TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Florida is now under a full phase one of re-opening of its economy and gym rats couldn't be happier.
Athletes have a lot of rules they'll need to follow as they return to the gym.
In addition to social distancing and sanitizing, there's a strong encouragement to wear masks. Even with the changes, people are ready for the new norm.
Christopher Defreitas is thankful for an open gym and equipment to use.
"I'm really tired of resistance bands and staying inside, so I'm really glad Momentum is back," said Defreitas.
Cameron Covington is head of member services at Momentum Fitness in Tallahassee.
"You can only do so many push ups and air squats before you start to go crazy," Covington said.
He says safety measures at Momentum Fitness are being taken seriously to keep people healthy. Temperatures are taken at the door, liability waivers are required before entering, and they're emphasizing social distancing.
Covington says he understands why people may be nervous coming back.
"Hesitation is completely understandable for some people, especially those that are at high risk," said Covington. "There's always a chance you might contract it in some way, but we're trying to take all the precautions we can and actually go overboard."
Across town at Southwood Crossfit, athletes have been just as eager.
"I was doing push ups, pull ups and those things," said Thiago Szymansk. "But I really like lifting heavy so it's good to be back."
From sanitizing to separation, tape marks help keep members socially distant.
Class sizes have also been reduced to seven people.
"It's just a new normal we have to get used to and hopefully as we move forward things will taper off a little bit," said John Rothell, with Southwood Crossfit.
Szymanski says if it wasn't for all the steps being taken he probably wouldn't be back.
"Clearly we're doing a lot of measures to keep everybody safe and that makes me feel a lot better and at ease," said Szymanski.
Just like when restaurant dine in services reopened, not all gyms are following suit right away. Drip Drop Fitness is waiting until Wednesday to re-open in order to better prepare and see how things go.
