Texas gyms prepare to reopen for business

Houston gym owners explain how they’ll operate starting May 18

FOX 26 Reporter Ivory Hecker gives you a look inside some Houston-area gyms days before they reopen after being closed for months.

HARRIS COUNTY - The next phase of re-opening Texas begins Monday, and with it, gyms will be allowed to reopen with restrictions.

After being closed for two full months, the Life Time Athletic clubs will reopen at 5 a.m. Monday and a limited number of people will be allowed to begin trickling back into the empty space.

“We really want to go into it with some caution,” said Life Time Greenway senior general manager Mark Stevens.

Masks, socially distanced fitness classes, and a capacity limit are all elements of the re-open plan at Life Time Greenway.

“We have what we call our COVID-19 playbook,” said Stevens. “We encourage them to wear a mask. We will have masks available for them if they desire one while they’re here.”

With a capacity limit in place, some people may have to wait in line to get in.

“The Governor’s requirements are a 25 percent occupancy or utilization,” said Stevens. “We’ve created a software system that will track our utilization in real-time.”

At Alphalete Gym in Stafford, members and guests will have to book an hour-long session online ahead of time to ensure the limited capacity is adhered to. And the cardio equipment will be spaced further apart.

“The layout might be a little different right now, but we’re just trying to practice social distancing as much as possible,” said Alphalete Gym general manager Ashley Dreyer.

The gym will also have gloves available in compliance with the governor’s order.

“They said in there that they wanted us to wear gloves, but I can’t make it mandatory,” said Dreyer. “But it is an option.”

After a two month shut down, Alphalete Gym’s doors will reopen on Monday.

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“As far as the gym, we have not made any money,” said Dreyer. “Talking to people—saying hi, how are you?—I miss it a lot, so really excited to get everything going.”

Each gym’s reopen plan may vary, so check with your gym directly before you show up to work out.