Austin Gyms Getting Set for Reopening
UPDATED 05/25/20 AT 10:22 A.M.
Here’s what you can expect from Austin gyms when Texas enters Phase 2 of reopening on Monday, May 18.
Please leave us a comment below if you would like to be added! #StayHealthy
To our HEAT family,
As all of you are aware, we made the preemptive decision on March 17th to close our South First location and freeze all memberships. As promised, we have been closely monitoring state and local recommendations for updates on COVID-19. On the recommendations of government officials, we have developed a tentative re-opening plan for the studio, contingent on the continued health and safety of the public.
May 18th - Begin personal training by appointment only
May 25th - Begin FREE week of outdoor bootcamps at the Carpenter Hotel
June 1st - Begin bootcamps at South First location with 20% capacity
Upon reopening, there will be significant changes to our class structure and safety protocols in order to facilitate a clean and safe environment for our valued customers and team members. We have partnered with local fitness businesses to set standards of best practice for our industry that go above and beyond recommendations in an attempt to give our community the confidence needed to reclaim their fitness. Below, you will find our detailed plan of action:
Class Capacity
We will begin operating at only 20% of our capacity, with classes capped at 10 individuals. This will give us the opportunity to practice even more extreme social distancing measures within our space.
Social Distancing
All campers will have a minimum 10 feet of floor space between them and their neighbors. This will be accomplished by providing each camper their own dedicated workout space for class.
Equipment Disinfection
All equipment will be disinfected immediately before and after each class, and each piece of equipment will only be used by ONE individual per class. Essentially, there will be no shared equipment during bootcamps. To facilitate this, we have also restructured our workouts to include only a limited amount of equipment that can be easily and effectively disinfected. Additionally, there will be hand sanitizing stations throughout the studio available for use.
Outdoor Workouts
In addition to our South First indoor location, we have partnered with the Carpenter Hotel to provide daily outdoor classes in their super-awesome event area (check it out below). After the initial free week (May 25th - May 31st), these will be included with your HEAT membership and, of course, socially distanced.
Cleaning Protocols
Surfaces and equipment will be disinfected before and after each class, as well as frequently throughout the course of each day. This includes cubbies, lockers, restrooms, door handles, and any other touch surface. In addition, we have always, and will continue to employ the use of a commercial grade UVC-based air and surface sanitizer that binds to and destroys carbon-based molecules including viruses and bacteria. We have also increased our studio deep clean frequency by double.
Restrooms
Restrooms will be open for use, but shower facilities will be closed.
Arrival/Departure
We have created a socially-distanced outdoor waiting area for before/after class. This will minimize traffic in the space and provide for a more comfortable arrival and departure from class.
Employee Safety
All coaches/trainers/support staff will have their temperature checked upon arrival and will be required to wear masks while in-studio.
Mask Use
All customers will be required to wear masks when entering and exiting the studio, and may only remove them when they have reached their dedicated workout space. We highly recommend wearing masks for the duration of your workout (we've been testing it out the last two weeks....it's actually not that bad!).
We know that many of you may still have some reservations about returning to your workouts and, as such, we welcome any and all recommendations you may have, so please feel free to send them our way! As we are reopening, we will be restarting all existing memberships and series on June 1st. However, if you are still not comfortable with group exercise, please let us know and we will make sure to keep your membership suspended. Also, for those that would be more comfortable working one-on-one with a trainer, please reach out as we may have some specials to get you sweating again!
Please know that we have worked tirelessly to make the studio safe for ALL of our HEAT family, customers and team members alike. We will continue to work tirelessly to make sure that you feel safe and supported as we try to return to *some* semblance of normalcy. We have missed you all dearly, and can't wait to see everyone again!
#KEEPthecurveflat
- Team HEAT
Hello Rō Fam!
We're excited to announce the reopening of our Tarrytown studio on Monday, May 18.
As you might expect, we've made some major changes with your health and safety in mind. Here's what we're doing to keep our clients and coaches safe:
We've lowered in-class capacity to 8 people.
Machines will be spaced at least 6 feet apart.
