MID-HUDSON — Hudson Valley gym owners and managers expressed concern over the continued closure of gyms across the state, even as other businesses are reopening slowly.
Gyms and fitness centers were not a part of any of New York’s four phases of reopening businesses, as the state government cited a need to look into air filtration systems in gyms as well as in malls and movie theaters. Malls have since been given the go-ahead to open in all regions except New York City.
Both Dave Aisenstat of Crossfit 845 in Wappingers Falls and Dawn Scanga of Cold Spring Fitness believe that gyms should have reopened in Phase 1 of New York State’s reopening plan.
Aisentstat believes working out would be a way to potentially beat the virus.
“There’s no better way to get ahead of this thing by building your immune system up,” he said.
Scanga also attests to the wellness benefits that gyms provide.
“If you look at it, the benefits of what we offer: the stress relief, building up immunity, nutrition, sleeping habits, getting your mind right, you can’t substitute that,” she said.
Laura Leigh Abby of the Studio @ Beacon struggles to understand the science behind keeping gyms closed and believes that smaller spaces like hers should remain open, as there is more room to follow the CDC guidelines.
“We don’t have hundreds of people coming in and out of our studio every day,” she said. “Our classes are already small, and we’re going like we’re planning to make them even smaller. It just doesn’t feel like a very high-risk facility.”
All three gyms have offered virtual classes to their current members, but this has resulted in shortfalls for each.
Cold Spring Fitness has now lost 80 percent of its membership, according to Scanga.
“I am very fearful of where this is going to take us,” she said.
Aistenstat states that Crossfit 845 has lost tens of thousands of dollars in revenue since the lockdown in March, and the Studio @ Beacon is unable to pay off their loan with the virtual classes.
“We’re not paying our rent or paying our loan,” said Abby. “We started Zoom in April for our trainers who still wanted to be able to teach so we could offer them some payment too, but otherwise, it’s been a struggle.”
The struggle is highlighted by the fact that 3,000 gym owners across the state have sued Governor Andrew Cuomo in a class action lawsuit, arguing that their right to reopen was infringed upon.
“I do feel like we have been singled out,” said Scanga, who is not involved with the lawsuit. “They just kind of yanked the rug from underneath us.”
Despite these troubled times, Aisenstat believes that smaller gyms like his will make a comeback post-pandemic, as they foster a strong community.
“When [we’re] allowed to open up, you will see droves of people coming back,” he said. “You’re just going to find more and more people wanting to get back to seeing their family.”
