Steps to a Healthier, Safer You
Recently in a Mike Tyson interview, he said, "I don't look at life as being an age; I look at life as being energy. You don't introduce yourself with how old you are; instead, you talk about what you do, your passions, and interest". You see, Mike, at 54, was preparing for his next fight. He's able to do this because he believes fitness is a way of life.
Five-time Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady, at 43, attributes his success to his diet, 9 hours of sleep per day, and training regiment; the only people that talk about his age are sports announcers.
While we can't all be like Mike or Tom Brady, we all know this to be true; a regular exercise schedule, eating healthy, and a good night's sleep will lead to a healthier, more energetic you. Unfortunately, the pandemic has dramatically changed our daily routines. Even if you weren't a fitness phenom, you were active, you went to work, to the malls and events. You moved around, interacted with people and the environment. For others, you went to the gym, spa, or yoga studios, played tennis, swam, or participated in other group activities. You found motivation and inspiration from being around others.
I chose this topic because several of our customers have reached out for advice on making their fitness facility (or the spa or gym they frequent) safer. Best practices for gyms include improving ventilation and airflow, social distancing, frequent cleaning, and mandating masks wearing in the facility. Enhanced sanitizing solutions can consist of chemical air ionizers and foggers, UVC enabled lights, lamps, and air purifiers. I'll address these solutions shortly.
Paying to play
Early in the pandemic, when fitness businesses had to close, many tried to go virtual with Zoom, Facebook, and other collaboration platforms. They tried to keep the classes and revenue going, but technology, instructor experience, equipment requirements, and space at the instructors' homes made it challenging to achieve a high engagement level. Additionally, the members question the value, should you pay the same $15 for a virtual yoga class as the daily walk-in rate?
What followed the closures were many new subscriptions from larger brands and fitness apps, many of which addressed the technology challenges. These programs can be excellent, with high-quality coaches and trainers covering just about any sports. If you tried any of these paid services, you probably still have one or two on your phone you're still paying for monthly. These programs can get expensive quickly, and students don't feel close to the instructors (or the app).
Did someone say free?
With the entire world quarantined at home, something interesting happened. Everyone went online searching for content, all types of content, including fitness content. During this pandemic, teachers, and instructors that committed to keeping the content fresh, engaging with their audience daily, and leveraging platforms like YouTube for income, have become significant influencers and wealthy. YouTube fitness celebrities can make $5000 to $7000 per 1 million views. Fitness YouTubers like Chloe Ting and Yoga by Adriene; both are outstanding. Each produces daily videos, many of which have been viewed more than 20 million times, and both became multi-millionaires in 2020. This paradigm shift has been excellent for them and the many that are willing to watch few video ad clips for great free content.
What’s best for you?
What’s most interesting about these types of YouTube fitness classes is the variety. These experiences can range from a ten minute, low impact seniors class focused on stretching by The Body Coach to a one-hour high intensity “I think I’m going to be sick” interval training by Fitness Blender. Categories can also be very focused, as one of my favorites 20 minutes of yoga to aid with lower back and Sciatica by Boho Body Beautiful. Perhaps, you’re not the exercise type, but you like to dance; there is always Caleb Marshall, “The Fitness Marshall” he's got a great sense of humor and good choreography.
So how do you decide what's best for you? Look for those that offer programs that get you to engage with them regularly. You’ll find 7-day, 21-day, 30-day challenges where the instructor will encourage you to join the session every day, as they take you from a beginner level to advanced. My favorite Fitness YouTuber (also a 2020 multi-millionaire) is Jordan Yeoh. He takes you on a 21-day journey that starts with a manageable 10-minute class and works up to day 21, and you'll be surprised by what you've accomplished. The best thing about these classes is that they are always there and always free. You can skip a day, do doubles, or repeat your favorite anytime, day or night.
I've mentioned a few of the classes I like; there are many others. It's good to mix and match instructors and exercise types to keep things exciting and learn what works best for you. As the warmer weather returns, you'll be able to take this newfound energy and youthfulness into the outdoors, allowing you to further build on what you've been able to accomplish while quarantined.
Steps for a safer reopening
My favorite yoga studio reopened last week with limited capacity class sizes (5 students and the instructor). When I heard this, I was happy for them but also concerned. We provided equipment to run after each class and in the lobby at the end of the day. We installed our UVC smart corn fixtures on the tripod for the studio areas, effectively covering the 700 sqft in an hour, and set up the UVC and Ozone lamp for the smaller lobby where more items and surfaces might be touched or shared. We plan to lend them a spare medical-grade air purifier, once back in stock, to conduct classes while the device is in use.
The experts say we still have a way to go before the places we use to frequent, classes we took, and your favorite local instructors are there to encourage you to be a healthier you. Until then, we are always happy to help our customers and the organizations and facilities they typically frequent understand the complementary products and solutions that can make the environment safer. To find out more, email us at service@earthwiseuv.com.
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