There will be plexiglass dividers to add a layer of protection between machines.
Time between classes will be increased to 30 minutes or more to allow additional time to clean and sanitize.
The studio will be cold upon entering, but the AC will not turn on during your class, nor will the floor fans be available to reduce air circulation.
All coaches will be wearing masks until they are seated and rowing, and we'll require that you do the same upon entering the studio.
No one may enter the studio before the 15-minute window prior to each class, as your coach will be ensuring the safety of the studio at that time.
And please... stay home if you don't feel well. We'll fix any problems if staying home conflicts with our cancellation policy.
Our Downtown studio requires a different process for reopening and we haven't quite gotten the green light just yet but we anticipate it to be soon. An update will be sent as soon as we have more information.
And for those who have machines at home, we'll continue to crank out awesome row-along videos, detailed workouts and recommended playlists through Rō2Go.
The reopening of Rō will certainly be a team effort. It will take all of us doing our individual part to maintain a safe environment in the studio. But I have been blown away by the team-oriented support we've received during this closure, and I trust that the same will be true for our reopening.
Thank you, as always, for your support.
Chelsea Moore, Cōfounder
Please read on for more information regarding membership suspensions and class package expiration solutions.
Pilates West
Reopening May 18, 2020
*Reduced class schedule as we transition
*Livestream and In-person classes will be offered
*Reduced class sizes at 3 people per class
*Classes will use minimal equipment and minimal adjustments (these will be set for you before class)
*Equipment is set at over 6 feet apart
*Reservations for classes taken in advance for Members and Class Pack Holders only (no Drop-Ins, Dynamic Pricing, or ClassPass at this time)
*Advanced registration = over 12 hours in order for instructors to plan class
*Cancellation policy: 12 hours before class time
Protocol
*Masks required upon entering and exiting the studio; Instructors will also wear masks. Removal of masks during class is at your discretion. Air cleaning systems will clean the air: 1 medical grade and 1 UV sanitation.
*Please sanitize hands upon entering and exiting the studio. The touchless hand sanitizer is located on the shelf at the front desk.
*Please bring minimal belongings into the studio: keys, cell phone, and water bottle. Keep them (including your shoes) with you by your machine.
*Once you enter the studio at 5-10 minutes before class, go over to your machine so as to keep physical distance.
*Cloth straps are covered by vinyl for easier cleaning.
*Per Governor Abbott: full fingered gloves must be worn. These are what Robin is trying this week: gloves
*New large wipes are installed on the wall for an easy pull and wipe on the equipment. Instructors will sanitize and disinfect after each class while wearing masks & disposable gloves.
Hey MADfam, after a lot of tough discussions and planning, we're tentatively setting our reopen date for June 1st. As much as we want to get back in to the gym, we feel May 18th is a bit too soon to ensure the health of our members and staff.
We want to let you know that we heard you in our recent member survey and we thank you for giving your honest feedback. It appears the majority of you feel that returning on May 18th is too soon as well. Furthermore, delaying our reopening to June 1st or later is supported by 95.74% of the 142 survey respondents, with some stating they wouldn't feel comfortable returning until July or beyond.
We know the internet is riddled with data, but here's two sources that we're monitoring to assist in our decisions:
In addition to our normal cleaning policies and nightly cleaning crew, starting June 1st we will be enacting the following Corona Virus procedures. We will be staying up to date on the latest developments and will update these procedures as needed.
Workout Gloves Covering Hands & Fingers are mandatory for all individuals by Texas State Guidelines. An example of such gloves can be found HERE. We will not have them for sale, and if you do not have gloves you will not be permitted to workout.
Masks are mandatory for all clients & staff and must be worn 100% of the time in our doors. No exceptions. If you do not have a mask, we will have masks for purchase $5ea.
Class sizes limited to 15 participants.
Contact-less Temperature Readings - We may be required take temperatures upon entry. Any individual with a temp of 100.4+ will not be permitted (including staff).
Contact-less check in - No iPad, we will manually check you in at the desk.
