NewHavenBIZ

20 n e w h a v e n B I Z | J a n u a r y 2 0 2 1 | n e w h a v e n b i z . c o m F O C U S : H e a l t h C a r e I t has not been an easy year for compa- nies in the business of keeping people fit and healthy. In fact, by the end of the third quarter of 2020, 15 percent of U.S. gyms, health clubs and studios had permanently closed amid the COVID-19 pandemic, ac- Gyms adapt to help people stay fit in the age of COVID-19 By Melissa Nicefaro cording to the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA). e start of a New Year is typically a busy time for gyms as people make New Year's resolutions — a popular one, of course, is to shed pounds. However, New Haven area gyms still face months of uncertainty as the pandemic rages on and vaccine distribution is still in its early stages. Health clubs have adopted virtual classes and enhanced safety mea- sures, taken to the outdoors, or provided other alternatives to in-person exercise to stay afloat and keep members engaged. Gov. Ned Lamont ordered gyms to close in March, then allowed them to reopen in June at 50 percent capacity (25 percent capacity for fitness classes). at created a need for quick thinking. MActivity co-owner Burch Valldejuli relied on her professional background with the Yale School of Public Health to keep her gym members and staff safe. e New Ha- ven facility on Nicoll Street is five years old and has a new HVAC system with increased airflow. Safety protocols have also been put into place but they haven't been enough to bring back a majority of members. "People were very fearful. We hemor- rhaged — we've lost three-quarters of our membership. We went from 1,800 members to 750," Valldejuli says. A Paycheck Pro- tection Program loan helped get the gym through to a mid-June reopening, but it's only seeing about 150 members visit daily. "What is interesting is that our elderly members have stayed. ey know that if they don't exercise, they'll get sick. e group that we have lost is those who are working and with children. Kids are at home doing online school, you're at home doing online work and there's just no time," she says. In addition to the gym, mActivity has a conference room, wine bar and museum gallery. In March, to subsidize income, she began offering virtual classes with the gym's instructors and access to on-demand fitness provider WellBeats, including meditation and nutrition services. "is is the wave of the industry now. Virtual platforms are what's holding the industry up," she says. "My prayer is that as more people get the vaccine, consumer confidence will increase," Valldejuli said. "We have not had a single COVID case at the gym. We'll just keep taking it one day at a time." No replacement Paul Milano runs Resilient Training Lab, a personal training group that operates within North Haven's Revolution Fitness Club, located on Washington Avenue. When gyms were closed, he began to host free virtual seminars to educate viewers on nutrition, fitness and strength training. He created an app with habit-building programs to help clients reach their goals. He also launched a blog and podcast and hired two additional coaches. When gyms reopened in June, the trainers switched to a semi-private/hybrid/remote model. Groups of three to five members come in for a half- hour workout. "at way we can manage traffic a little bit better and we can keep everyone on a personalized program based on their goals, training history and injury history," he says. As one group warms up and gets started on their workout, the next group comes in and follows suit, rotating through the gym " My prayer is that as more people get the vaccine, consumer confidence will increase." MActivity co-owner Burch Valldejuli Members at the The Edge Fitness Clubs must wear masks to exercise inside the gym. PHOTOS | CONTRIBUTED

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