Gym Practices We Hope Will Stick Around After Restrictions are Lifted

Gyms are finally reopening post pandemic—can I get an amen? Although this is super exciting, many of us are having to adjust to new elements like redeveloping muscle strength and working out in a mask. I, for one, cannot wait for the day when gyms go back to mask-less workouts, but there are a few changes some of us hope will stick around gyms after coronavirus. Here’s our top list of gym practices we hope stay in place post-pandemic restrictions.

gyms after coronavirus

Gym practices we hope will stick around

Personally, I am enjoying the extra attention given to sanitation at my community gym. I honestly feel like gyms have never been this clean before and I am really enjoying the added element of cleanliness. I also interviewed a few people on what new gym practices they hope will remain post pandemic and there seems to be a resounding “yes” to virtual workouts.

Maggie Wolff, aSweatLife Ambassador says, “I have been enjoying all the virtual workouts, whether it’s a scheduled IG Live, a Zoom workout or a recorded video saved to IG or YouTube. The scheduling helped keep me accountable, but I also appreciate the flexibility or to be able to revisit my favorite workouts.”

Sarah Stanley, another aSweatLife Ambassador, seconds that sentiment.

“As someone who thrived on group classes pre-Covid, I am now thriving on live workouts and workout challenges. I miss interacting with people, but especially since I’ve been busy with work, it’s nice that I can ‘leave my office’ for my workout a couple minutes before it starts. It’s super efficient!”

Cleanliness and virtual workouts are just a few of the gym practices many of us hope will stick around as we move forward into a post pandemic world, but how sustainable are these changes?

What gyms may look like after coronavirus

Kelly Bryant, prenatal and postpartum yoga instructor and personal trainer of Kelly Bryant Wellness, has understood the benefit of virtual classes long before the pandemic started.

“I have been a proponent for [virtual classes] for a long time and was offering hybrid classes in my studio before the pandemic even happened,” Bryant explains.

And as for the the future of virtual workout classes, here’s what Bryant expects.

“In-person gyms thrive off of community and packed classes, which are just not going to be encouraged for a long time, given the pandemic. Overall, online studio options are a new reality that actually provides a personalized experience along with convenience.”

Despite many gyms and studios offering virtual classes, some gym owners have noticed benefits to in-studio workouts. Sergio Pedemonte, Certified Trainer and Owner of Your House Fitness, says their clients and trainers have both benefited from smaller class sizes.

“Smaller group sessions means more personalized attention given to each client, including individualized routines, which is only a good thing,” he points out.

But it’s not only class sizes gym owners are focused on, but sanitation procedures as well.

“Before [the pandemic], we often relied on members and personal trainers to disinfect equipment after personal use,” reveals Pedemonte. “However, it’s now necessary for gym staff ourselves to clean and disinfect machines and equipment on a schedule multiple times a day, which is just safer in general. This is our duty to keep folks as safe as possible.”

Gym owners are not only catering to the health and safety of their clients, but they are now taking this opportunity to eliminate elements that have always been an annoyance to them as studio owners.

For example, Jordan Miyagi of Spartafit says, “Do you know how hard it is to clean chalk off rubber mats?” He goes on to explain, “Members want to use them for the sake of hanging onto barbells, but communal chalk buckets spread germs and are a hygiene disaster. For us box owners, [this is] a good excuse to eliminate this and never allow it to come back again.”

When it comes to gym practices we hope will stick around after pandemic restrictions lift, many of us are on the same page with gym and studio owners. Pedemonte says it best, “We’re happy to do whatever we can for folks to feel comfortable coming back to our locations and getting back on track with their health, as well as protect our employees. It’s real people who matter most at the end of the day.”

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About Ashley Martens

Ashley Martens is a Wellness Writer based in Chicago, Illinois. With a lifelong passion for all things health and wellness, Ashley enjoys writing about topics to help people live happier and healthier lives. With a foundation in fitness, food, and nutrition, Ashley covers it all including sexual health and travel topics.