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Welcome Back!!!
by Jason
2020-07-23
I am sure like me you are getting excited in the anticipation for Kin3tic’s reopening on the 25th of July. A lot has changed since you last used Kin3tic Performance and I want to use this email to go through how the COVID-19 situation affects Kin3tic Performance.
First of all, I cannot wait to see you back in there, it has been a long 4 months without the gym and whilst home training is possible, It is extremely limiting – but these limits can now go away and we can all get back into the place we know and love.
Obviously, we have to respect guidelines for reopening to make Kin3tic as safe as is possible to make sure it stays open. Social distancing guidelines for gyms have been recommended and advised and my main aim is to make Kin3tic as accessible as possible whilst being the safest gym in Lincolnshire to be a member of so below are answers to the current common questions regards Kin3tic and useage.
Am I going to end up Queueing to get into the gym?
1000% no. The advantage to Kin3tic is that we always have been a limited member gym, with only 270 memberships. Compared to commercial gyms of similar size who have 1000s of members, there is going to be no struggling to get into Kin3tic.
To aid this, I will operate a booking system for slots, which will evolve and grow as we go through the first few weeks, where I will be constantly monitoring the numbers to optimise and give you all as many hours in the gym as you need.
Initially, you will all be given 6 – 1 hour slots to book, these can be tagged together or used at different times. You will get access to the booking system on a Friday evening at 7pm for the following Monday-Sunday. These can be edited changed up to 4 hours before in case you are running late or need to change times. I will be looking to expand this further after the first few weeks, but I am of the ethos that I would rather give more, than take away.
Slots will be bookable on the hour, every hour. The reason for this is so we can ensure we have a group in and a group out for maximal safety. Whilst this means times might just need to change a little for your training, what it does ensure is that in the event of an outbreak then we can isolate a specific group and avoid being closed down.
You may not enter the building until your slot time starts and you must leave by the end of your booking, please do not run over as I’m sure you won’t as you all no doubt respect your fellow members.
If you have a PT – YOU must book the hour out, the trainers are not responsible for booking your times, so make sure you know which slots you are meant to be in.
Please make sure your password and username work and you can get access into the website BEFORE bookings go Live, or choose to reset your password if needed.
What safety measures are in place?
This is THE one thing I am most sure of. I have done every single thing I can do to minimise risk of infection, spread or contagion.
I’ve installed screens around the CV kit that has been left downstairs. The bikes and rowers are now up in the spin studio, all well over 2m apart and facing different directions. Spin bikes are initially on loan to members on a Sunday-Sunday basis and the spin classes that are in the website will remain in there, we are looking at doing live home spins soon too!
There are 5 sanitiser stations in Kin3tic, which all have contactless gel, blue roll feeder and anti-bac spray. There are also 4 portable steam cleaners which can be used when the gym is manned to speed up cleaning of equipment that you have used. Remember it is your responsibility to clean all touch points after finishing using EACH piece of equipment.
Near all doors and upstairs near the lockers, there are also manual sanitiser gel stations as well as a discreet walled station on the outside near the fingerprint reader.
I’ve also installed a contactless water fountain which is has motion sensor to refill shakers and bottles.
I have also had reusable masks made for each of you. These are made from NVA and Anti-bac fabric. There is one free to each member, which MUST be used during weight-lifting sets ONLY. During rest periods and cardio, they can be removed.
The aim of this is to stop saliva being spat out -which we ALL do during lifting – and reduce the risk of infection. I have done my research on these and trialled 5 different types and the ones we have are light and very breathable. Wearing a mask DOES NOT affect oxygen supply in any way, there are plenty of videos on YouTube flying about at the moment proving this – and again they are only worn DURING a lift, not in rest, not on cv (you have screens).
My main goal with all of the above is to keep the risk as low as is possible. All the measures do that, and I have gone to great personal expense to make sure Kin3tic is setting a standard in this.
How many people can be in the gym at once?
Guidelines state 1 person per useable 100sq ft. Kin3tics “useable” floor space (not total building size – I am not bending rules and using total building size like some gyms are trying to get away with) This equates to 37 people being allowed in at any one time.
With Kin3tics member base limited to 270, this isn’t going to be an issue at any time of the day, We have NEVER had more than 20-22 people in at once, even at busy periods.
Can I Train with a friend?
If you are in a social bubble with someone you train with this is acceptable in Kin3tic, however you need to make me personally aware of this. Anyone found abusing this will have their membership terminated as you are creating further risk to Kin3tic which will not be tolerated.
What about the showers?
Advice on this is hazy at best and unclear currently. Many gyms are opting not to open their changing rooms. However, at Kin3tic we have private individual shower rooms. If allowed, my intention is to open the showers, however each member MUST wipe down all touch points, and also spend no longer than 5minutes with the shower on itself to avoid an overload of moisture which obviously increases risk. The showers all have individual extractors and are not linked so from that aspect they are safe unlike communal changing rooms however a moisture build up in the shower is not what we want to happen which is why I’m imposing the 5-minute limit on the shower running and being considerate by not running the shower above 37degrees – all of which have digital displays.
This will be a final day decision by the looks of the advice – and it also requires you to work with me on policy on this and not stretch boundaries or IF allowed to open them I will have to close them. Also remember this is within your gym allocated time. Please note any single abuse of this will result in me closing the showers down, as you are going against the policy of Kin3tic.
What are your thoughts and advice on gyms and the situation?
I’ve been asked this a lot lately. My train of thought is it is vital that we all do our part to do what we can to reduce risk and transmission, so I feel all the safety measures that I’ve placed into Kin3tic focus on that intent. Do I personally like having to impose these measures? Not all of them, but safety is priority and I believe in adapting to a situation, rather than trying to find loopholes or ways around advice and rules, something I hold in high regard.
Anything I can do which lowers risk I have tried to do, and I wholeheartedly believe that everything that I am putting in place no one can argue that the measures do NOT lower risk…they all do and that is the main aim of all of this which in turn gives you all confidence to train in there.
If you can, train outside peak hours as this will just mean you will get your workout done faster as more equipment will be free. Remember during lockdown there are now 8 sets of bands in the gym, so super-setting might be done best with these or using bodyweight exercises, as remember if you leave a piece of equipment you need to clean touch points every time you walk away from it incase someone else jumps on it whilst you move away, so doing these alternate exercises might help. If you use a PT it might be best to get in touch with them now to alter your programs in advance so you can hit the ground running.
Things will be a little different but if you are all behind me on this then it all counts to getting the situation back to normal as soon as we can get there as a whole.
I am incredibly passionate about what I do – it is not just a job to me I love the industry I love helping people feel fitter, healthier and stronger and watching how it positively affects them as a person and I cannot wait to see you all back in there but for us to open and be setting the standard I need you all to help me by doing what you all did before we closed which was cleaning down your equipment and respecting fellow members.
We have run a test group and feedback was positive with a few bits of constructive feedback which will be implemented and was a vital tool in knowing what I have done to prepare has been done for the good of everyone who comes into Kin3tic.
Whilst in Lockdown, I have added a slogan strap line to Kin3tic
“Fitness is not a destination…
It is your journey for life”
Which is most poignant right now. The changes are just part of your fitness journey – adapt and be positive towards them and accept the new normal for now as you continue down your path, don’t use it as an excuse or reason to stop driving forwards.
The team and I are always on hand for advice, and we will carry on using the closed facebook group that we have – if you are not already in there then get involved so you can keep up to date.
I look forward with anticipation and excitement for when we reopen, I will be making myself available more the first week or two we open so I can try and get around you all.
Regards
Jason Lingard
Owner & Head Trainer
Kin3tic Performance