Planet Fitness Has a Plan for Reopening Gyms in Michigan

They've done all the heavy lifting and come up with a 45-page playbook for safe operations for members to get back to working out.

Governor Whitmer has eased the stay at home directive and retail and restaurants are gearing up to safely open under new rules. Meanwhile, salons and gyms are still mandated to remain closed. Planet Fitness is trying to change that with a program they call "social fitnessing."

The largest chain in Michigan wants to open the doors, plug in the treadmills, rack up the weights, roll out the yoga mats, adjust the seats on the bikes for spin class and get its' 650,000+ members back in the sweat of things.

We believe that fitness is Michigan's path out of this pandemic. Fitness has absolutely proven benefits for people, not only physical benefits but mental benefits as well.

-Bryan Rief, owner of Michigan's largest Planet Fitness franchise group, quoted in Crain's Detroit

Gyms and fitness centers are among the last businesses slated to be given permission to open under the Governor's phased plan for reopening Michigan. Planet Fitness thinks they can do it sooner by taking safeguards like:

• Limiting occupancy to 50% capacity
• No group classes
• Closing off every other piece of equipment to encourage social distancing
• Adding additional hand sanitizer stations
• Not operating any facilities 24 hours, but closing for designated cleaning times
• Mandatory temperature and wellness checks for staff
• Gloves, masks and sanitizer provided for employees