FITNESS AND WELLNESS Sunday, January 24, 2021 | azdailysun.com | SECTION K
SVEA CONRAD
Longtime FAC employee Michelle Wesson greets guests and takes their temperature as they arrive for their workout.
40 YEARS
STRONG Flagstaff Athletic Club carries on throughout pandemic with safety in mind
E ditor’s note: A version of this article was published in the 2020 Best of Flagstaff winners magazine Dec. 6. SVEA CONRAD
W Special to the Sun
hen Carla Caslin first began working at Flagstaff Athletic Club, she was a freshfaced college student on track toward a parks and recreation management degree with a minor in health promotion. “I thought, ‘I’ll do my internship and I’ll be on my merry little way,’” she said with a laugh. Now 28 years later, Caslin is the general manager of FAC, helping owners Holly and Jim Garretson con-
tinue the local gym’s nearly 42-year legacy in Flagstaff. The world looks a lot different than it did when the west side FAC opened in 1979; it doesn’t much resemble the world of 1984, when the east side location welcomed its first customers in 1984, either. With COVID-19, FAC has undergone major changes in daily operations, all with the health of its patrons front and center. “When we first got shut down in March, we used that as an opportunity to thoroughly deep clean the clubs— we’re talking paper clips and base boards,” Caslin said. “We started top to bottom so when we were able to open back up in May we were able to adhere to, or exceed, the local, state and health department and CDC guidelines.” Being in the business of health, she
added, keeping people safe and well remains the top priority. Temperature checks are required of everyone who walks through FAC’s doors, as are masks and the cleaning of gym equipment prior to and after a workout. The air in the facility is also constantly being turned over using several coolers that pull in fresh outside air while expelling old inside air. FAC also added staff to both gyms whose sole focus is to wipe down all surfaces and equipment. Both locations also close two hours earlier to allow deep cleaning of the facility before the beginning of the next day. Another change has been to offer several exercise classes outside. A recent Body Combat class following an early November snowstorm saw more than 20 people in FAC’s parking lot at
MIND AND BODY MACKENZIE CHASE
Arizona Daily Sun
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Like many businesses in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in Flagstaff, Summit Health and Fitness temporarily closed down while it made adjustments to cleaning and social distancing practices. When its members returned, it was to a number of new rules, but the health facility is dedicated to maintaining a comfortable experience to benefit multiple aspects of the community’s wellbeing. “We’re pretty much doing everything we can to keep people safe, keep people active,” owner Brian Schmitz said. “Everybody talks about the things we can do to defend against the coronavirus but
not many people are talking about the health benefits of remaining physically active.” Whether someone is returning to a workout routine or brand new to exercise classes, Summit is there to guide them through. “I think the big thing for [people new to exercise] is determining what they’re comfortable with,” Schmitz said. “It doesn’t matter what you do, really as long as you move and that’s the beautiful thing, whatever their body can tolerate.” As a physical therapist by trade, Schmitz approaches health from a number of perspectives, noting that no work out or diet is onesize-fits-all. He, along with the
rest of staff—made up of health, wellness and fitness specialists— makes sure exercise is accessible to everyone. “If pain inhibits someone from doing treadmill walking, maybe incumbent biking is a better low impact workout for them,” he said. “We can help adjust for their own individual needs. The key for health and what we’re really focused on is getting at least 180 minutes of physical activity per week.” With reduced capacity due to the pandemic, the team at Summit is working harder than ever than ensure community members reach their fitness goals while remaining conscious of distancing and sanitizing.
a frigid 37 degrees Fahrenheit working out joyfully, energies high. “We’re just trying be super creative and think outside of the box,” Caslin said. The community-centered nature of FAC, something that has kept many of its original members coming back for 42 years, has persisted throughout the pandemic—though it might look a little different, Caslin said, it has held strong. “I think that FAC is a community in and of itself and we really strive to make sure we get to know our members and that we’re exceeding expectations while they are here,” she said. “One of our core values is, ‘The only constant is change,’ so we are always Please see ATHLETIC CLUB, Page K3
Summit Health and Fitness emphasizes benefits of staying active “We’re really fortunate in the sense that we’ve got 24,000 square feet, so we’re able to distance people more than other clubs,” Schmitz said. “We’ve removed quite a bit of equipment to efficiently and effectively space things out.” The facility’s open layout also directs one-way foot traffic to help members avoid close contact with each other. Masks are required to be worn by everyone in the building at all times, and a temperature check is done before someone can enter the building.. Hand washing and sanitizing stations set up throughout the building encourage everyone to wash their hands before and after using the facilities, and single-use toiletries have
been removed from the locker rooms, which are cleaned with a COVID-specific protocol each night. Another change has been the introduction of online workout classes. Although membership overall has been down throughout the pandemic, Schmitz noted there have been some people who haven’t set foot in the gym since March but have maintained their membership in order to utilize the variety of online Zoom classes being offered. “They still feel there’s a value to the online classes and for that were very, very appreciative,” he said. Please see SUMMIT, Page K3