NEWS

“With the closure we took everything we offer and moved it virtually. We have four classes a day for members, we also offer nutrition, group check-ins, special events like this Sunday’s virtual brunch. We also offer individualized training for our members.”

BillyDe La Rosa says they’ve gone to streaming free classes online for everyone, but they’ve also taken it one step further. “What we've also done is we allowed our members one at a time to come by and pick up the equipment, so they can take it home, no charge to them. They just come pick it, sign it out and once we come back up they'll bring all the equipment back,” De La Rosa said.

With the arrival of COVID-19, many services across the globe have closed to prevent the spread of the disease. In the United States, only essential services are currently allowed to remain open; however, public gyms are not considered as such. While in quarantine, both students and teachers are finding ways to stay active at home.

Garry “Matt” Rice, a pre-med student at OSU Mansfield, worked out five times a week at a local gym called Crossfit Katana; that is, before they closed their doors Monday evening, per Governor Mike DeWine’s announcement that the Ohio Department of Health will indefinitely close all fitness centers and gyms. Although Rice has stayed home since the closure of most businesses, schools and gyms, he has found a way to maintain his physically active lifestyle. “I have a small home gym setup that I have been using along with the bodyweight home workouts programmed by Crossfit Katana,” Rice said. “I have also taken my dog on walks around my neighborhood.”

With the closing of gyms across Michigan many people lost an important social connection. As well as the physical and health benefits of working out to stay in shape. We have reported on the Crossfit community many times and the unique way they interact with each other. The support center of the Crossfit gym is equal in importance as the impact of the workouts on member’s health.

Cody Ringle, owner of Coldwater CrossFit-Fortitude Strength and Conditioning, joined to discuss the plight of small businesses like his during this coronavirus pandemic

"Obstacles are just a part of life. So they're inevitable. They're always going to come up. And it's that mindset approaching it, getting over it. And then once you get over it, lots of growth comes from that. So it's just time to get creative and grow. And sometimes growing doesn't mean more. It means doing the same thing with less."

Derby City CrossFit in Louisville is helping its members stay healthy and fit at home with remote coaching during this time of self-quarantine. It’s also looking out for the community with a campaign it launched called Caring is Contagious. “You know there’s no time like this in our history, and we kind of got to rise above,” said co-owner Slater Coe.

People are constantly adapting their daily routine due to the COVID-19 outbreak, but what if that routine usually includes getting a workout in? The closure of Momentum CrossFit 715 has led to co-owner Jim Breuer coming up with new ways to reach his 230-member gym. Momentum is providing its members with a creative way to keep working on their fitness goals by giving them online coaching. “Our biggest competition in the fitness realm is us against the couch and a bag of potato chips,” Breuer said.

As we continue to make life adjustments due to the coronavirus, the fitness world is doing the same. Bridgeport’s Raw Grit CrossFit is joining many across the fitness community in conducting virtual workouts for its members. Co-owner Kristen Summers intends to hold at least three workouts a day via Zoom, a video conferencing application. She wants to encourage members to keep staying fit despite the trying times. “We want to keep them moving and active,” she said. “We don’t want them to go into a slump because this happened. We are still encouraging the regular routine; lay your gym clothes out at night, workout at the same time, still eat real food, all that good stuff.”

Katrantzos joined a CrossFit box—CrossFit Unleashed—near his home in Astoria, Queens. At first, he couldn’t tell if the “WODs”—workouts of the day—were getting him anywhere, but he kept at it. In the Fall of 2019, his trainer, Ant Lucic, posted a few new photos, and Katrantzos was struck by the dramatic difference from nearly a year prior. Since going on keto and taking up CrossFit, Katrantzos lost about 50 pounds. “I definitely feel stronger, I have more overall energy, and I feel clearer mentally,” he says. For people just starting out, he advises, “You need to see the whole process as a lifestyle adjustment. There’s nothing short term about it, it’s hard work and you need to commit.”

Matt Dowie is 27 years old. For him, CrossFit is more than just a workout. "It's my kind of release from MS, also in another sense treatment against MS. Exercise is incredibly important to those with MS."