WATERLOO, Neb. (KMTV) — After a year when many have spent more time then maybe they would have liked at home, the arrival of 2021 might be the catalyst for them to begin getting a little more physical activity in their daily routine.
Lifestyle Fitness in Waterloo is preparing for a likely increase in gym members come January 1. They’ve had a bit of practice in dealing with COVID-19 this year and feel they’ve figured out how to keep their patrons safe while keeping them on track.
“There was a period of time that we closed down briefly, but then we came up with a certain set of protocols and put those in place to make sure with social distancing as well as just having a clean environment- making sure that the equipment’s clean, etc.- that type of thing," said owner Ken Bartholomew.
Since Waterloo is not under a mask mandate, the gym does not require facial coverings. But the owner says the staff is thorough in cleaning and they are able to space out when members are in the building, something that could present challenges at more populated gyms.
Still, there are those who may not be ready to head back into a physical gym just yet.
The instructors at Kennedy Fitness offer personal sessions both in person at gyms like Lifestyle Fitness and at their home gym. But they say this year, more than 50% of their business has moved to virtual sessions, a number they expect to grow in 2021.
“Initially in the spring when our gym closed, we were kind of forced into having to do that to maintain in sort of revenue," said co-owner Robert Kennedy. "And now it has become such a popular option that online training is here to stay.”
If you are planning on hopping back on the fitness wagon, it may be best to look into your options sooner rather than later since some gyms are still not operating at full capacity.
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