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WORKOUT WEEKLY Chain reveals Covid-19 ready opening plans

TOTAL Fitness has released an extensive plan to transform the gym experience into a covid-19 safe space, and reopen once the Government advises it can.

The operator, which has clubs in the north of England and Wales, has drawn up plans to reopen as soon as it is safely possible, and has developed an extensive new policy to safeguard customers, which goes significantly further than the newly created industry wide guidance by ukactive, the health and fitness trade association.

As part of its extensive Covid-19 reopening plan, it will rethink the interior layout of its 17 health clubs, ensuring all machines and equipment are apportioned at least two metres apart to adhere to government guidelines.

They are currently testing and refining the layouts of two prototype clubs to create a blueprint for all of the others.

Sophie Lawler, CEO of Total Fitness, said: “The activity sector has long served in the fight against preventable disease and at no time in my recollection has this been more important than now.

“It’s been exceptionally encouraging to hear physical activity talked about so much since the start of the crisis – indeed we’ve talked about it more in the last seven weeks than we have in the last seven years.

“We applaud the people who have continued to exercise and those who have joined the active population more recently – this is simply brilliant.

“We know from our decades of experience as health club operators that exercising alone at home isn’t the full solution for achieving sustainable lifestyle change and that the vast majority of people need additional support – namely variety; visit commitment (a date with a destination) and; social connection.

“From the start of the closure the entire sector came together – very much in the spirit of the fitness community – to co-create a unilateral protocol for reopening safely on the other side.

“Facilitated by our sector representative body ukactive we have a robust set of guidelines for safe operations to which

we’re all committed.”

Meticulous hygiene is key to the club’s plan, and each gym will be subject to a rigorous cleaning schedule, to ensure that all equipment and touch points are cleaned after use.

Total Fitness also plans to overstaff its open-spaced areas to monitor social distancing and allow all members to exercise safely.

Increased staff numbers will provide members with additional support and also ensure cleaning procedures are carried out regularly.

It will also revise its class timetable, to

ensure there is a longer than required turnaround time between each class – this allows thorough cleaning procedures to be carried out.

Group exercise classes will not operate above 50 per cent capacity, to ensure social distancing measures are adhered to.

Total Fitness is also working on social distancing measures for its pool and also in the changing rooms to minimise the footfall and keep people moving.

However, squash and heat treatments rooms are to remain closed until it is safe for them to reopen.