While exercise can help with that anxiety many are feeling, gyms have been shuttered across the country ever since numerous stay-at-home orders were put in place. Chris Rondeau, the CEO of Planet Fitness, told Cheddar, "All our gyms are closed throughout the entire country... we closed ours down about mid-March."

Gym-rats may be seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, however. On Thursday, President Trump unveiled his phased plan to reopen America, which could allow some gyms to return to business with strict physical distancing and sanitizing protocols.

What might that look like in practice? Rondeau told Cheddar that it may mean unplugging every other piece of cardio equipment, to ensure more space between users and a reiteration of its existing cleaning policies and procedures.

For those not eager to rush back into gyms that could become crowded, Planet Fitness is partnering with iFIT to launch at-home streaming workouts, a  decision made before the pandemic,

"We realized that the trend is going to [digital fitness]. I don't see it as a way that it replaces a gym membership, but it enhances their ability to work out when they can't go to the gym that day," said Rondeau.

Share:
More In Business
Starbucks’ Change Flushes Out a Debate Over Public Restroom Access
Starbucks’ decision to restrict its restrooms to paying customers has flushed out a wider problem: a patchwork of restroom use policies that varies by state and city. Starbucks announced last week a new code of conduct that says people need to make a purchase if they want to hang out or use the restroom. The coffee chain's policy change for bathroom privileges has left Americans confused and divided over who gets to go and when. The American Restroom Association, a public toilet advocacy group, was among the critics. Rules about restroom access in restaurants vary by state, city and county. The National Retail Federation says private businesses have a right to limit restroom use.
Trump Highlights Partnership Investing $500 Billion in AI
President Donald Trump is talking up a joint venture investing up to $500 billion for infrastructure tied to artificial intelligence by a new partnership formed by OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank. The new entity, Stargate, will start building out data centers and the electricity generation needed for the further development of the fast-evolving AI in Texas, according to the White House. The initial investment is expected to be $100 billion and could reach five times that sum. While Trump has seized on similar announcements to show that his presidency is boosting the economy, there were already expectations of a massive buildout of data centers and electricity plants needed for the development of AI.
Load More