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| Maybe Now You’ll Stop Mocking Peloton | Maybe Now You’ll Stop Mocking Peloton |
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| Under normal circumstances, Nicole Mereshensky works out about five times a week at various indoor cycling and high intensity interval training studios around Manhattan. | Under normal circumstances, Nicole Mereshensky works out about five times a week at various indoor cycling and high intensity interval training studios around Manhattan. |
| “Fitness is everything to me,” said Ms Mereshensky, a mother of two school-age children. “It grounds me mentally more than anything.” | “Fitness is everything to me,” said Ms Mereshensky, a mother of two school-age children. “It grounds me mentally more than anything.” |
| But in the last week, she has been trying to weigh the anxiety of not working out against the worry of being sweated on or otherwise potentially exposed to the new coronavirus. | But in the last week, she has been trying to weigh the anxiety of not working out against the worry of being sweated on or otherwise potentially exposed to the new coronavirus. |
| Ms. Mereshensky, 39, has reduced her schedule to three classes a week, and, in an effort to avoid germs on public transportation, will go to classes only within walking distance of her New York apartment. | Ms. Mereshensky, 39, has reduced her schedule to three classes a week, and, in an effort to avoid germs on public transportation, will go to classes only within walking distance of her New York apartment. |
| When she goes to one-hour classes at Barry’s Bootcamp, where the protocol is four 15-minute intervals of treadmill running and floor weight exercises, she brings a spray bottle of sanitizer and four pairs of latex gloves. | When she goes to one-hour classes at Barry’s Bootcamp, where the protocol is four 15-minute intervals of treadmill running and floor weight exercises, she brings a spray bottle of sanitizer and four pairs of latex gloves. |
| “I spray the treadmill with sanitizer and wear one pair of gloves because you’re pressing buttons and you’re grabbing the sides,” Ms. Mereshensky said. “Once I get off the treadmill, I will change my gloves and put new ones on, go get weights, spray down the area on the floor, spray the bench as well as the weights.” | “I spray the treadmill with sanitizer and wear one pair of gloves because you’re pressing buttons and you’re grabbing the sides,” Ms. Mereshensky said. “Once I get off the treadmill, I will change my gloves and put new ones on, go get weights, spray down the area on the floor, spray the bench as well as the weights.” |
| So far, she hasn’t seen anyone else working out with gloves on, and some people have noticed when she walks in. “I’m sure to make a funny joke when I walk in so everyone knows I’m not infected but I’m preventing,” she said. | So far, she hasn’t seen anyone else working out with gloves on, and some people have noticed when she walks in. “I’m sure to make a funny joke when I walk in so everyone knows I’m not infected but I’m preventing,” she said. |
| As schools and universities are closing around the country in recommended efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus and companies are scurrying to implement remote-working strategies for employees, daily rituals of fitness buffs across the United States, and the businesses that they support, are also being upended. | As schools and universities are closing around the country in recommended efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus and companies are scurrying to implement remote-working strategies for employees, daily rituals of fitness buffs across the United States, and the businesses that they support, are also being upended. |
| Vando Cabral, 35, owns Punch Force Fitness, a boxing fitness studio in Manhattan, with his brother. “I haven’t seen too much of a slowdown,” said Mr. Cabral, who is buying a lot of cleaning supplies. “And with the schools closing, kids have jumped in and are taking classes. But of course we are all worried and that’s why we need to keep at it, washing hands and keeping things as clean as possible.” | Vando Cabral, 35, owns Punch Force Fitness, a boxing fitness studio in Manhattan, with his brother. “I haven’t seen too much of a slowdown,” said Mr. Cabral, who is buying a lot of cleaning supplies. “And with the schools closing, kids have jumped in and are taking classes. But of course we are all worried and that’s why we need to keep at it, washing hands and keeping things as clean as possible.” |
| Angie Beis, 39, is a physical therapist and personal trainer hired by individuals for one-on-one sessions at their homes, and by corporations who bring her to their offices to give group training to employees. As more people work from home, her corporate business is already drying up. | Angie Beis, 39, is a physical therapist and personal trainer hired by individuals for one-on-one sessions at their homes, and by corporations who bring her to their offices to give group training to employees. As more people work from home, her corporate business is already drying up. |
| “It’s frightening,” Ms. Beis said, “As a single mom with a mortgage, it’s going to put a strain on my income.” She plans to start offering 30-minute personal training sessions over FaceTime to people working from home. “People still need to work out,” she said. | “It’s frightening,” Ms. Beis said, “As a single mom with a mortgage, it’s going to put a strain on my income.” She plans to start offering 30-minute personal training sessions over FaceTime to people working from home. “People still need to work out,” she said. |
