Gyms set to reopen for indoor use as LA County moves to red tier

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - To listen to Christina Conley, "Next week when they open, it’ll be the greatest!"

Conley is a member at Crunch Fitness Center on Reseda Boulevard in Northridge. She’s excited about LA County moving from the purple tier into the less restrictive red tier. That’s expected Monday.

Basically, that means she and her friend Lauren Satchwell can move from exercising outside under the club’s big tent to inside, which had been prohibited for months.

Under the red tier, fitness centers may operate at 10% of the building capacity. To Satchwell, she admits she has gotten a bit lazy in her exercising regimen because of the pandemic and thinks moving inside might be more encouraging.

Another gym member Deandre Pierce says, "It’s a pandemic what are you going to do?"

He’s right. The pandemic locked exercisers out of gyms as the region remained in the more restrictive purple tier. People like Pierce either did their thing outside or bought their own equipment and worked out at home.

But, opening the gym doors isn’t a big deal to Pierce. He says, "It doesn’t make a difference to me. It’s more important to stay active."

For those who can’t wait to get back into a gym, operators of centers like this are looking forward to welcoming its members back with open arms.

Ahead of Monday, workers are cleaning, scrubbing and sanitizing. Basically, they're getting the place ready to reopen.

Billy McClendon is the Executive VP of Crunch. He says year-long pandemic restrictions have been very tough.

He says, "It’s been big. Not having the business as usual and not having this happen.. for everybody, it's been big."

So opening up -- even at just 10%  -- is big!

McClendon says, "We’re going to open up at a 10% capacity. We’re going to have a rigorous process to make sure we’re sanitizing the equipment, make sure we’re sanitizing the facility and make sure it's a safe environment. We’re going to be consistent to make sure to ask folks to practice social distancing, wearing face masks… all the things we know can keep people safe."

Carlos Serrano can’t wait to get back inside. He says, "Personally, to me, I love being inside. It just gives you an extra kick and motivated to working that hard." He also says, there are some pieces of workout equipment you can’t move outside. So, there are some exercises you can’t do."

On another note, Christine Conley is a rehab counselor and says for some people exercising is what helps their bodies and their mental health.

Conley says, "It gives you confidence and makes you feel better. And, it’s all about the mind, body and the soul when you’re working out."

So, as they get ready for members to return who haven’t been working out outside they are prepping clubs in all of our Southern California counties hoping next week all counties are seeing RED… in a good way.

Says McClendon, "We’re in a club cleaning and scrubbing and cleaning equipment preparing for next week because we anticipate and hope that all of them are open."

Public Health Officials hope to see LA, Orange and San Bernardino counties move to red Monday. They expect Riverside, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties to turn red Tuesday.

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