Fitness centers ready for Kitsap's Phase 3 green light

Kitsap residents who've been chomping at the bit to get back to the gym will soon see their fitness wishes granted. Sluggards who've relished the downtime will soon run out of excuses.

Pending approval of Kitsap County's entry into Phase 3 of the governor's coronavirus recovery plan, gyms and pools will be able to operate at up to 50% capacity.

Given the requirements of social distancing, the actual number of people permitted at a time is likely to be less than 50% of what the fire code allows, depending on the layout of the facility.

During Phase 2, fitness centers can offer one-on-one instruction and classes of five or fewer with social distancing and other precautions. Most larger facilities, including the YMCA's two Kitsap locations, have waited until Phase 3 to reopen.

"We opted to open up when we could serve more of our population under Phase 3," said Harold Shea, executive director of the Haselwood Family YMCA in Silverdale.

Fitness center members can expect health checks on each visit, and, almost without exception, reservations will be required at facilities throughout Kitsap County. Shea on behalf of the YMCA said that's both to control capacity and to ensure that members don't make a trip (some from long distances) only to find their class or workout area is full.

Facility directors were digesting the implications of Gov. Jay Inslee's announcement Tuesday that masks will be required in indoor public spaces like stores, offices and restaurants. The order also requires face coverings outdoors when you can't stay 6 feet apart from others.

Guidance on the state's website didn't initially address running on a treadmill, for example. But a spokesman for Inslee's office on Wednesday said masks for people working out in gyms won't be required.

"The DOH (Department of Health) order will include an exemption for exercising, but the exact language is still being finalized," said spokesman Mike Faulk. "We will push that information out once it’s final."

Fitness centers before the order were strongly recommending members wear masks at least when entering and leaving or moving about the facility. The Bainbridge Island Aquatic Center will require face coverings for members except when they're swimming.

Employees of fitness centers will wear masks or shields per state requirements.

Rules for the 65+ crowd

The YMCA initially was unsure whether people 65 and older and those with underlying health conditions could participate during Phase 3, Shea said, because the language in the state's four-phase plan stated people in those groups should "continue to stay home, stay healthy through Phase 3."

A revision to the advisory took the burden off facilities to enforce that rule, saying people 65 and older or in vulnerable health are "strongly encouraged but not required to stay home unless engaging in Phase 1, 2 or 3 permissible activities."

"I think it's going to be a personal choice," said Katrina Fulkerson, general manager of the Kitsap Tennis & Athletic Center, where many members are over 65. "Some are healthier than most 20-year-olds we have down here, so they're not worried especially knowing all the precautions we're taking."

KTAC has revised its waiver form to address the risks of COVID-19, and all members will be required to sign.

Stay in your bubble

Social distancing will be required at all fitness centers. At the Haselwood Y, workout equipment downstairs has been moved to meet this requirement. Upstairs, every other machine has been designated offline. Other centers are using similar strategies.

Shea said the YMCA plans to take advantage of the summer weather and move some programming, like spin classes and boot camps, outdoors.

The Haselwood Y and Bremerton Family YMCA will likely reopen within a week of Kitsap's Phase 3 approval, Shea said. Pools at both facilities won't immediately reopen because staff needs to be brought back and trained on the new protocol.

Hot tubs and saunas will remain closed, and there will be no general swim (only lap swim and swim classes) until Phase 4 because of the difficulty with social distancing.

Hours at the YMCA will be limited during Phase 3. There will be no childcare. The Haselwood cafe, if it is open, will be grab and go only.

Here's how the YMCA and other fitness centers are handling other logistics of reopening in Phase 3.

Most locker rooms closed

Almost without exception, locker rooms won't be available because of the near impossibility of maintaining social distancing, fitness center directors have said. 

"Everyone, come in your suits. Leave in your wet suits," said Mark Benishek, recreation director for the Bainbridge Island Aquatic Center, expected to reopen around July 6. "We will have restroom access off our lobby, but that area is not designated as a changing area."

One exception is Kitsap Tennis & Athletic Club, which has a saltwater pool as well as indoor and outdoor courts. Its locker rooms will be open with markings in the locker areas and showers to show a 6-foot distance.

"That's probably going to be the trickiest part," Fulkerson said. "We're not opening the hot tubs and we're not opening the sauna."

Fulkerson said the availability of locker rooms will be contingent on members' diligence in observing social distancing, and the club reserves the right to close them if needs be.

"It's going to be kind of settling into what the new normal is and figuring it out," Fulkerson said. "Everyone's safety is my first concern."

Equipment etiquette

If neglecting to wipe down the equipment you were using was formerly a faux pas, it will now be a serious transgression under Phase 3 guidelines. Fitness center owners say their employees will maintain a diligent schedule of cleaning, santizing and disinfecting shared equipment, but members have to do their part as well.

Crunch Fitness in Silverdale, in its Facebook primer on the Phase 3 reopening, asks members exercising on the turf area to use a mat and wipe it down when they're done even though the turf is regularly disinfected. Tanning booths and hydromassage equipment will not be available.

Video clips show the layout of the facility to familiarize members in advance of traffic flow. Members are encouraged to limit their workouts to an hour at a time. Crunch Fitness expects to open within one to two days of the Phase 3 approval, according to announcements on social media.

In general, the rule is BYOB, facility directors say. In most places, water fountains will be offline. Bring your own water bottle and fill it at the touchless sensor. Kitsap Tennis & Athletic Club asks members to bring their own balls. Shared equipment like ball hoppers won't be available for now. Items like kickboards will be available but must be tossed in the to-be-disinfected bin.

The Bainbridge Island Aquatic Center is asking members to bring their own kickboards and other swim equipment. Shared equipment won't be available.

Expect to see signs throughout your local fitness center reminding you to stay in your own bubble, wash your hands frequently and use hand sanitizer as a backup, and cough or sneeze into your elbow.

Facilities are required to have notification and recovery plans in case a member or employee is diagnosed with COVID-19. Check-in logs will be used for contact tracing.

Chris Henry reports on education and community news for the Kitsap Sun. Reach her at (360) 792-9219 or christina.henry@kitsapsun.com. Support coverage of local news by signing up today for a digital subscription.