You’re already in sweats, why not get in a workout?

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/03/2020 (2361 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

On Tuesday afternoon, Johnny Fukumoto was waiting patiently in an empty gym for his internet provider to show up. The owner of Fukumoto Fitness in North Kildonan closed his studio on Sunday and has moved operations online for his more than 300 clients in the interest of public health — a situation that has required a lot of trust and a faster internet connection.

“Looking ahead five years down the road, whenever this is a distant memory that we would be proud of ourselves if we just pulled the plug and came up with another plan,” Fukumoto says of the decision to close amid calls for social distancing from public health authorities.

The gym offered its first virtual classes to clients on Monday and plans to run three workouts per day, as well as having online accountability check-ins with coaches, as long as the closure lasts.

“We’re going to use this opportunity to show them that just because they’re not here, we still care about them,” Fukumoto says.

The gym employs 10 staff instructors and will continue charging membership fees for online classes to keep revenue flowing. New members can sign up for $99 for 30-day access to the virtual schedule.

While the experiment will allow the fitness centre to maintain operations, Fukumoto is concerned about alienating older clients who may not be web-savvy, and training people he can’t physically see.

“We have no idea who’s on the other side and what their skill level is,” he says adding that for that reason online classes rely on body weight only, without equipment. “Our nightmare is that someone gets hurt trying to swing around something that we’ve been training (with) for 15 years.”

Several other local gyms are also finding ways to keep members active with the doors closed.

Amie Seier, owner of The Community Gym, closed her Main Street studio Monday and will be broadcasting free live classes on Facebook and Instagram beginning Wednesday.

“Everyone is in such a unique situation and I think it’s important to be supporting everybody that might need it,” she says. “If I can offer free classes to everybody, that’s the least I can do.”

As someone who works out daily, Seier is keenly aware of the mental and physical toll gym closures are likely to have on those with a regular routine.

“I’m personally scared; I don’t know what my body’s going to be like without physical activity,” she says, laughing. “It does so much for your brain and for your body — there’s so many happy hormones that go off when you get some cardio.”

The online classes will require minimal or no equipment and will be offered during the day for those self-isolating and in the evening for those who are still working away from home. The decision to stream the workouts live was made to preserve the essence of the gym’s group classes.

“The biggest, saddest part of all of this to me is that social isolation is already such a pandemic,” she said. “I completely understand, but that was the point of The Community, to get people together and moving their bodies.”

The gym employs 14 trainers and has been operating since May 2019. Seier isn’t sure yet how she’s going to navigate the financial impact of the closure.

“As a new business, month-to-month you’re just barely making it already,” she said. “I’m not a big studio that’s been in business for 10 years; I can’t pay my employees the way I would want to in a time like this.”

Wheelhouse Cycle Club, located on Sterling Lyon Parkway, launched a new program this week called Wheelhome. Clients can sign up to have a stationary bike and shoes delivered to their home for $135 for one month. The price also includes a daily live-streamed spin class, but there are only 25 bikes available to rent at the moment, so the program is on a first-come, first-served basis.

eva.wasney@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @evawasney