Life
Move over, Facebook barre fusion classes. Get outta here, Zoom Zumba. The next innovation in pandemic fitness is plastic exercise pods. As AFP news agency reports, one California gym is using plastic fitness pods to help enforce social distancing rules as the state starts to reopen. So, whoever has “living out my Bubble Boy fantasies” on their pandemic bingo card wins.
On June 12, California schools, bars, gyms, and a handful of other facilities in the state could reopen after an order from Governor Gavin Newsom. Of course, reopening comes with more than a few caveats. Per rules from the California Department of Health, in order to reopen, gyms have to abide by a number of stricter health and safety guidelines. This includes things like requiring guests to wear masks while entering and exiting the gym, encouraging the use of masks while working out, more stringent sanitation processes, and consistently enforcing social distancing guidelines. The guidelines also recommend fitness centers like yoga studios require guests to bring their own mats and towels. While “plastic pods” is not listed in the guidelines, Inspire South Bay Fitness in Redondo Beach, California saw an opportunity and just went for it.
The gym has transformed its communal workout space into something that looks like HIIT class meets Love is Blind meets a global pandemic. The pictures are as post-apocalyptic as you'd imagine.
1
Swole Sanitizer
Inspire South Bay Fitness has a hand sanitizing station upon entering, as well as a thermometer to make sure guests and employees aren't showing signs of coronavirus. While not required, I strongly recommend washing your hands to your favorite work out song.
2
Sequestered Squatting
As the reopening regulations require any fitness programs with close contact be suspended, Inspire South Bay Fitness has found a workaround that allows people to work out together... kind of.
3
Less Lonely Leg Days
Finding ways to work out at home has become the new norm amidst COVID-19-related closures. While we can't fully work out together, at least you can seeing someone lift behind a wall of foggy plastic.
4
Bubble Pods In Every Place
This isn't the first iteration of plastic pods that have been implemented during the pandemic. In fact, The Flaming Lips' performance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert had the band and every audience member in their own isolation bubble.
5
'Black Mirror' Body Shred
If you want to fully go through the looking glass, you can see more of the pods in action on Inspire South Bay Fitness’s Instagram Stories.
6
Quarantine But Make It Fitness
California's reopening guidelines also require fitness facilities with playgrounds or other "high contact" areas like weight stations keep closed. This means each pod contains its own set of weights and other equipment.
7
Plastic Can't Hide Your Pain
Lest you think the plastic pods free you from the watchful eye of the fitness instructor, trainers are still correcting form vocally rather than through physical contact.
8
Isolation Gains
According to an Instagram post from gym owner Peet Sapsin, it took them about three days to build their plastic pods. Additionally, Inspire South Bay Fitness will be hosting workout classes over Zoom. "This effort is to accommodate our members who prefer to stay at home but still get a good workout if they are not ready to come back in person," Sapsin writes.
9
Sweating In Solitude
While there's no word on whether you burn more calories while working out in a plastic isolation pod — you probably don't — at least you don't have to smell the sweaty stink of other gym goers.
