Tips for Opening Your Gym Post Quarantine

As gyms across the world are opening, gym owners in the United States are preparing to open theirs as well. We already know gyms will look different upon re-opening, and many gyms are already trying to develop a plan to open their doors to their patrons safely. 

Whether you are a gym owner, or a member of a gym we’ve put together some helpful tips on how to make your gym safer for your employees and members, and on how to use the gym safely.

Health & Safety Tips for Gym Owners and Managers

Here are some recommendations on how to open your gym, based on the health and safety guidelines provided to businesses by the CDC:

• Whenever possible maintain physical distancing
• Provide employees with masks and require them to wear them at all times
• Provide alcohol based hand sanitizer at all work stations and in bathrooms
• Install hand sanitizing stations throughout the building
• Operate your facility at a reduced staff and member capacity
• Limit areas where people are allowed to congregate.
• Have employees keep their own writing utensils if possible, and wipe down shared objects like phones or computers between each use and shift change.
• Create sanitizing protocols and review them with your staff
• Create protocols for properly sanitizing gym equipment between each use and ensure your members are aware of them. Have employees enforce these protocols.
• Provide easy access to materials for sanitizing equipment between uses which should include disinfectant wipes, spray cleaner, and paper towels. 
• Consider creating a screening process for employees when they arrive for their shift which includes monitoring for the presence of a fever.
• Ensure that waiting areas, lobbies, and break rooms allow for social distancing and are sanitized regularly. 
• If possible, implement contactless check-ins for members and online bookings for classes.
• Limit class sizes to allow for social distancing.
• Consider creating a senior hour to allow members over the age of 65 to utilize the gym at a reduced capacity.
• If possible arrange cardio equipment to allow for social distancing, or temporarily reduce the number of machines allowed to be in use simultaneously. 
• Consider implementing time limits on machines to make up for having fewer machines available to members. 
• Shorten your gym’s hours to allow employees more time at night to sanitize the building.
• Require lockers be cleaned out each night to allow for the locker room to be fully sanitized daily. 
• If you have a pool or sauna on premises require guests to bring their own towels. 

It’s also a good idea to compile a list of frequently touched surfaces and objects that should be regularly cleaned and sanitized. In your gym this may include:

• Check in desks
• Sales desks
• Door handles and doorknobs
• Light switches
• Countertops
• Phones
• Keyboards
• Toilets
• Faucets and sinks
• Hand sanitizing stations
• Paper towel dispensers
• Equipment racks
• Sauna controls
• Lockers

Health & Safety Tips for Those Returning to the Gym

For those who belong to a gym, you may want to consider the following safety protocols to benefit your own personal well-being while using the gym:

• Stay at least 6 feet away from other patrons whenever possible.
• Avoid the gym completely if you are feeling ill or are considered high-risk.
• Refrain from touching your eyes, nose, or mouth at all times while inside.
• Use hand sanitizer often especially after touching doors or equipment.
• Clean equipment thoroughly before and after use.
• Shower immediately upon returning home from the gym.
• Launder your gym clothing immediately in hot water.

If you’re unsure of whether your gym is taking measures to ensure the safety and well-being of their members, don’t be afraid to ask what new protocols they have implemented to give you peace of mind while you are working out.