BOZEMAN — The coronavirus has had an impact on everyone, from schools to businesses to even your local gym. With gyms shutting down across Montana, what are they doing to make sure customers are keeping up with their physical fitness?
“A lot of people that put a lot of time into the gym, it’s a really big bummer having to take a week or two off, but it’s not like you’re going to lose everything, but you might lose a little bit of strength and whatnot," said Fuel Fitness personal trainer Chase Hoyer.
Fitness centers and personal trainers are having to get creative in helping their clients stay active. They are making home workouts, online group fitness classes and more.
“I've been offering home workouts," said Erin Kempt, who is a Fuel Fitness personal trainer. "I either write them for people to do themselves at home, or I’m happy to go to their house or have them come to my house and do workouts for them. I’ve also been offering social distancing workouts outside.”
There are plenty of ways to keep up with your health goals while quarantined, such as eating right and staying active.
“Stay as active as you can, in times like this it might be a little bit tougher, but as long as you can get something in, something is always better than nothing," Hoyer said.
But it's not always a bad thing to take some time off from lifting weights and hopping on machines.
“People are probably benefiting from it, their bodies could probably use a break," Kempt said. "Then they can start back up from where they left.”
On the bright side, gyms will be cleaner than ever when customers return.
"Hopefully this will kind of instill in people they should be wiping things down a little more often than not,” said Hoyer. "If you’re looking to stay active and not lose that hard-earned muscle, sporting goods stores are getting increased shipments of home fitness equipment."
"The only foot traffic that’s really coming in are people looking for weights and exercise machines. We have everything -- dumbbells, Olympic plates, barbells, treadmills, ellipticals," said Play It Again Sports employee John Acheson. "Everything they can come in and grab that will keep them safe and healthy at home.”
