While doors are closed due to the coronavirus, local gyms still meet with members
Zoila Rivera was nervous.
After Vintage Faire Fit Body Boot Camp closed its doors on March 17 after Gov. Gavin Newsom urged gyms to close due to the coronavirus outbreak, Rivera, a member of the gym, was afraid of not being able to workout.
“In my fitness journey, I was overweight and now working out five days a week,” Rivera said. “I lost a lot of weight and I was thinking I am going to get it all back.”
In the 2 1/2 weeks since the Sisk Road business closed, Rivera has worked out “six or seven” days a week thanks to live virtual workouts created by VFFBBC owner Daniel Salas and head trainer, Caroline Jimenez.
“St. Patrick’s Day was the last day we were opened and had a themed workout,” said Salas, who opened the gym’s franchise in Jan. 2019. “We had workouts in the morning and then made the announcement that we wouldn’t have afternoon sessions.”
Jimenez said they had to quickly come up with ideas for how to “meet” with members and decided on having workouts through Facebook Live.
They are one of several gyms throughout the Modesto area that have had to think creatively and pivot to online sessions to comply with the governor’s order, maintain their business in some fashion and keep their members engaged, happy and fit.
“We have a live workout at 9:15 a.m. (Monday thru Friday) and then put it up on our YouTube channel,” Jimenez said. “Those workouts are always 30 minutes and then we put a workout up for Saturday that is 45 minutes to give them a little extra challenge.”
The workouts have been different each day and Jimenez leads them with Salas and other coaches in the background doing the exercises.
Some are using Zoom video
The company has also recently moved to using the “Zoom” app where members can get feedback during their workouts on if they are properly doing the exercises and ask questions.
Kerri Bell, a member of the gym since last August, said she has created her “gym” in her living room or bedroom. While it’s not the same as being in the actual gym, she said she has enjoyed the home workouts.
“I wake up in the morning do a little stretching to get ready to see them on TV,” Bell said. “It’s how I get my day started because if I don’t workout, I will be lazy.”
Rivera’s oldest daughter is a member of the gym, but her 12-year-old daughter has done a couple of workouts since she is home with school being closed.
“It’s keeping her active,” Rivera said. “She can’t complete all of it but gets up and works out with me.”
Salas said they get between 75 to 100 members a day on the workouts as members check in with selfies and #FBBCstrong on Facebook.
They have about 300 members and he said very few closed their accounts.
“The feedback has been really great and we know that online at home is not what our clients wanted to do but hey have been really loving it,” Jimenez said. “We make it very personal and shout them out.”
Rosa Arnold said the first week was challenging but coaches kept checking in to make sure she was doing OK. She has moved around things in her house to make workout spaces in her bedroom and garage.
“My struggle is when I am home I have a lot of things going on but I am doing the exercises as we would be doing in the gym,” Arnold said.
Other gyms in Modesto are also live-streaming workouts for its members.
Brett Butler, who is the founder of The Performance Lab in North Modesto, said TPL is doing live workouts twice a day and has sent members free meal plans. They also post body weight and weight room workouts daily.
Brenda Athletic Clubs post workouts on its Facebook page and Get Fit Modesto live streams its workouts and has posted previously recorded classes.
CrossFit ParaBellum in Turlock has loaned out its equipment to clients and also post daily workout videos online.
For one member of Vintage Faire Fit Body Boot Camp, while the workouts have helped her keep her intensity up, there are things about the gym she misses.
“I miss walking in there every morning and catching up and say ‘Hi,’ ” Carla Sorich said. “I never thought you would take a high-five for granted until you can’t take it anymore.”
