Looking back a couple months that have felt like a couple years to many, not too many of us gym/studio owners knew to what extent we were going to have to close our doors.
Initial thoughts of reducing class sizes and limiting the number of people that could be inside were immediately forgotten about when a shutdown was mandated in most of the United States.
Even then, looking back, I had no idea it was going to last this long. And as of today it continues.
I feel for our Team members whose opportunity to serve and connect with our members on a daily basis were quickly reduced to text messages and phone calls.
These daily interactions at the studio would fuel each of us as we got to share our passion of health and fitness and helping others. And like that..gone.
I feel for our members whose schedules and workout routines were thrown completely off track. The friendships and bonds they’d formed with others over the years all of a sudden weren’t there at the same place and same time anymore.
The “third place” that so many of us have established outside of our homes and work was in the snap of a finger, taken away.
So much change for all of us.
Despite all the suddenness and uncertainty still, I’m here to share, it’s going to be OK.
I’m proud of what so many studios like Funktional Fitness and Cycle Ave. and other gyms have done during the past couple months to continue to provide for their members.
The evolution of online training has been one of the silver linings from our current situation and it will continue to benefit the health of so many people, even after some form of normalcy returns.
In a short amount of time we went from posting workouts and hoping others were following along correctly (we had no way of knowing if they were or how their movements looked), to actually coaching our members and offering guidance on form, modifications, progressions, regressions, motivation, and encouragement all via zoom.
One Coach stands by the monitor giving guidance verbally with another Coach in the background performing the movements visually has dramatically increased the benefits, motivation, and adherence of online training.
So many of our members are actually working out even more than they did before we had to close our doors. The need to drive somewhere or get ready to go somewhere has been eliminated. And as long as there is internet access, you can get your workout in from the comfort of your own living room.
And it doesn’t matter where you live.
My Mom has done more FunkFit workouts in the last month than she has done in 12 years combined since she lives in another state. Childhood friends and college friends who live across the US have all hopped in our workouts, many of them getting to experience FunkFit for the first time.
The connection amongst every person during the live workouts is a differentiator too. Seeing familiar faces, meeting new people, sweating together, and all “breaking it down” at the end provide benefits for everyone that go far beyond just a workout.
There is a sense of normalcy. There is a gathering of positive energy.
We are all in this together and connection is key. Even if it is virtual.
While we all haven’t been able to be in the same place for our workouts, we’ve been in the same space.
It’s truly been amazing being a part of this online evolution with so many other like-minded fitness studios.
The networking and sharing of information, techniques, and practices amongst training studios around the world has allowed each of us to get better at what we do, with our members in mind. (We’ve been extremely grateful to be part of the Loud Rumor Members Only facebook group where we have met so many other studio owners with similar mindsets..Staying positive and making the most out of the situation!)
As I’ve referenced on several occasions, the best thing we can do during uncertain times is control the controllables. And I’m happy we’ve done that with our online training.
While you’ve been missing your gym, know that many of them out there have been improving their skills and sharpening their tools and making their businesses stronger all for your benefit.
And we do all this for one reason…
We Miss You Too!
Maximize your potential 