WATERTOWN â Many local fitness centers arenât seeing the usual bump in membership theyâve come to expect every new year, as mask requirements and capacity restrictions still reign supreme.
After they were closed for more than six months at the height of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, fitness centers across New York reopened in August with a 33% occupancy cap, as well as restrictions on their hours of operation. Masks are required for anyone planning to work out in a fitness center, and 6 feet of distance between patrons must be strictly maintained. Plastic sheets hang between machines at most facilities.
âMany people do not want to come work out with masks, that seems to be the biggest barrier,â said Dan M. Myers, owner of Double Play Fitness in Lowville.