Class times will be at least 90mins apart to limit lobby congestion and to give ample time for staff to thoroughly disinfect all equipment. Please arrive no more than 10mins early to your class, and of course, be great, not late.
No Boxing Glove Rentals - Each individual will be required to own their own boxing gloves, including drop-ins, ClassPass'ers, 10 for $10'ers, etc. Our inventory of existing rental gloves can be purchased (not rented) for $7ea (while supplies last), and new gloves can be purchased for $25ea.
No Shower - In addition, please try to limit to one individual in the bathroom at a time to keep a 6 foot distance.
No Water Fountains - Bring your own water and bottles, or we will have water for purchase.
No Towel Services - We recommend bringing your own sweat towel.
Cleaning Per Station - We will have individual cleaning towels and disinfectant per station for your use.
Our members (you all!) have been incredibly supportive throughout this crisis, and we are beyond grateful for all who've continued to invest in the future of MADabolic Austin. We know who each and every one of you are. Thank you!
We are aware that Texas is allowing gyms to open on May 18th, yet we are opting to remain shuttered until at least June 1st. We will continue to offer our online workouts and continue to hold our Live Zoom classes until we reopen.
Your satisfaction with us is extremely important. If you need to have a discussion about your current membership, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. As much as we need all the support we can get in these times, by no means do we want anyone to feel gypped or taken advantage of.
Thank you again from all of us here at MAD.
#MADlove
Central Athlete
It's been a long 2 months away from our second home, so Central Athlete is very excited to announce that we’ll be reopening with normal hours on Monday, May 18th at 6:00am!
We don’t take this decision lightly and will be doing a lot to prepare for reopening and to make sure that we continue to keep everyone safe once we’re back together. The next steps are as follows:
1️⃣ On Sunday, May 17th, our disinfecting crew, @disinfxaustin, will be coming in to clean all of the returned equipment as well as the entire gym and everything that remained in it. They will continue their regularly scheduled testing and disinfecting of the facility as will our weekly cleaning crew.
2️⃣ We will be restocking our equipment cleaner spray bottles and ensuring we have an adequate amount of equipment cleaning wipes.
3️⃣ Coaches will be wiping down all equipment after each shift and clients are expected to clean their equipment after use as well.
4️⃣ There will be hand sanitizer at the entrance to the gym and everyone is encouraged to use it when you walk in the door.
5️⃣ Everyone will be required to sign up for their desired onsite coaching shift to ensure that we have less than 10 people in the gym at all times.
6️⃣ All clients are encouraged to maintain a safe distance from each other while training. The onsite coach will be managing the floor and ensuring people set up in a way that's conducive to social distancing.
7️⃣ As weather permits, we will be leaving the garage doors open to promote air flow and provide additional space for training.
We will continue to monitor and abide by the guidelines outlined by the State of Texas and provide updates if anything changes.
-- Hello again Rō Fam --
I'm excited to announce that we will open up our Downtown studio on Wednesday, May 20!
We're thankful for the ability to move our classes exclusively outdoor to our shaded balcony, for now. Here are the other changes we've made, with your health and safety in mind:
We've lowered in-class capacity to 6 people.
Machines will be spaced at least 6 feet apart.
Outdoor classes will be weather permitting and the schedule will be released every Sunday at 5p.
The indoor portion of the studio is closed. No one may enter the building until further notice.
The outdoor bathroom (next to Alta's) will be available for use, if needed.
Water bottles will be available for purchase but please bring a full water bottle!
Time between classes will be increased to 30 minutes or more to allow additional time to clean and sanitize.
We will not use floor fans. Prepare to sweat!
All coaches will be wearing masks until they are seated and rowing, and we'll require that you do the same upon entering the class space.
No one may enter the class area before the 15-minute window prior to each class, as your coach will be ensuring the safety of the studio at that time.
And please... stay home if you don't feel well. We'll fix any problems if staying home conflicts with our cancellation policy.
Ready to sign up? Watch your inbox for an email with our official Downtown schedule on Sunday evening at 5p.
We are excited to get back to it, safely. We're truly all in this together. Thank you, as always, for your support.
Chelsea Moore, Cōfounder
