Chances are you have some pent up energy or maybe even some anxiety as Centre County transitions to the green phase of reopening on Friday. And maybe with all of that energy you’re feeling inspired to get back to the gym — or go for the first time.
The good news: there aren’t a shortage of fitness centers and workout programs in the region, nor instructors and owners who are taking all of the proper precautions to keep you safe not only as your work out, but from the potential of coming in contact with COVID-19.
And in the case of the YMCA of Centre County’s Moshannon Valley branch in Philipsburg, there a brand new gym to go with it.
“We’re excited to give people in the Philipsburg area access to a state-of-the-art facility, and we look forward to welcoming people back into each of our facilities this Friday,” said Scott Mitchell, YMCA of Centre County’s President and CEO.
The Moshannon Valley YMCA branch will re-open on Friday, May 29, unveiling long-awaited upgrades to the facility’s fitness equipment that was purchased in January but delayed due to the ongoing pandemic.
Each of the YMCA of Centre County’s locations will open on Friday, and like all gyms in the region, they will follow the state-ordered guidelines for reopening such as operating at only 50% occupancy as well as following CDC and health department guidelines.
In addition, everyone over the age of 3 will be required to wear a mask when entering Centre County YMCA buildings and in all common areas at the State College YMCA, although masks will not be required when performing strenuous exercise. The Y also asks that anyone who has felt unwell, has had a fever or come in contact without a potential COVID-19 patient in the past 14-days to remain at home. More guidelines can be found here.
Maybe you still want to stay at home, and that’s fine too, as plenty of gyms are continuing to offer virtual classes as well as individual instruction. It’s a trend that might continue past quarantine and into more normal everyday life, but really, nothing beats in-person training sessions and the teamwork that comes with doing it in a group.
“Virtual training is here to stay, and it should be,” said Ryan Burke, of One on One Fitness in State College. “It addresses many issues in a positive way. However, what most people experience virtually is completely generic. This is OK for some, young, healthy individuals, but not for most of us. The difference between a professionally designed, live, one-on-one virtual session and a live, generic workout for 20 people is monumental.”
So as gyms across the region open, it might be the best time to put down the laptop and pick up your gym shoes to finally get back into the swing of things. Of course, doing so means gyms and fitness centers will have to answer the call when it comes to patron safety.
“Our safety measures go far beyond the basic guidelines,” Burke added. “To start, we are limiting our occupancy to 20 clients in the facility at one time. The guideline calls for no more 50% of occupancy, which would be 71 for us. In addition, we purchased a professional grade electrostatic sprayer for daily disinfecting. These measures, along with many micro (daily cleaning/disinfecting) procedures could be enough, but we’ve decided to take a few additional steps.
“Essentially, we’ve re-designed our facility and changed our program offerings to ensure social distancing and limit equipment sharing. In fact, clients have options that allow them to have exclusive use of equipment while training at One on One. We have also upgraded our HVAC system with a UV/hydro-peroxide plasma system to treat airborne pathogens. Social distancing is the most important consideration and we will continue taking measures to ensure everyone is maintaining their space. Our facility looks great and we are excited for our clients to return to using it.”
At the end of the day the COVID-19 pandemic continues, and precautions will follow suit, but after a long period of staying at home and doing crunches on the bedroom floor, it’s finally safer to go out and see a few familiar faces, even if those faces are smiling at you from behind a mask.
“For our community to be stripped apart has been hard on us,” Burke said. “We are more than ready to get back to doing excellent work with our clients and inspiring them to live healthy and happy lives.”
