Valley gym taking proactive steps to prevent spread of coronavirus

The Exercise Coach caters largely to those the CDC has deemed “high risk” for coronavirus -- older adults and those with underlying chronic health issues.

BY ASHLEY FLOOD

Mar 16, 2020, 4:35 AM Updated: 2:39 pm

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(KTAR News/Ashley Flood)

PHOENIX — As nations, states, cities and businesses implement different strategies to combat the outbreak of coronavirus, one Valley gym is taking special precautions due to its at-risk clientele.

The Exercise Coach has six locations across the Valley, catering largely to the demographic the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has deemed “high risk” — older adults and those with underlying chronic health issues like heart disease, lung disease and diabetes.

“We’ve adapted our clean studio environment policy for these times,” Brian Cygan, CEO of The Exercise Coach, told KTAR News 92.3 FM.

Cygan said his gyms are stepping up practices like asking clients to use hand sanitizer upon entering facilities and requesting that clients and coaches stay home if they are ill.

“Our coaches are being instructed to sanitize high touch points in the studio after every single use.”

Among the most common high touch points are machinery or equipment that staff and clients touch with their hands.

Educational signs are also posted in each of the gym’s locations regarding peak cold and flu precautions, even though Cygan hasn’t noticed any increased anxiety at his facilities.

“We’re not seeing too much concern at all from existing clients or staff,” Cygan continued.

“We’re different than most gyms … Small, private and super clean, which is part of our commitment and our core offering.”

At The Exercise Coach, gym staff works one-on-one with their clients or in groups of four or fewer and never more than five clients in the gym at a time.

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Taylor Kinnerup contributed to this report.