Procedures for In-Studio Classes, Workouts, and Special Programs During the COVID-19 Pandemic
From March 18 through June 14, 2020, Body Moves classes, workouts and educational programming have been provided to current tuition-paying students through digital and other online options that include email, phone, private Facebook group, live-stream, live-stream recorded, video, Zoom-live, and Zoom-live recorded formats.
Based on current reports and guidelines from credible agencies and evidence-based scientific reports, and based on the current desires and expectations of our students (see Footnote 1, Survey Questions, May 2020) beginning on June 15, Body Moves is transitioning to a hybrid programming model (see Footnote 2, Touch Point #20) that provides some in-studio classes and workouts while also continuing to provide online classes, workouts, and educational sessions.
Due to the evolving nature of hybrid in-studio and online programming, students are asked to regularly refer to the weekly schedules of class and workouts offerings by day, time and method of class delivery. The schedules are available through the Body Moves – Community Joy of Movement Group (Private Facebook Group), the Body Moves T’ai Chi Community Facebook Group, and the Body Moves Fitness and Wellness Center website. The schedules are likely to change as COVID-19 conditions change, student demand changes, and new evidence-based studies are released.
Procedures for Students who Participate in Classes, Workouts, and Other Events in the Studio Space Beginning June 15, 2020
We welcome back Body Moves students who are ready to take classes, workouts, and special sessions in the physical space of the studio!
In order to participate in the in-studio activities, students and instructors must follow guidelines to help protect themselves and others of minimizing the COVID-19 pandemic effects. Following are the guidelines for students. (Instructors have additional guidelines to follow.)
Preparing to come to the studio for classes:
- Assess your current status in health risk of contracting the COVID-19 virus
- Assess yourself for common symptoms of contracting the virus.
- In the last 2 – 14 days, have you had any of the following: fever or chills; cough; shortness of breath or difficulty breathing; fatigue; muscle or body aches; headache; new loss of taste or smell; sore throat; congestion or runny nose; nausea; vomiting; or diarrhea?
- In the last 14 days, have you been in close contact (within 6 feet) with a person who has tested positive with COVID-19?
- Sign-up on our website for the class that you want to take in the studio. Enrollment capacity is 6 students plus the instructor. Once six students have registered for the class, you have the option to take it through the Zoom format.
- Pack your face covering (face mask or face shield). Pack your water bottle. If you will need your yoga mat and blocks, bring those, too. No yoga blankets at this time, but you may bring a freshly laundered towel.
- Arrive at the studio at least 10–15 minutes before class begins.
- Leave porous items in your car, such as bags and purses. These items will not be allowed in the movement rooms.
Once you arrive at the studio:
- With your face covering ready for action, enter the building through the glass doors and proceed through the inner hallway to the Body Moves door, respecting at least 6 feet physical distancing between you and others that you meet.
- Enter the door to the reception area and thoroughly use the provided disinfectant for your hands, or thoroughly wash your hands in the restroom.
- At the desk, the instructor or staff member will greet you and verify that you have signed in online for the class. The first time you come to a class you will complete the COVID-19 Liability Waiver form. We will take your temperature.
- Next, you will proceed to the visiting space. Weather permitting, the visiting space will be on our veranda. Otherwise, students will space themselves in the reception room and the inner hallway with appropriate physical distancing and face coverings.
When it is time for class:
- Students will enter the larger movement room, spacing at least 6 feet apart while entering and while being in the movement room.
- Place yourself at one of the areas marked on the floor in the movement room.
- If you brought items like a yoga mat or blocks, or if you are using Body Moves mats, blocks and other equipment, then spray those items with the provided disinfectant and wipe with provided cloths. If you are using body sculpt or small group equipment then you will wear provided disposable vinyl gloves when using that equipment.
- Take the class or workout keeping at least 6 feet distance between you and others, which is a little more than 2 arms lengths for approximate measure.
At the end of class:
- Use the disinfect spray again on any items you have been using during the class, wiping with the provided cloth.
- Assist your instructor in preparing to leave the movement space.
- Wash or disinfect your hands thoroughly.
- Exit the movement room, honoring the 6 foot distance rule.
- You are invited to continue visiting with friends and instructors on the veranda space after class.
