Photo courtesy of The FIRM
Workout Class at The FIRM
This could be us again soon—so soon!
From the beginning of the pandemic to now has been quite the rollercoaster ride. The first big drop: gyms’ 10-week closure in the spring, then open at 25 percent through the summer, then close, now open for individual workouts, and open for group classes (still 25 percent) in the new year. Hopefully this stomach-turning ride is coming to a smooth-sailing end—and soon.
After Gov. Walz closed gyms again on November 21st, our local sweat spots switched to all virtual offerings for the second time since the pandemic took hold in March. The November 21st executive order closing gyms, restaurants, bars, entertainment, and event venues was set to expire at 11:59 p.m. Friday (December 18th)—and it, in fact, will.
The new guidelines stipulate that gyms are allowed to open for individual workouts at 25 percent capacity with a 100-person max on Saturday. Good news for our local gyms sweating out thoughts of another prolonged closure. But cyclers and yogis ready to flood studios again will have to wait until after the holidays. Monday, January 4th is the current date set for group fitness classes to resume.
So, not the go-ahead for group fitness we were hoping for quite yet, but also not an extension of the current closures and a tiny glimmer of light in the new year. We’re allowed to be happy about this.
There are a few caveats, though: masks are required for the duration of your workout or class, not just to and from your mat like the days of yore (June through mid-November). And gym-goers must be 12 feet apart (!!) during a workout instead of the minimum six previously required. Plenty more space for spreading your limbs though, which in some ways is better than, say, accidentally whacking your neighbor in a packed studio.
For many in the fitness industry, this means opening their doors this weekend and through the end of the year for open gym-style workouts. The FIRM will have prescribed workouts available for those who sign up for open gym, open cycle, and open CrossFit hours this weekend. Think of these like individual workouts created by TF experts—a middle ground between group fitness and sweating totally solo. ALTR’s North Loop studio will have a similar model: follow the workout of the day or create your own routine during open gym sessions. Reservations online require ALTR-ers to choose a ski erg, rower, or assault bike when snagging their spot.
With the second closure in November, Life Time CEO Bahram Akradi pushed for reopening gyms, proposing new mitigation measures like masking at all times—despite Life Time having three of the top five spreader gyms in the state. But Akradi prevailed in the fight for fitness to be considered essential to our mental health and physical resiliency.
“We appreciate this step forward in recognition of the vital role health and fitness facilities play in helping thousands of Minnesotans maintain their physical and mental health, which is especially important at this time,” Life Time said in a statement on the reopen announcement. “Good health helps to reduce COVID risks, and so having safe spaces to exercise as winter approaches is an essential part of the solution to this crisis.”
Let’s address the "spreader gyms" for a moment. Life Time locations rank in the top three, four, and five spots on the gym outbreaks list (thank you, Star Tribune for compiling this handy reference). Coming in first with about 80 cases is the U of M Minneapolis. Second is Fitness for $10 in Mankato. Moving down the list, we see a common thread: Mankato, Mankato, Winona State University, U of M Duluth, Rochester, and North Branch. What do these gym locations all have in common? Seven of the 10 listed are in college towns or on university campuses. The exception is the three Life Time locations, St. Louis Park, Fridley, and Lakeville, which are not near major colleges or universities.
The good news for the fitness industry: As long as case counts continue to fall from their Everest peak in late November, we should be all clear to jump back into classes in the New Year. And—looking on the bright side—at least the governor didn’t make us go outside for group fitness in the subzero tundra of MN January like the bars and restaurateurs who will serve their hot toddies, burgers, and brews to parka-clad locals on patios until at least January 11th.
In his explanation of the new measures on Wednesday afternoon, Walz called the slow reopening “bridging” the gap to the vaccine’s arrival and implementation. He also continued his comparison of COVID-19 to a long, dark winter. We know a thing or two about those here in the Bold North and, while we complain about them given the opportunity, there is something resembling camaraderie that comes out of icy/slushy/snow-mounded roads and pitch-black evenings.
Much like how daylight grows after December 21st, Walz says we can anticipate a (slowly) brightening new year in pandemic terms as well. With widespread vaccination efforts on the horizon, we can expect Stay Safe MN restrictions to lift in the coming year—ever so slowly, but still lifting. Hallelujah.
So, onward and upward as individual workouts reopen this weekend and group classes resume on January 4th. Who else is ready to put 2020 behind us? 2021, don’t let us down.
