I’m going to give you some facts here today about gym closures and reported cases of Covid 19.
Let me say one thing first.
Gyms aren’t the problem with transmission.
Let me also says that I am not going to imply any personal opinions on what is, what is going on, or what should be done beyond gyms and fitness in general.
When the forced closures of businesses hit us in Massachusetts I decided to do something about it instead of sitting on my balls and whining. A few friends who owned a similar facility contacted me to see if I would like to be on board with doing something to get our businesses reopened.
Greg Robins, Tony Bonvecchio and Nancy Newell of the Strength House formed Open Mass Gyms with me and went to work on a campaign to get the Governor’s attention. At the same time Mike Boyle and Frank Nash formed their own group.
We both did this unbeknownst to each other.
I spoke with Mike about joining our group, he told me he had one and we decided to work together. We feel it worked because gyms opened sooner in Mass than they were scheduled to.
We believe it was at least partly due to our massive campaign of unending calls to the Governor’s office from our combined membership base.
This group then morphed into the Mass Independent Fitness Operators (MIFO) group. MIFO is for lack of a better description, a PAC. I was asked to be on the Board of Directors and accepted happily.
MIFO has been tirelessly working in the background to get our facilities a seat at the table with the state. A voice to be heard.
We have also been collecting data.
The most relevant data to our discussion today is in the graphic below.
The data we collected was from approximately 180 independently owned and operated small facilities (under 10,000 square feet, and not a chain) that consisted of Personal Training studios, small gyms like TPS, Yoga/Pilates studios and MMA gyms.
In about 4 1/2 months our affiliate gyms saw over 1.3 MILLION check ins.
We had a 45 cases of Covid 19 positive tests from 45 people.
That is .0000325% of the check ins.
.0000325%.
Now when looking at this data you have to take one thing into account.
The data does not say that the 45 cases of Covid were caught at the gym.
It simply says that 45 people tested positive. They could have caught it at the gym, at a big box store, at work, crossing the street, who knows.
What it does tell us is that GYMS AREN’T THE PROBLEM.
In fact, the data collected all over the world shows this.
Look it up.
We did.
If you look at the graphic below, you will see that TPS had almost 10,000 check ins during the same time period. We had ZERO cases reported.
And we also had members notify us they were exposed, that they isolated until their test came back and every one was negative.
Further, the data collected by all of the scientists shows that healthy people who exercise are at a much lower risk of contracting Covid.
As a matter of fact, one of the best things you can do to strengthen your immune system is to exercise on a regular basis and eat well.
This is what most of our members and clients do across the industry (small facilities, not the big boxes).
We are not the problem so why did the government keep shutting us down and insinuate they will do it again?
A reasonable and prudent person would think that they would be encouraging us to be fit and healthy. But I digress.
Not much has been mentioned by government officials about the impact on mental health on these closures (gyms and in general) but we know it isn’t a positive impact.
As a matter of fact, Governor Baker of Massachusetts stated yesterday (I’m paraphrasing) that we need to get kids back to school because the lockdowns have increased anxiety, suicide, depression and obesity in kids.
Really?
Shouldn’t that have been obvious from the start? I’ve been saying that all along.
You can extrapolate that statement and apply it to the population as whole. The data shows that too.
I personally have heard from dozens of members during the shutdown about the state of their mental health and its decline. I have a very good friend who was severely affected by losing the gym and all social interaction and is now in a rehab facility due to spiraling downwards and abusing alcohol.
What can we learn from this?
Well, I have learned that you must take action. You can’t sit around and hope someone else does it for you. I’ve known that my whole life, but this shutdown has really clarified it.
So I did something.
What can you do?
If you are a gym owner, find a group like MIFO in your state. They are popping up everywhere.
Join them.
There is strength in numbers. If you sit back and say nothing, the government will do as they please.
If you are concerned about your health, call your elected officials.
Don’t email.
They’re easily ignored.
Call.
They don’t like that.
Tell them your feelings on forced closures and gym closures. If you don’t agree, be nice.
No one listens to someone yelling at them, especially the government.
Be nice. State your case and thank them for their time.
It’s not much, but the squeaky wheel gets the grease.
And if your gym has Covid restrictions such as wearing a mask, follow them. We all know there is someone who is going to call the Board of Health and rat them out for not enforcing the requirements, even if they try their best.
I’m not saying to blindly listen to the government, I am saying that if you value the business that you go to, follow the restrictions for them so they don’t get fined or shut down.
It doesn’t matter what your politics or beliefs are. The mandates are in place and the Board of Health will enforce them.
Protect what is yours by following the rules even if you don’t agree. If you don’t, sure as shit your gym may face shut down.
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Vincere vel mori
C.J. Murphy
November 19, 2020
