A gym in California has reopened with individual pods for clients to use so they can maintain social distancing while working out.
South Bay Fitness in Redondo Beach, USA, has installed nine pods in its gym that are six feet wide and about 10 feet tall and come complete with dumbbells and a bench.
The pods took three days to install and are made from shower curtains and pipes.
The gym has also implemented basic measures to monitor the health of its clients, such as taking people’s temperatures before they enter and ensuring there is sufficient hand sanitiser everywhere for people to use.
The installation of the pods means that only nine people can exercise in the gym at any one time, which is about half its usual capacity.
Those who want to visit the gym must make an appointment ahead of time to ensure that it does not go over capacity.
Meanwhile, personal trainers are required to wear face coverings and clients are expected to wipe down their pods with wipes and hand sanitiser after using them.
The gym’s saunas and steam rooms have been closed for the time being.
Gyms have been closed in the state of California since March but guidelines have now been released to help them reopen while maintaining social distancing.
Writing on Instagram, the gym’s owner, Peet Sapsin, explained that they will continue hosting exercises over Zoom for clients who want to work out in tandem.
“Reopening our gym @inspiresouthbay is not an easy task,” he wrote in a caption below an image of himself outside one of the workout pods.
“But we are prepared to increase the safety for all of our members against Covid-19.”
Sapsin continued: “We will also continue to host Zoom classes until we have a vaccination.
“This effort is to accommodate our members who prefer to stay at home but still get a good workout if they are not ready to come back in person.”
In the UK, gyms have been closed since the start of lockdown in March.
The government has not yet given an indication as to when gyms might reopen.
