MINNESOTA HEALTH AND FITNESS INDUSTRY

PROTOCOLS FOR REOPENING HEALTH AND FITNESS FACILITIES

Minnesota’s health and fitness industry operates more than 775 facilities with 31,775
employees throughout the state with one mission—to help people live healthier lives. Life
Time operates 26 large-format, multi-use clubs in the Twin Cities alone, while Self Esteem
Brands and Lift Brands together support independent franchise owners of 280 Anytime Fitness
and Snap Fitness locations throughout the state, including greater Minnesota. In addition,
hundreds of small business owners run fitness studios, boutiques and other training facilities in
Minnesota. Xponential Fitness has 30 boutique fitness studios and franchise locations in
Minnesota alone.

As we reopen our facilities, we are committed to creating an environment that helps reduce
risks associated with COVID-19 by implementing practices consistent with the following
protocols, all of which aim to meet the State’s public health considerations of predictability and
safety.

SHARED RESPONSIBILITY FOR REDUCING COVID-19 RISKS

 Promote a shared understanding of health and safety measures related to COVID-19

with ongoing communication and training for members and employees

o Communication with members through in-club signage or online/digital

platforms

o Training for team members on COVID-19-related protocols

ACCESS CONTROL

 Encourage self-screening of both employees and members for symptoms associated

with COVID-19 as set forth by the CDC

o Request that individuals with demonstrable symptoms of COVID-19 not enter

the facility

 Encourage touchless facility access where possible, such as by personal access card or
mobile device

 Maintain member usage records, where available, to facilitate contact tracing

EMPLOYEE PROTECTION

 Encourage the use of barrier masks, gloves and/or hand sanitizer for employees where
available and appropriate, subject to individual health limitations or alternative
governmental requirements

1
 MINNESOTA HEALTH AND FITNESS INDUSTRY
PROTOCOLS FOR REOPENING HEALTH AND FITNESS FACILITIES

o Provide barrier masks or other protective shielding as available and appropriate

for employees in sustained contact with facility users at a distance less than 6’

o Provide personal protective equipment to employees as may be required during

enhanced cleaning

 Encourage hand washing at the start and conclusion of shifts, and as appropriate during
employee shifts

 Discourage direct personal contact between employees during work, including greetings
by personal touch

 Permit employees to take breaks in locations where social distancing is possible,

including outside or a sufficiently large workspace.

SOCIAL/PHYSICAL DISTANCING

 Restrict occupancy/capacity in the facility in order to maintain social/physical distance

of at least 6’ between facility users

 Denote appropriate social distancing through visual or physical cues, including as

appropriate

o Signs or markings on floors, equipment and other fixtures

o Equipment reconfigurations

o Direct member communications

 Encourage the use of barrier masks by members, subject to individual health limitations
or alternative government requirements

 Limit contact sports

 Use contactless financial transactions and class reservations where possible

 Address non-compliance directly with members as appropriate

CLEANING

 Implement enhanced cleaning protocols throughout the facility

2
 MINNESOTA HEALTH AND FITNESS INDUSTRY
PROTOCOLS FOR REOPENING HEALTH AND FITNESS FACILITIES

o Clean high-touch or common-used surfaces regularly

 Position sanitizing stations for members to clean equipment before and after each use

 Prohibit water fountain use, or limit it to water bottles

SPACE- AND ACTIVITY-SPECIFIC PROTOCOLS

These space- and activity-specific protocols supplement the general protocols above, including
maintenance of 6’ social distance and enhanced cleaning protocols for high-touch surfaces.

Group Fitness Classes and Programs

 Limit studio capacity to a minimum of 36 square feet/participant (6’ x 6’ square) (i.e.,

restriction based on room capacity, not number of participants)

 Schedule classes in order to create sufficient time and space for cleaning and avoidance
of congregation between classes

 Provide a personal microphone for each instructor, or clean microphones between uses

 Use dedicated, not shared, equipment for class participants

o Clean equipment between each class

o Restack equipment only after it has been cleaned

Personal Training

 Permit personal training of clients by instructors at a distance of 6’, with barrier mask
protection if such socially distant training is not practicable for the regimen

Locker Rooms

 Permit locker use while observing 6’ social distance including for safety purposes
(retention of valuables, limiting personal bags in fitness areas, etc.)

 Permit showering in individual stalls with reasonable barrier protection

o Regularly clean stalls after use by members and/or employees

3
 MINNESOTA HEALTH AND FITNESS INDUSTRY
PROTOCOLS FOR REOPENING HEALTH AND FITNESS FACILITIES

 Launder towels according to the manufacturer’s instructions as recommended by CDC,

including using the warmest appropriate water temperature and drying items
completely

 Permit use of saunas and steam rooms only if 6’ of social distance may be observed

 Monitor spacing and cleanliness with a locker room attendant if otherwise staffed

Pools

 Permit pools to open with proper operation, maintenance and disinfection pursuant to
CDC guidance

o CDC guidance: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/water.html (there

is no evidence that the COVID-19 virus can be spread to people through pools,
hot tubs, spas and water play areas with chlorine/bromine that kills or
inactivates the virus)

o Restrict or discourage the sharing of swim lanes and communal items, such as
kickboards, while exercising

 Encourage social distancing on the pool deck, including by spacing out deck seating as
practicable

 Restrict hot tub usage to maintain 6’ of social distance

Each individual health and fitness facility may use these protocols to develop their own
operating procedures consistent with their environment.