Since the first lockdown, sports, fitness and wellness providers innovated and adapted how they delivered classes and expertise to clients.
Now that we are all mostly back to normal (Alert level 2 as of writing), are people still opting for online options, or are they getting back to their favourite yoga studios, work out gyms and group training sessions? Are we now craving the support that only ‘in-person’ fitness can offer, or do we want to stay safe in our bubbles, keeping our world’s as small as possible? We talked to a range of local sports and fitness providers and their clients to hear how their businesses managed during lockdown and what the local sports and fitness world is looking like now.
Local personal trainer Keri Ropati was quick to connect with clients as soon as our prime minister announced the country was moving to Alert level 4. As we moved down the alert levels, Keri, and colleague Seamus O’Loan, continued to innovate to support clients in what many were calling ‘the new normal’. For Liz Wheadon, the extra support Keri and Seamus provided was really appreciated as she had to be more careful than others to avoid the risks of Covid 19.
“I couldn’t go back to the studio until everything was back to at least level 1, but with Keri’s support I’ve kept training all the way through; I didn’t have to stop,” said Liz.
In the three days before level 4 lockdown kicked in, Keri and Seamus organised contactless drop offs of equipment and planned different ways to support their clients during the lockdown period, no matter what their circumstances. “They were incredible. I really have to take my hat off to them. They realised it was going to be a difficult four weeks for clients both financially and emotionally, and they were there to do whatever they could”, says Liz.
For Liz, the online sessions have been essential to her continued fitness. “I train twice a week via Zoom. I usually start with a run, so I just pop Zoom on and Keri comes for a run with me,” explains Liz. “She’s extremely motivating.” When it comes to specific exercises, Keri finds ways to make the one-on-one sessions work with whatever clients have in their homes. “Even without all the studio equipment I get a great session. Keri’s very resourceful.” Online sessions are now an on-going part of the Keri Ropati Weight loss and Fitness service, either as private one-on-one sessions or as group training sessions that anyone can join at any time.
Of course, it hasn’t been easy, and lockdown has been financially tough for everyone in the fitness industry, including Keri. However, her passion and belief in the essential role fitness plays in people’s well-being keeps her going and has seen her go above and beyond for clients. “It’s the key to life longevity. It’s the most important thing as long as you are above ground, and in times of uncertainty and stress it is the magic medicine,” says Keri. “Sun’s out guns out”, she jokes. She’s completely committed to the idea that we need to keep motivated to exercise and remember that our bodies are made to move. Her advice: “Be happy you are healthy and able to move that beautiful body. Get your heart rate up, get your blood moving through your veins and your muscles working.”
For many of us, keeping motivated can be the hardest part, and having the right gear or treatments can make us feel good and keep us in the zone. “After lockdown, going back to Steph Brown at Lux and Duke was one treat that really made me feel a bit more normal. Having a great haircut really sets you up for feeling good about yourself, and that’s always a key part of staying motivated.” Another regular go-to for Keri is local activewear stores of which there seem to be more and more in Ponsonby and Grey Lynn. “I am very much an everyday active wear type gal, so I am all over Lorna Jane on Ponsonby Road. Then, of course, there are the local cafes which can include the everyday healthy options or something more indulgent. “For a treat, my fav of favs cafe is Mary’s on St Mary’s Bay Road; their French toast is the bomb.”
Marysa Theiler from Barrefigure points out that we are lucky to have so much choice in the local area not only when it comes to places to eat, grab coffee or retail shop but also in our fitness training choices. “You’ll always find me grabbing a mocha at Ripe, Crumb, Honeybones or Ozone. And Lululemon, Ponsonby holds a special place in my wardrobe, but I also love P.E Nation activewear too,” shared Marysa. Having choice to find an exercise option that fits your lifestyle and makes it fun is vital in Marysa’s opinion.
Prior to the onset of the recent pandemic, Marysa was already diversifying the way clients could enjoy the unique benefits of a Barrefigure workout. “I was really lucky that I launched my online platform at Christmas 2019, so I already had 10 professionally filmed videos in my library. It had been a year in the making, and I’m grateful I had it up and running before covid hit,” explained Marysa.
Marysa continued to develop films for classes during lockdown. “Whilst we were in level 4, I had to pivot and film them myself at home on my iphone and often with my children making appearances. Clients didn’t mind and could relate that I was also juggling everything at home,” she said.
Barrefigure also rolled out Zoom and Instagram Live classes during the first lockdown. “Some clients like to have the live classes because it keeps them accountable as they still have to show up for class at a certain time, and the teacher can still see them and motivate and correct them in real time,” explained Marysa.
