Rogue Valley gyms take classes online amid stay at home orders

MEDFORD, Ore. — Hundreds of gyms and workout studios have had to shut their doors due to stay at home orders. That doesn’t mean they’re letting their clients giving up on their goals.

Gyms around the Rogue Valley are going online to make sure they’re still connecting with their students.

“We know how important movement is when you’re isolated and for the immunity,” Ashland Yoga Center Owner, Natalie Stawsky said.

Working out can be an outlet for stress and anxiety.

“If you close the doors to that and we don’t have that anchor, at least for me, I go crazy,” Stawsky said.

Amid coronavirus concerns, gyms, studios and workout facilities have been forced to shut their doors.

“The other day, the governor’s order to close down everything came down, and so we’ve just been doing everything online now,” Oregon Strength Owner, Adam Eggertsen said.

Thanks to technology like Zoom and Facetime, Oregon Strength in Talent is still able to workout together even while apart.

“I’ve been programming workouts each day that involve either very minimal equipment or just bodyweight equipment,” Eggertsen said. “If they want to do it in a class setting I sent them an email link to Zoom.”

They’re not the only ones adapting to the new times. Ashland Yoga Center has taken its om online.

“Right when we closed our doors, we made the transition to get the same schedule everything online. So we learned all the zoom technology really, really fast,” Stawsky said.

Gyms are finding creative options for members, and though they admit they have lost some members. They’re also stretching their reach to people who couldn’t reach them before.

“We’re getting people, not in the area but maybe moved out of the Rogue Valley, and now they can take classes with these teachers because now they’re online,” Stawsky said. “So the community got even bigger.”