Photography courtesy of Renah Jones.
Dragonfly
Dragonfly Fitness looks a little different since the start of the pandemic.
Across the St. Louis region, fitness aficionados are either braving their favorite gyms or opting to get that workout in at home. Recent research noted how easily the novel coronavirus could spread when people are working out in confined spaces. Gyms, fitness studios, and personal trainers are all weathering the storm in slightly different ways, but most seem to be doing everything they can to keep COVID-19 from spreading in their facilities.
For Dragonfly Fitness, a women-only gym that thrives on group training, changes were underway even before St. Louis City mandated its closure. Owner Renah Jones decided to close the studio even before required to, as she already was cutting class sizes, allotting more time for cleaning, and removing shared equipment (such as foam rollers and stretch bands) that could not be easily cleaned. As some concerned patrons began canceling their memberships while others clung to their weekly workout regimens, Jones made the tough call.
“We also had members for the last few days … [who] were so grateful because it seemed like everything was falling apart at that time and [Dragonfly] was a normal thing they were kind of hanging on to, so that made it a little harder to close,” Jones says. “But I think the constant changes were a signal that we just couldn’t go on like this. The responsible thing to do was to close.”
Like many other local fitness centers, Dragonfly and The Fitness Edge returned from the shutdown with a plethora of new protocols, many of which start as soon as patrons approach the building. Mike Jaudes, The Fitness Edge owner, says because the majority of the gym's clients come in for private training sessions, he and his team can more easily make sure guidelines are being followed from the moment clients arrive to the second they leave.
“My particular business model has really been almost designed for this issue we’re all experiencing right now, in the sense that we can escort a client from the entrance to exit and manage all aspects of cleanliness and of their safety,” Jaudes says. “We’re controlling each part of their visit here from the time they walk in until the time they leave.”
At the door, Fitness Edge clients are greeted with a temperature check, whereas Dragonfly Fitness members are asked to closely monitor their own health and stay home if they show symptoms or have been in environments where social distancing was not possible.
“One of the benefits of having a small group is our members get to know one another and they know us,” Jones says. “We all care about each other and want to do the right thing.”
Both Dragonfly and The Fitness Edge have made changes to their cleaning processes. For example, Fitness Edge trainers are using individual towels per client to disinfect equipment, meaning that towel is used to disinfect equipment before and after each client uses it. At Dragonfly, and Jones’s adjoining kettlebell studio, Black Dog Fitness, members are asked to dedicate a pair of shoes to be worn in the studio only to prevent tracking in outside germs and shared equipment is no longer being used.
Photography courtesy of Renah Jones.
Dragonfly
At Dragonfly, each member has their own taped off space, dubbed a "party box," when working out at the studio. This helps make social distancing possible.
For Dragonfly, some of the biggest changes come out of the need for social distancing. Class sizes are now capped at eight or nine, opposed to the pre-pandemic norm of 12–16, and each member is designated their own taped off space, affectionately deemed a “party box” to stay within during class. Each box is steamed between users.
“Everybody has their own eight-by-eight box, and each box is six feet or more from the next box,” Jones explains. “We wanted to make sure everybody has plenty of space and that we also keep people really organized, so everybody feels comfortable and not that awkwardness of somebody else being in their space or them being in somebody else’s space.”
Fortunately for Jaudes, social distancing is a natural part of The Fitness Edge experience. With an extensive 12,000-square-foot indoor space and an extensive outdoor space, social distancing could be realized even if all 25 trainers were to meet with clients at the same time. On a rare occasion where The Fitness Edge is asked to do group training, groups are limited to three to six people and meet in the outdoor space.
“The numbers in which we could have within the building are considerably higher than what we would ever have, even at normal times,” Jaudes says.
While St. Louis City released a mandate in early July stating those exercising in public facilities must wear a mask when working out, St. Louis County leaves the option up to the individual. Even though The Fitness Edge is located in Creve Coeur, Jaudes and his team work with customers who prefer to be in an environment where everyone is wearing masks at all times by sectioning off specific mask-only sections.
“If they prefer that everyone around them is in a mask, and that is including other customers, then we segment an area for them to work out,” Jaudes explains. “So, we have an area that is designated for masks only, and when this customer walks in, they can work out in a mask, the trainer will be in a mask, and everyone else within range of that area is also in a mask.”
For those who prefer not to go out at all amid Missouri’s rising cases, both Dragonfly and The Fitness Edge are offering virtual experiences. Those choosing to do “small group virtual” with Jones and her team join in-person classes via webcam. The virtual attendees were loaned a dumbbell to use at home. Due to not having access to all the equipment in the studio, such as kettlebells, the virtual workouts look a tad bit different than what the women are doing in-studio, but many exercises are still similar.
“They’re still able to get coaching, be a part of the group, and continue on with their fitness goals,” Jones says. “They’re just doing what feels best for them right now.”
Some The Fitness Edge clients grew quite comfortable with the virtual training offered during the closure of the building, and are still continuing working out at home via virtual instruction. Jaudes says the FaceTime and Zoom training has provided some unexpected benefits, such as being able to keep clients who are now states away.
For both Jaudes and Jones, hearing patrons thank them for taking any and all measures to make them feel safe has been especially rewarding. Jaudes says his clients in the medical field and senior clients being comfortable enough to visit in-person has shown him The Fitness Edge is taking all the right steps.
“We have a ton of physicians who are clients here,” Jaudes says. “These are people that are going into the hospitals and are on the front lines. They feel comfortable coming in to see us. That makes us feel good: They can confidently come here and know we’re going to be doing everything we can to keep them safe as well.”
For more information on Dragonfly Fitness—including “Weekend Warrior,” Dragonfly’s new, socially-distanced hybrid membership—or The Fitness Edge, visit their websites.
