With Governor Gretchen Whitmer's order now keeping customers out of many businesses, owners are now doing what they can to keep their community happy, including local fitness groups who are now using the internet to keep everyone's health on track.
Crossfit 616 is closed, but they are using Facebook and YouTube to keep their community engaged and motivated in their own living rooms.
“At home, we've made it to where you literally need nothing,” says Crossfit 616 owner Tom Sullivan. “Some people, they might have gym equipment at home, but if you don't invest in anything, you're going to be okay.”
Sullivan and his wife Cori took steps weeks ago to put even more cleaning procedures in place while news of COVID-19 ramped up. But before they knew it, they were faced with a tough decision.
“As we kept seeing it spread and become more and more real locally, it was just the right thing to do to close,” Sullivan said. “We announced it on Saturday before the governor announced the mandates to close gyms and restaurants, but it was in the interest of our people, doing our part to flatten the curve, slow the spread and look out for, again, not only our members but their family too.”
Temporarily closed but cranking out daily content.
“We know we have a ton of potential, what we can share in terms of knowledge,” says Sullivan, “taking a step back from the day to day in the gym stuff and giving more movement information, more movement coaching in a different way."
Several others around West Michigan are using the same concept, such as
AM Yoga
,which is streaming free classes at 9 a.m. every day on their Facebook page, and
Sweatnet
on Facebook, and other personal trainers.