| Large gyms and franchised studios are messaging members to try to calm panic about germs. | Large gyms and franchised studios are messaging members to try to calm panic about germs. |
| Equinox, which has about 100 fitness clubs in the United States, Canada and Britain, announced over email last month that employees are wiping down the clubs three times daily with hospital-grade cleaners. The company also reminded members to wash their hands after going to the bathroom and sneezing. | Equinox, which has about 100 fitness clubs in the United States, Canada and Britain, announced over email last month that employees are wiping down the clubs three times daily with hospital-grade cleaners. The company also reminded members to wash their hands after going to the bathroom and sneezing. |
| “We have asked our instructors to remain as vigilant as possible about the above and eliminate skin to skin contact (for example, adjustments in yoga, high fives and partner work that requires the passing of equipment, etc.),” a company spokeswoman said in a statement. | “We have asked our instructors to remain as vigilant as possible about the above and eliminate skin to skin contact (for example, adjustments in yoga, high fives and partner work that requires the passing of equipment, etc.),” a company spokeswoman said in a statement. |
| CorePower Yoga, which has more than 200 studios nationwide that turn up the heat to 100 degrees for some classes, sent an email to its community in early March to assure that the company is taking a hands-off approach to touching and bending over backward to clean up all the sweat. | CorePower Yoga, which has more than 200 studios nationwide that turn up the heat to 100 degrees for some classes, sent an email to its community in early March to assure that the company is taking a hands-off approach to touching and bending over backward to clean up all the sweat. |
| “We’ve reduced physical assists and the use of props,” the note read. “We’ve also increased cleaning protocols to be sure all doorknobs, props, weights and other surfaces are sanitized more frequently.” It also said: “Clean is kind — we can do this together.” | “We’ve reduced physical assists and the use of props,” the note read. “We’ve also increased cleaning protocols to be sure all doorknobs, props, weights and other surfaces are sanitized more frequently.” It also said: “Clean is kind — we can do this together.” |
| Ishta Yoga, a studio in Greenwich Village, alerted students that the studio would suspend mat rental and sharing of communal props like blocks, straps and eye pillows. Namastes are still OK, but not hugs and handshakes. | Ishta Yoga, a studio in Greenwich Village, alerted students that the studio would suspend mat rental and sharing of communal props like blocks, straps and eye pillows. Namastes are still OK, but not hugs and handshakes. |
| Orangetheory Fitness is asking members and trainers to substitute fist pumps for high fives. | Orangetheory Fitness is asking members and trainers to substitute fist pumps for high fives. |
| There are other ways to reduce risk. Jonathan Rein, a 45-year-old investor and father of two in New York, works out about four times a week in a communal gym in his Manhattan apartment building and in another gym: lifting weights and using cardio machines. A few weeks ago, he began to reconsider his schedule (and now he’ll have to do more rescheduling because the building just closed its gym). | There are other ways to reduce risk. Jonathan Rein, a 45-year-old investor and father of two in New York, works out about four times a week in a communal gym in his Manhattan apartment building and in another gym: lifting weights and using cardio machines. A few weeks ago, he began to reconsider his schedule (and now he’ll have to do more rescheduling because the building just closed its gym). |
| “I shifted the times when I go, to less crowded times,” he said. “I’ve always used the gym-provided wipes and Purell, but I’m more conscious about wiping down barbells and dumbbells in particular, and making sure that I Purell between sets.” | “I shifted the times when I go, to less crowded times,” he said. “I’ve always used the gym-provided wipes and Purell, but I’m more conscious about wiping down barbells and dumbbells in particular, and making sure that I Purell between sets.” |
| However sore his biceps may be, his hands may be worse. “They’re pretty beat up from the alcohol content in the sanitizer and all the constant hand washing,” he said. | However sore his biceps may be, his hands may be worse. “They’re pretty beat up from the alcohol content in the sanitizer and all the constant hand washing,” he said. |
| For 14 years, Amanda Rubinstein-Stern has been leading a Monday morning yoga class at a community center in New Orleans for about 20 students, ranging in age from about 50 to 91. | For 14 years, Amanda Rubinstein-Stern has been leading a Monday morning yoga class at a community center in New Orleans for about 20 students, ranging in age from about 50 to 91. |
| For the last two Mondays, they had class-wide discussions about ways to maintain the community of their weekly class while protecting themselves against germs that could lead to Covid-19. “What we have decided to do, all of us, is to buy our own yoga bags. They’ve gone to Five Below, T.J. Maxx and Walmart and each have purchased a belt, two blocks, a mat and a towel,” Ms. Rubinstein-Stern said. A hospital has provided disinfectant wipes. | For the last two Mondays, they had class-wide discussions about ways to maintain the community of their weekly class while protecting themselves against germs that could lead to Covid-19. “What we have decided to do, all of us, is to buy our own yoga bags. They’ve gone to Five Below, T.J. Maxx and Walmart and each have purchased a belt, two blocks, a mat and a towel,” Ms. Rubinstein-Stern said. A hospital has provided disinfectant wipes. |