When the second lockdown rolled around her focus was more on building the content for the online platform rather than continuing to offer Zoom classes. “We also found people didn’t quite have as much motivation during the second lockdown and preferred to workout in their own time. With Barrefigure Online they could work around their own schedule and choose whatever length video they felt like doing.”
Since the alert levels have relaxed, people have started coming back to the studio but not with the flurry they did the first time around. “To be honest, I did think people would return faster after this second lockdown. People didn’t seem to have the same motivation to workout at home (I found it harder also!), so I thought they would be running back into the studio but numbers are still fairly low.”
Marysa has reduced capacity in the Barrefigure studio by 50% to allow for physical distancing but is offering a full schedule of 37 classes a week. “It’s probably a bit soon as the demand isn’t quite there, but it’s a balancing act between having enough classes so clients have a wide variety of options, providing stable work for my instructors and also keeping in mind my business expenses. It’s
a stressful time for small businesses.”
However, overall, online classes are continuing to be popular as people adjust to the changes and nuances of the different alert levels. “We continue to add new content weekly to Barrefigure Online, and we now have over 70 videos. We’ve just updated the platform to add more functions so members can search videos by the length or the body part they want to focus on.”
The key again is to stay motivated, and Marysa’s advice is simple, “Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t do what you set out to do. Starting small, even five to 10 minutes a day, is better than nothing.” She explains that more than anything it is important to choose things that you love and that make you feel great. This means the workouts need to work for you and your lifestyle.
Barrefigure Online now has a growing number of local members as well as from Australia, Bali the US and even in the UK. It seems that since lockdown, people have been reminded just how important exercise is to their overall wellbeing. “The funny thing is that in times of stress or lack of energy, exercise is the first thing that people forego. I am no different, and over the second lockdown, when the majority of my revenue was abruptly stopped and I had the stress of working from home with two toddlers, I stopped my daily workouts. I was stressed and rundown and ended up getting sick. But once I recovered, I really appreciated our online platform as I didn’t have to think about what I was going to do and could just push play on a short 15 minute workout. It’s amazing how you feel after.”
Of course it isn’t just about the endorphin rush and physical benefits. Working out in a team environment amongst people with shared goals is far more motivational than working out alone, not to mention beneficial for overall mental health and well-being. Amy Carroll, Ry Imry and the team from F45 Grey Lynn specialise in circuit based HiiT training, that’s highly motivational, results-driven, group fitness. “While there is a big focus on personal training at F45, it’s also got
a strong team approach and can be easily adapted to suit any fitness level.” One thing that really comes across when talking to Amy is the focus on fun and the positive energy that comes from working out hard in a team environment.
Speaking to Amy about when the first lockdown was announced, she explained; “We quickly moved online with our team of trainers coaching F45 sessions for our members using Zoom and social media to keep everyone moving through lockdown. We also organised a register and rented out equipment so that our members had the choice to workout with or without equipment. It was all about looking after our community and making sure we sustained our members and our business.”
They took the idea of community and the comradery of training together one step further through lockdown. “We wanted to keep people connected and motivated, and I think this really helped them transition back to the studio environment once the alert levels dropped. So many of our members commented on how much it helped just being able to see a familiar trainer’s face each day and how their F45 at-home workouts kept them sane during lockdown.”
“Since we returned to level 2, our members have been really positive about being back at the studio and in that team training environment. Our members couldn’t wait to get back through the doors! We’ve adapted our sessions to cope with new social distancing requirements, including the addition of extra classes on the timetable as well as enhanced cleaning and sanitisation protocols to ensure the safety of our members”. While Amy admits it’s a different environment now for members and trainers, she says everyone is on board and has embraced the new protocols, adapting in a true community spirited way. “It’s been great, and there is such a positive energy; it really helps keep everyone stay sane during such a crazy time in the world.”
When you train hard (something you can’t help but do during a F45 session) there must always be a place for treats. And while the F45 Challenge portal has some delicious and healthy options, Amy points out, there are some local cafes that have F45 Challenge approved options. “A few of my personal favourites are Honeybones, Ozone and Five Loaves. Now that we are at level 2 teams can enjoy that kind of treat together.”
One thing lockdown has brought us is a more seamless blend of online and in-studio style work outs to suit our ever changing lifestyles. If you were ever nervous that you weren’t ready for an in-person session with a personal trainer, a burn inducing Barrefigure class or an intense results driven F45 session, there’s now no excuse. Our local fitness trainers have you covered and can help support you as you transition from your home to their studios and fitness centres.
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