- Should you use the restroom, please use the disinfectant spray and then using a paper towel, wipe the stool flush handle, door knobs and light switch, in addition to thoroughly washing your hands for at least 20 seconds,
- Give yourself a pat on the back for having taken another great class or workout at Body Moves!
Additional steps the studio takes:
- Continue with our standard protocol of daily mopping, restroom cleaning, surface cleaning of commonly touched hard surfaces.
- Assist you with your disinfecting protocol as well as traffic flow, and water bottle refills.
- Frequently disinfecting hard surfaces throughout the day that are likely to be touched such as door handles, light switches, desk surfaces, writing tools, remote controls, headsets, electronic devices and computers, studio phones.
- During and after class, maintain an open the door at the north side of the north movement room. Using floor fans, direct the air flow in the movement room out of the room.
- Instructor monitoring of physical distancing, air flow, disinfectant usage during classes and workouts.
- Encourage you to follow the Lifestyle Medicine health behaviors and the lifestyle behaviors of the Blue Zones in order to maintain and even increase your immune system for a body that is healthy, well, and resilient!
Footnotes:
#1 — Survey Question Results, May 2020
A survey was emailed to current and recent students at Body Moves on May 24 and again to non-respondents on May 29, 2020. The 16-item survey asked students questions about their current interests in our online instruction methods, their health, and their readiness to return to the building for in-studio classes, workouts and educational programs.
Results of two of the 16 items follow:
Item 7. If you are taking classes and workouts with us through the Private Facebook Group, or the T’ai Chi Private Group, or Zoom workouts, then how do you feel about the online offerings so far? (82 replied to the question)
7% said, “I like the online teaching and actually prefer it over in-the-studio classes and workouts”
57% said, “It works for me now, but I still prefer being in the studio with my instructor and Body Moves friends”
12% said, “I don’t like the online approach, and cannot wait to get back to the studio”
7% said, “I’m not connected to the online classes to know how to answer the question
17% said, “Other” (10 people replied they want both online and in-studio classes after we open the studio space again.)
Item 10. When will you want to start taking classes and workouts and attending events again in the studio space? (90 replied)
12% said, “I’m ready now to come for some in-studio classes, along with online classes”
36% said, “I’ll be ready to return when numbers of new COVID cases in Johnson County are at or near zero for 14 days”
29% said, “I’ll be ready to return when numbers of new COVID cases in Johnson County are at or near zero for 28 days.”
6% said, “I want to take all my classes and workouts online indefinitely.”
17% said, “Other”, which included questions about studio protocol (8%), current compromised health (2%), not sure (3%), when safe, when vaccine (4%)
#2 — Touch Point #20 Hybrid Programming at Body Moves
For more information about Body Moves Hybrid Programming, please view Touch Point #20 by Beth Pelton that was published June 14. You will find that video on the Private Facebook Group and also on the Body Moves Fitness and Wellness Center website at fitnessatbodymoves.com.
#3 – Signing Up for Class on Our Website Directions
The steps to sign up for our group fitness classes online are the same as it always has been; however, it may have been a while since you have had to sign in for a class, so let’s review the steps!
- Go to our website at https://www.fitnessatbodymoves.com
- On the home page click the box that says ‘Schedule and Pricing’
- On the Schedule and Pricing page, click the pink words CLASS SCHEDULE
- The next thing you’ll see is the list of group fitness classes for the current week for in-studio classes for up to 6 students in the space. Click the “Sign Up Now” button for the class that you want to take. The week of June 15 – 21, the two group fitness classes are Qigong and Yin Yoga. Advanced T’ai Chi students also can take their class in the studio. The T’ai Chi students have other directions for signing up! NOTE: If you want to see all of the classes we are offering in a given week, both in the studio and online, then you will find the complete class schedule on the Private Facebook Group)
- Our website will want to know if you have an account with us, so it will ask you to sign in with your email and password.
- Enter your email and the password that you created for Body Moves. Then click. If you can’t remember your password, then click the words, “Need a new password?” Follow the directions and write down your new password for future! (I keep my personal Body Moves password in my phone).
- Once you are signed in, then the system will recognize the class you clicked that you want to sign up for and will register you!
- If the class is full, then the system will tell you that. If the class you want to take in the studio is full, then you can take the live class through the Zoom format.
- Seems like a lot of steps, but once you’ve done this a couple times (and have your password handy), then it is easy. Good for the pre-frontal cortex of your brain. 🙂