| “I’m not a medical authority, but stress can weaken the immune system, and in their time in class I can see change in disposition and a greater sense of optimism,” she said. | “I’m not a medical authority, but stress can weaken the immune system, and in their time in class I can see change in disposition and a greater sense of optimism,” she said. |
| Those who invested in expensive home fitness equipment are now seeing it pay off in unanticipated ways. “I’m happier than ever to have my Peloton,” said Andrea Morganroth, of Birmingham, Mich., who has been riding daily at home for a year. | Those who invested in expensive home fitness equipment are now seeing it pay off in unanticipated ways. “I’m happier than ever to have my Peloton,” said Andrea Morganroth, of Birmingham, Mich., who has been riding daily at home for a year. |
| Obé, a home fitness company that offers live and on-demand classes in cardioboxing, barre, yoga and other workouts, is seizing the moment, offering new users a free month if they sign up for its platform. (A subscription costs $199 annually or $27 a month.) | Obé, a home fitness company that offers live and on-demand classes in cardioboxing, barre, yoga and other workouts, is seizing the moment, offering new users a free month if they sign up for its platform. (A subscription costs $199 annually or $27 a month.) |
| Obé, an acronym for Our Body Electric, was founded by Mark Mullett and Ashley Mills, former talent agents who said on Tuesday that they had seen “thousands and thousands” of new sign-ups. | Obé, an acronym for Our Body Electric, was founded by Mark Mullett and Ashley Mills, former talent agents who said on Tuesday that they had seen “thousands and thousands” of new sign-ups. |
| Updated June 12, 2020 | |
| So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement. | |
| Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks. | |
| A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study. | |
| The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April. | |
| Mass protests against police brutality that have brought thousands of people onto the streets in cities across America are raising the specter of new coronavirus outbreaks, prompting political leaders, physicians and public health experts to warn that the crowds could cause a surge in cases. While many political leaders affirmed the right of protesters to express themselves, they urged the demonstrators to wear face masks and maintain social distancing, both to protect themselves and to prevent further community spread of the virus. Some infectious disease experts were reassured by the fact that the protests were held outdoors, saying the open air settings could mitigate the risk of transmission. | |
| Exercise researchers and physicians have some blunt advice for those of us aiming to return to regular exercise now: Start slowly and then rev up your workouts, also slowly. American adults tended to be about 12 percent less active after the stay-at-home mandates began in March than they were in January. But there are steps you can take to ease your way back into regular exercise safely. First, “start at no more than 50 percent of the exercise you were doing before Covid,” says Dr. Monica Rho, the chief of musculoskeletal medicine at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago. Thread in some preparatory squats, too, she advises. “When you haven’t been exercising, you lose muscle mass.” Expect some muscle twinges after these preliminary, post-lockdown sessions, especially a day or two later. But sudden or increasing pain during exercise is a clarion call to stop and return home. | |
| States are reopening bit by bit. This means that more public spaces are available for use and more and more businesses are being allowed to open again. The federal government is largely leaving the decision up to states, and some state leaders are leaving the decision up to local authorities. Even if you aren’t being told to stay at home, it’s still a good idea to limit trips outside and your interaction with other people. | |
| Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days. | |
| If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.) | |
| Taking one’s temperature to look for signs of fever is not as easy as it sounds, as “normal” temperature numbers can vary, but generally, keep an eye out for a temperature of 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. If you don’t have a thermometer (they can be pricey these days), there are other ways to figure out if you have a fever, or are at risk of Covid-19 complications. | |
| The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing. | |
| If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others. | |
| If you’re sick and you think you’ve been exposed to the new coronavirus, the C.D.C. recommends that you call your healthcare provider and explain your symptoms and fears. They will decide if you need to be tested. Keep in mind that there’s a chance — because of a lack of testing kits or because you’re asymptomatic, for instance — you won’t be able to get tested. | |
| Courtney Simmons, a member of Obé’s private Facebook group who lives in Orlando, Fla., wrote in a Facebook post that she had recently canceled her Planet Fitness membership and returned to the platform because of her concern about Covid-19. | Courtney Simmons, a member of Obé’s private Facebook group who lives in Orlando, Fla., wrote in a Facebook post that she had recently canceled her Planet Fitness membership and returned to the platform because of her concern about Covid-19. |
