BRENHAM GYMS, FITNESS STUDIOS MARK SUCCESSFUL FIRST WEEK OF REOPENING

  

Today (Friday) marked the return of limited operations for businesses like bars and bowling alleys in Texas, but it also brought to an end the opening week for several Brenham fitness facilities.

Monday, gyms and exercise studios like Brenham Fitness Center, Anytime Fitness, and Simply Wright Fitness were allowed to reopen their doors at 25 percent capacity while keeping in line with state health regulations.  Those include keeping showers and locker rooms closed, disinfecting equipment after each use, keeping six feet distance between clients, and making sure they wear gloves while working out.

Brenham Fitness Center owner Jim Baker said the response so far has been excellent, with clients eager to get back into a regular fitness routine.

 

Baker said during the shutdown, the Brenham Fitness Center location on Prairie Lea Street kept its nutrition counter open to customers.  He said, if this shutdown has had any silver lining, it provided staff the opportunity to really deep clean the center’s facilities.  He said equipment disinfectant procedures have been in place since before the shutdown, and an increased number of sanitation stations have been made available to clients.  He added that most gyms operate regularly at around 25 percent capacity, so a possible jump to 50 percent would almost be like not having any restrictions at all.

For Tatyana Carr, owner of Anytime Fitness, the added cleaning procedures mandated by the state have not made much of a difference, as she said she has always placed a focus on keeping the fitness center clean.  She also said that, since the facility is open 24 hours a day, clients can come in whenever they want, greatly reducing the issue of having to keep an eye on maximum capacity.

Simply Wright Fitness co-owner Josh Wright said it has been a long two months since the shutdown, and clients have been excited to be back.  He said virtual workouts were the name of the game while the studio was closed, and will remain available for those who are still unsure about meeting in person.  He said the studio has implemented guidelines in accordance with Governor Greg Abbott’s recent orders, making sure clients wash their hands, use full-finger gloves, and wipe down equipment regularly.  If and when the state raises capacity for gyms, he believes his facility will keep those health policies around in order to reduce the worries of clients and maintain a clean space for them.

 

The end of this month will bring with it another slate of reopenings across the state, including the return of youth summer camps and some professional sports without spectators.