I had a good conversation with someone in the fitness industry. As you can imagine, fitness, like other industries, is navigating the pandemic. He shared some great insights. Here are few takeaways:

• Gyms reopen – Where they’re open, usage is nowhere near pre–COVID-19 levels. Cancellations have accelerated. Personal training sessions are way down. So is class attendance.
• Spacing – Gym floor plans were designed to pack in as many machines as possible. That’s not safe now because it makes social distancing impossible. Equipment must be removed. More space could be leased, when feasible.
• Air quality – Hourly changes of air from outdoors, UV lighting, and air filtration aren’t things many gyms have thought about, but they may consider them to make customers feel safe.
• Virtual – Virtual exercise offerings by boutique gyms are surging. Clients have embraced them and these options will probably still be around later.
• Outdoors – With the quarantine, more people are exercising outside (e.g., running) and in groups (e.g., at “boot camps”). People love getting out of the house. Habits are forming and many will stick.
• Trainers – Many trainers have adapted their business models away from revenue sharing with gyms to outdoor boot camps and personal training. More of them are learning to build personal brands and market to attract clients.
• Peleton – Affluent consumers are embracing things like Tonal, Peleton, and other home options.

My biggest takeaway is that there is still a strong consumer desire to work out, but gyms currently can’t meet that need for the masses. This void has upended the industry and created an opportunity to provide new workout options that feel safer. Gyms will be forced to adapt and make investments they otherwise might not have ever considered. Exercise rooms may become more commonplace for home builders. Many people may continue to spend more time outdoors, playing sports or otherwise working out in the fresh air.

It will be interesting to see how this all plays out. I predict that gyms will still be around but their business model will change. I think the home workout category will be the biggest beneficiary, closely followed by more biking, running, etc. and use of public recreational areas. I see scrappy entrepreneurs taking advantage of this opportunity and building the next generation of fitness businesses.