With the spring semester well underway, the Champlain College Fitness Center has reopened its doors to students and faculty. Under the same guidelines as the previous semester, those who wish to use the space are required to wear a mask at all times while in the studio and, bring a clean pair of sneakers. The Center has set a maximum capacity of 25 students. 

“While the maximum capacity is 25, we usually try to keep it to 20 students at a time, since it is a smaller space” said Mya Brown, a sophomore at Champlain College and Fitness Center employee. Students and faculty must also be in the weekly testing pool and regularly fill out their daily health form in order to access the space. 

The workout machines have been rearranged in accordance with proper social distancing guidelines, marked arrows on the ground work to prevent congestion in a particular area, and keep the flow of traffic moving. Along with this, students are also required to carry a spray bottle of disinfectant and a towel (provided by the Fitness Center) with them as they move about the space, making sure to wipe down any and all surfaces they come in contact with. The studio space in the back of the Fitness Center, as well as the Argosy Gym, have been repurposed to house equipment such as rowers, recumbent bikes, and core-focused machinery. The basketball court is still open for student use, and is the location of various in-person fitness classes offered through the Fitness Center. While the selection of free weights in the back studio are currently off limits to students, there is still a large selection available in the main area of the Fitness Center.

Brown explained that so far, there have been no problems with students adhering to the guidelines, “People are being very respectful and responsible with the new rules,” she said. The staff also does their part to keep the Fitness Center a clean and safe environment “we clean the spray bottles after each use, and check up on all the machines very consistently. Each person will do three to four rounds of cleaning per shift.” 

Exercise classes are also continuing, both in person and online. The class options range from virtual yoga to pound fitness and are open to students with all levels of fitness experience. For those who are looking to have a more personalized workout, they can reach out to Nicholas Pillsbury, Champlain College’s Fitness & Recreation Coordinator and National Academy of Sports Medicine certified personal trainer. 

“If someone is looking to work out but does not know how to get started or know how to use the equipment, I can help!” said Pillsbury. “I develop free training plans for students. We have a meeting to go over goals, restrictions, experience etc and then I put a plan together that will work best for that user.” To set up an appointment, send him an email at [email protected]. 

All in all, things seem to be going very smoothly thanks to the dedication of the Fitness Center staff and the mindfulness of the student body. “The only reason we’d have to close is if people weren’t following the rules, or if multiple people were getting sick. Thankfully, however, we haven’t been a source of cases on campus,” said Brown. 

As long as those who use the Fitness Center continue to respect and follow the COVID-19 guidelines, the Fitness Center will continue to stay open for the rest of the semester. A schedule of the weekly fitness classes can be found on the Fitness Centers instagram page, @champlainfitness.