| “The person on the treadmill next to me was hacking a lung,” she wrote. “I just lost it. No more — I can’t mentally handle it! So it’s Obé and outdoor running for me! Yea!” | “The person on the treadmill next to me was hacking a lung,” she wrote. “I just lost it. No more — I can’t mentally handle it! So it’s Obé and outdoor running for me! Yea!” |
| Other higher-end home exercise companies are also reporting a surge in usage and interest. Tempo is a home exercise system that includes a free-weight set, a 42-inch touch screen display and a 3-D motion tracking mechanism; it costs $1,995. The company’s chief executive, Moawia Eldeeb, said that starting in mid-February, its users were working out 35 percent more often than they had in the previous six months. | Other higher-end home exercise companies are also reporting a surge in usage and interest. Tempo is a home exercise system that includes a free-weight set, a 42-inch touch screen display and a 3-D motion tracking mechanism; it costs $1,995. The company’s chief executive, Moawia Eldeeb, said that starting in mid-February, its users were working out 35 percent more often than they had in the previous six months. |
| Last week, the company increased its spending on advertising. | Last week, the company increased its spending on advertising. |
| Asked if he was concerned about the appearance of taking advantage of pandemic panic, Mr. Eldeeb argued that the company was providing a necessary service. | Asked if he was concerned about the appearance of taking advantage of pandemic panic, Mr. Eldeeb argued that the company was providing a necessary service. |
| “You cannot socially distance yourself at a gym,” he said. “It is the worst place to be. Because you don’t know who touched what, you can’t clean the dumbbells and barbells. I find that we’re actually offering something that does help in this time to reduce the stress.” | “You cannot socially distance yourself at a gym,” he said. “It is the worst place to be. Because you don’t know who touched what, you can’t clean the dumbbells and barbells. I find that we’re actually offering something that does help in this time to reduce the stress.” |
| The Mirror, another home exercise system, costs $1,495, with classes for $39 a month. It too, is attracting more interest, according to its founder and chief executive, Brynn Putnam. In an email, Ms. Putnam said that the company had seen a fivefold increase in exercise frequency relative to years past over the previous several months, as well as a “noticeable uptick” in new purchases. | The Mirror, another home exercise system, costs $1,495, with classes for $39 a month. It too, is attracting more interest, according to its founder and chief executive, Brynn Putnam. In an email, Ms. Putnam said that the company had seen a fivefold increase in exercise frequency relative to years past over the previous several months, as well as a “noticeable uptick” in new purchases. |
| A company within the Equinox Group’s portfolio, Equinox Media, also chose this week to introduce Variis, an app featuring content for home workouts from Equinox, SoulCycle and Precision Run, among others. (The company said it had intended to release Variis at South by Southwest, the festival in Austin, Texas, before it was canceled.) | A company within the Equinox Group’s portfolio, Equinox Media, also chose this week to introduce Variis, an app featuring content for home workouts from Equinox, SoulCycle and Precision Run, among others. (The company said it had intended to release Variis at South by Southwest, the festival in Austin, Texas, before it was canceled.) |
| Variis will be compatible with a new home bike from SoulCycle that will be available for pre-order starting March 13. (A spokeswoman for SoulCycle said that the timing of both products was “in no way a result of Covid-19.”) | Variis will be compatible with a new home bike from SoulCycle that will be available for pre-order starting March 13. (A spokeswoman for SoulCycle said that the timing of both products was “in no way a result of Covid-19.”) |
| But there are those in workout-related industries who say little has changed, at least for now. Joshua Somers, the executive director of Indoor Hoops, a pickup basketball organization service with a membership of about 30,000, said that he and his colleagues were continuing to monitor the virus’s progress but saw no reason, as of Tuesday, to halt games. | But there are those in workout-related industries who say little has changed, at least for now. Joshua Somers, the executive director of Indoor Hoops, a pickup basketball organization service with a membership of about 30,000, said that he and his colleagues were continuing to monitor the virus’s progress but saw no reason, as of Tuesday, to halt games. |
| Mr. Somers said that while his network had seen a slight dip in overall reservations, only a handful of the 125 games scheduled for this week in New York City had been canceled. | Mr. Somers said that while his network had seen a slight dip in overall reservations, only a handful of the 125 games scheduled for this week in New York City had been canceled. |
| “As long as the doors are open, were going to keep playing and be an outpost for people to have interaction and exercise,” he said. “It’s easy to get panicked about this stuff but we’re trying to stay positive.” | “As long as the doors are open, were going to keep playing and be an outpost for people to have interaction and exercise,” he said. “It’s easy to get panicked about this stuff but we’re trying to stay positive.” |