only reason I go. I won't go until water aerobics opens.  I also go to a recreation center in my city and I went yesterday. They are open 6 hours, closed for 4, reopen for 5. It was pretty empty. About 12 people playing pickle ball downstairs. The walking track was only me and when I went to the machines it was just me and one other person. They had someone in a mask and a bottle of cleaner walking around. 

[shoekitty]

Sounds good to me.  I am very careful, and literally bunkered down and didn't leave home for 2 months, except for trip to ER.   I am missing my small gym.  I go to SnAP fairness, and it is mainly weights and machines.  The owner said he is planning on opening first week in June.  I am in California and the Santa Clara Valley.  Thanks to Governor Newsom , our stats re good.  I am 72 and really need t go back.  I am getting flabby, at 72 it doesn't take long.  I have weights and resistance bands at home....but I need Gym.  I am running to te pulley machine to fo arms and the rope puller

he keeps plac every clean, but I am going to call before a visit make sure te place only has a person or two max

[hckynut]

@Icegoddess  ⛸

Glad to hear you had a good experience at your gym. Sounds like they are doing their best to keep things as safe as possible for those that use that facility.

My home gym lacks nothing I need for cardio/strength or flexibilty. Only thing missing for me is 200'X 85' sheet of ice, and I have plenty of my favorites in music, and great super Surround Sound System.

Sounds like you didn't lose a lot over this period of time. 

hckynut 🏒