HOUSTON – Several gym owners and Yoga studios in the Houston area have closed their doors to help mitigate the spread of coronavirus in the community.
The shutdown has left many looking for alternatives to get a workout.
Fitness gurus have had to get creative and find ways to serve their members while practicing social distancing.
“After watching the White House deliver their message with the new guidelines of having no more than 10 people, we decided immediately that it was our duty to go ahead and close,” said Sean Mata, owner of Covenant Gym.
Mata said the shutdown has caused some of his members to cancel their memberships. He said other gyms that are still open have also tried stealing away clients.
“If we don’t do the right thing, why are we going to expect someone else to do it? It’s important for us to lead by example," Mata said.
Mata is now offering members the ability to check out equipment. He’s also offering online nutritional advice, online workouts and personal training sessions.
"So they’re going to take a dumbbell, a kettlebell and a ball and you can do all kinds of different stuff,” said Mata.
YESyoga in Sugarland has decided to do the same.
They’ve spent the last couple days making videos to cater to their members’ needs.
"We use Zoom so you can log on have a meeting,” said YESyoga co-owner Erin Cummings. “We’re also using Facebook Live for a secured group.”
Cummings and her partner are also allowing teachers to keep working by making videos of their own and getting paid.
Mata said shutting down has been difficult but he believes it’s for the greater good. He said he hopes to see more gyms follow suit.