Small gyms trying to stay afloat following new restrictions
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CROMWELL, CT (WFSB) — Small gyms across the state are trying to stay afloat after recent capacity changes.
“You wake up each morning, and some days you just wake up and want to give up, but you keep going and you just hope at the end of this you’re still in the community,” Julie Crasnick, Owner of Energy Zone Fitness said.
She says they have been staying afloat since gyms reopened in June – but the rollback to 25 percent capacity has made operating difficult.
“Twenty-five percent- it’s almost as if you’re being shut down again,” she said.
The gym has rented out equipment to members for live-streamed classes.
Livestreamed classes are a solution gym owner Jonathan Davis has adopted as well, in addition to giving out his equipment for free to members to use at home.
He says it’s one of the ways his two-year-old gym has been able to succeed during this rough patch
“Seeing as how we had to pivot to Livestream, the challenge here is how do we keep providing energy? How do we let people know this place is alive, the energy is here, the magic is here?”
But some gyms have not been able to keep their doors open.
The small group facility Fearless Fitness has closed two of five gyms during the pandemic.
Co-owner of the Glastonbury location Greg Hammons says because of the capacity limit – they can’t sign as many people up.
“That has really restricted us from being able to grow or get some kind of profits in here so we can do more than pay the landlord and keep the lights on,” Hammons said Monday.
Many gym owners we spoke with say they’re hoping the state provides some type of relief in the form of grants – instead of loans.
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