Post Lockdown Re-opening Details… (Probably one of the most important posts I ever wrote!)

As I sit here drinking my coffee – writing this blog post it’s 10.30am, Thursday 9th July 2020. IMPORTANT (5 minute read)

Later today, I expect the Prime Minister – Boris…. to commit to a date for gyms to re-open in some way…. And, I think that date will be in the not so distant future. Maybe days.

So, there are some key details. Please read carefully.

It goes without saying, COVID-19 has changed a lot… And I believe we aren’t through the worst of it.

I know many people who have already lost their jobs and had to give up their homes.

I’ve noticed an increase in people suffering with poor mental health.

And, in increase in poor health in general due to lockdown measures making it difficult to stay motivated to live a fit & healthy lifestyle while gyms have been inaccessible.

Countries and states which opened gyms up last month are beginning to close them again.

Gym inspections from governing bodies and local authorities have resulted in gyms being forced to close until they can follow ALL of the NEW regulations.

And the truth is…. It’s gonna be SHIT!

The social distancing. The hand washing. The cleaning machines before and after use. The prior booking of gym sessions. The time limited gym sessions. The mask wearing.

The complete removal of your ability and freedom to attend the gym on the day and time which you feel like – without prior booking days in advance.

However, while that all sounds CRAP….

Lockdown has obviously given me a lot of thinking time….. Or should I say….. “overthinking” time.

I’ve spent my days “overthinking” EVERYTHING until my brain could come up with the answers for what I’m goin’ to do. How I’m going to run things…. I could not switch off and rest until I had ALL the answers.

I believe I have those answers now 😀

I’m about to share them with you right now, below, so keep reading…. because it’s all extremely important for the future of your gym experience.

Failure to adhere and follow will result in me telling you not to bother coming back.

AND, it’s the information you need if you aren’t currently an active member looking to return…. OR to make a decision and decide if you want to become a new member.

The reality is, before March 2020 – I had over 300 members.

I’m capping membership at 150… for the foreseeable future. Probably the remainder of 2020.

I need to keep the gym less busy, it’s that simple.

2/3rds of the 300 members I did have…. have cancelled.

Information on how to take a membership will be available soon. This is not about how to sign up.

This post is about how the gym will operate – post lockdown.

Basically, I need to make it possible for everyone to access the gym at a time and a day which is convenient for them.

I need to be able to keep everything regularly maintained and clean after each use.

I need to create an environment where everyone can train as freely as possible, without restriction of movement around the gym.

And, finally, I need to allow people to complete their full workout while maintaining the social distance.

All those things would be almost impossible to do with the 300 members I had before.

A lot easier for me AND you if I only have half the amount of members.

With 300 members – I believe there was rarely any waiting for machines and never a time where you couldn’t get on anything at all. Maybe at peak time you had to adjust your workout order, slightly.

But trust me, that’s nothing compared to other gyms. The waiting. The queueing. The crowds. The sweat. The atmosphere. The heat….

So while I don’t think my gym was too busy in comparison….. It’s gonna be even less busier still…. when we return 😀

Further simple regulations will be sign posted around the gym.

I.e.. sanitizing before entry AND throughout your workout at the 4 new sanitizing stations.

If you are coughing and spluttering on do not attend…. And, if you do attend – we will have to ask you to leave and don’t re-attend for 14 days.

I have a simple booking system ready to go…. To book your gym sessions.

I have taped the gym off into sections and zones. If somebody is already in a clearly marked zone and you want to go there…. It’s tuff. One person too a zone.

I have taped off some cardio machines so the ones in use are 6ft to 9ft away from other people working out on other machines.

I’ve spent HUNDREDS on hand sanitizer, hand soap, hand towels.

And that’s pretty much it, to be honest.

Oh, and you need to wear a mask upon entry and throughout your session “where possible”.

1. Book your 45/60 minute session using the online booking system and turn up for it.
2. Upon entry, wearing your mask, sanitize at the entrance area sanitizing station.
3. Sign in, out in the lobby area in the stairwell… not at the desk anymore.
4. Follow the walk way. Showers AND changing areas are out of use, we’ve been told. So you’ll need to turn up ready to sign in and crack on.
5. Toilets are W/C’s anyway so automatically 1 in 1 out.
6. There are clearly marked areas, machines have been moved/spaced out. There are marked training “zones”.

6b. Unless you have formed a “bubble” with your training partner, or are from the same household….. It’s 1 person to each zone!

7. As horrible as this is, we have to ask you not to stand around talking in the gym and don’t partake in “small talk”. So, the social aspect of the gym is none existent for now 🙁

7b. It’s a case of come in, headphones in, crack on, 45 mins to 60 mins. Sign out and go. Serious gymming.

8. Finally, we kindly ask, where possible – to bring anti-bac wipes…. and wipe down everything you touch after use.

9. Sign out and we’ll see you next time:-(

Now, while all this may sound ridiculous to you…. It’s the governing bodies who have forced gyms to operate like this for now.

And it might seem a farce that’s not worth the hassle….

It’s not too bad…

You basically just have to come in, stay safe, stay clean and hygienic, remaining socially distanced (which will be easy with the new layout of the gym) wipe the gear you’ve touched, stick your headphones in, enjoy your workout, and sign out.

I believe all of that is easily possible and you will be able to enjoy your gym time, in likely the quietest gym in the area after I cap memberships at 150 compared to the 300 memberships I had before.

For those who think the online booking system is a pain in the arse. I can only apologise. The reason I need to do that is…… Manually booking my 30-40 1-1 sessions via phone and text every week is hard enough to keep up with.

Add 150+ gym members too that and my phone would literally never….. I mean, it never stops anyway… but…. I couldn’t cope.

The online booking system is sooooo easy. More about that in the coming days…. as well as further confirmation of dates, times, prices etc etc.