Here you can find some updates regarding our reopening plan and policies. Reopening will be a moving target until we know a specific timeline and guidelines from the city and state but we’ll keep you updated along the way.
Sunday 8.09.20
We are starting outdoor workouts at Thomas Greene Park this week! Details below:
Thomas Greene Park Workout Information
Friday 8.07.20
Thank you to everyone who came out to our Virtual Town Hall! Below is the archived version for those who could not make it live.
Wednesday 7.15.20
Last week several gyms filed a class action lawsuit against New York State in response to fitness centers being withheld from phase 4 reopening plans. Many of these gyms were from regions north of the city who had entered phase 4 however along with indoor malls and movie theaters were told shortly before their planned reopenings that the city would require their businesses to remain closed indefinitely. It appears the reason for removing our businesses from phase 4 is due to concerns about filtration abilities of HVAC systems. Here’s our take:
I think the fitness industry needs to be smart, but not brash about the situation. Many gyms owners I’ve talked to around the country argue that there’s “no evidence” to suggest gyms are significant vectors for spreading the virus, sometimes pointing to this study from Norway with a sample size of 3,754 participants, half of whom were allowed to go back to the gym and others who were told to remain home. The conclusion of the study showed that there was not an increased infection rate of gym goers, however Norway and the United States are not analogs and given how much of an outlier the US has been with infection rates, I think the study’s applicability to our situation is promising but limited. It stands to argue that with a virus who’s primary means of transmission is respiratory droplets, indoor training environments are a unique concern. However way more nuance is needed in assessing the risks given the specifics of the training environment and style as well what mitigation efforts have been put in place. The fitness industry is not a monolith, a second floor equinox with circulated air and a gym like our own with roll-up gates and no AC system are two very different situations. I’m also frustrated in the lack of rational going into some of the reopening decisions. For example indoor gymnastics, basketball and baseball were all included in phase 3 as well as physical therapy, chiropractic care and massage therapy. If these industries have been allowed to reopen can’t appointment based personal training and masked small group training with no recirculated air return? Furthermore many businesses that use HVAC systems like barbershops, nail salons and super markets have been allowed to open without concern or requirement for additional filtration systems.
Additionally, we have not been given any metrics or timeline to suggest when we would be able to reopen. Being in phase 4 at least gave us some reasonable timeline to plan around, but no additional guidance has been given since we were removed from phase 4 and don’t know if that means a few extra days, weeks or months that we should be preparing for. If gyms are mandated to be closed indefinitely, rent abatement and extension of federal unemployment benefits need to be implemented in order to keep small businesses and people afloat. The numbers in the north east have been promising and we hope that we can open our doors sooner than later.
We’re taking covid seriously. We understand that we have a unique and powerful responsibility to keep our members and the greater community we live in safe. We believe in science and that masks and distancing are necessary mitigation efforts to keep covid numbers under control. But we also want answers, transparency and more economic relief from our government if we’re to continue to remain closed.
Monday 7.06.20
Friday 6.12.20
We’ve been hard at work cleaning out the gym, painting, moving equipment around and planning for our eventual reopening. The city has gyms in phase 4 for reopening which puts us at roughly 5-6 weeks away from opening our doors, assuming covid cases don’t spike. On top of all the stress and details related to reopening, as you all know we’ve been dealing with the self-inflicted damage related to (now former) CrossFit CEO and founder Greg Glassman’s comments regarding George Floyd and Covid-19. The history of problematic leadership at CrossFit HQ is a long and complicated one and as a result of this we’ve decided to step away from the company, rebranding ourselves as “Community Fitness South Brooklyn”. This was not an easy decision given all we owe to the methodology and community at large that has given us so much, however, values and actions are more important than 8 letters associated with our name and now more than ever it’s important to be on the right side of history. We unequivocally believe that black lives matter and changing our name is only one step in the direction of making our gym even more equitable and accessible for more people. Creating sustaining and benefactor rates, partnering with local organizations, changing elements of how we program and the kinds of events we run in the future will further demonstrate our commitment to more equitable access to our program and highlight our values of inclusivity and our commitment to progressive politics. We’re hard at work putting all the details together and are excited to be rolling out some of our plans in the coming days and weeks. We appreciate everyone’s support, understanding and patience as continue to operate primarily online and know that we want nothing more than to safely open our gym for our community.
Monday 5.30.20
As we prep the gym for our eventual reopening we’re asking members to come pick up all their shoes, belts, logbooks, and other items left at the gym. We’ll host 3 one-hour pickup windows starting this Tuesday.
If you can’t come in to get your stuff email us at crossfitsbk@gmail.com before next Friday, June 5th. We will be donating or discarding EVERYTHING left behind!
Sunday 5.17.20
- For those of you who have been purchasing virtual class drop-ins, we now are offering a 10 class punch card for virtual classes so that folks dont need to purchase a new class every time they want to participate.
- A reminder that anyone who is experiencing financial hardship which prevents them from being able to pay our posted rates should contact us to work something out, we don’t want to leave anyone behind and know you especially need community and fitness.
Monday 5.11.20
- Programs & Classes we have confirmed that we will not immediately relaunch with are: Diapers & Dumbbells, Foundations, Strong Fit, Next Level Weightlifting Club, Free Intro Class and CrossFit Kids programs. Stay tuned regarding other programs.
- Virtual classes will continue to be available as demand warrants them beyond when we are able to reopen. These will be available for members at a discounted virtual only membership rate or as a free add on to your normal membership.
- All equipment will need to be returned to the gym the week prior to us being able to open our doors. If you plan on continuing virtual classes, we recommend you invest in 1-2 dumbbells. We recommend hexagonal dumbbells. These are currently in high demand, so you’ll have to keep your eyes open and shop around for when they become available. This style of dumbbell is usually pretty robust, regardless of brand.