Covid-19 Safety Protocols 

CLEANLINESS 

 

The facilities have undergone thorough cleaning with virus-killing disinfectants. This includes all weights, dumbbells, metal plates, weight bars, workout mats, yoga block balls, kettlebells, and workout stations. 

 

Every hour during operation, all of our primary pieces of workout equipment will be sanitized. The floor will also be cleaned throughout the day. There is also daily cleaning regimen of all mirrors, doors, walls, and countertops. 

 

Our bathrooms will be sanitized hourly, and our staff has been instructed to make quick checks of the showers, changing areas, and toilets. 

 

For deep cleaning, we have hired a professional cleaning crew to come twice a week. 

 

In addition, you will find medical grade cleaning products and hand sanitizer throughout the gym. 

 

[We Have the Cleanest Gym in California and Will Redouble Our Efforts to keep It That Way! 

 

 

GYM ENTRY REQUIREMENTS 

 

If you have any signs of illness or feel unwell in any way, it is important that you do not come to the gym. (The same goes for our staff. We actively discourage them from coming to work while sick). The staff is instructed to bar entry for anyone showing any sign of illness, and we will be using contactless body temperatures scanners. 

 

To make the entry procedure efficient, we will have a reservation system in place. And to avoid crowding, we have separated the entrance from the exit. Please do not exit through the front entrance but follow the arrows to the exit when leaving. Please work with us to make this process as quick and smooth as possible! 

 

 

DISTANCING 

 

Working out together can be fun, but during these times, we must still be careful. Although many of you will be vaccinated, we still ask that you maintain a distance from others. 

 

For the time being, we need to limit the number of people who can work out at the same time. Please see this link for the most current capacity limits.  

 

You will now find protective screens at the entrance counter and between significant workout equipment. We have placed markers on the floor to denote safe distances. If the equipment you want to use is occupied, please wait at least six feet away, and give other members enough space to maintain distance also. It’s a matter of courtesy, and it will benefit you as well when it is your turn to use the equipment. And, if the gym is over capacity, please wait at the designated spots near the front desk or outside. 

 

For spin classes, our staff will be moving the spin bikes into designated spots away from each other. That way, everyone will have enough room. 

 

Until further notice, we cannot allow team training, but only individual workouts. 

 

Please be considerate to others and do not occupy workout stations for more than 8 to 10 minutes at a time. When you are done, please wipe down everything you have touched before departing the station. This goes especially for equipment handles, seats, and individual pieces such as weights. For the time being, keep your total workout time to 55 minutes or less during peak periods. Again, these are common courtesies which make the gym experience better for everyone. 

 

Please bring your own yoga mats - if you prefer to use one of ours, please clean it after using. 

 

For extra space, feel free to use the back room when no class is in session! 

MASKS 

 

Per Los Angeles County Health Orders in effect as of June 15, 2021 the unvaccinated and partially vaccinated must wear masks when at indoor public settings and businesses. 

 

We are required to to adhere to this order. Who counts as “fully vaccinated”? Here’s what the U.S. Centers for Disease Control says: 

 

 

In general, people are considered fully vaccinated: 

 

• 2 weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines,  

 

or 

 

• 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine 

 

If you don’t meet these requirements, regardless of your age, you are NOT fully vaccinated. Keep taking all precautions until you are fully vaccinated. 

 

See: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated.html 

 

 

If this applies to you, please bring your vaccination card and show it at the front desk.  

Upon verifying your information, you will be given a wristband as a signal to others that you may take off your mask during your time at the gym. The wristband also signals to others to stay away from you if they feel unsafe around you, and it helps staff to keep track who may or may not work out without a mask on. 

 

 

BENEFITS OF TRAINING WITH FACE MASKS 

 

Did you know that face masks can actually be beneficial for your cardio-vascular training, and for building lung capacity and efficiency? Competition athletes have been using this technique for decades, and there are many studies on it. For example, athletes who normally train at sea level are using breathing barriers to prepare for competition or games taking place in high elevations, where breathing must be more efficient to compensate for lower air pressure. 

 

Contrary to many myths, research shows that masks restricting our breathing do not actually reduce blood oxygen levels, if used correctly. (For example, see: https://www.physoc.org/blog/are-face-masks-reducing-the-oxygen-in-your-blood/ and https://wexnermedical.osu.edu/blog/masks-oxygen-levels). 

 

So why do you feel shortness of breath with the mask on? Mainly for two reasons. One is that mask creates additional airflow resistance. This means the body must work harder to draw in air. From a perspective of training, this is a good thing, because you will be exercising the muscles needed for breathing. 

 

But there is a more important reason: During our normal activity, our body takes in oxygen and produces carbon dioxide as a result of our metabolism. (We shed it when we exhale). The harder we work out, the more carbon dioxide we produce. But the masks cause us to re-breathe some of the exhaled carbon dioxide, and there is additional airflow resistance to breathing out as well. This makes it harder for the body to get rid of carbon dioxide, and more of it accumulates in the blood. This, in turn, makes it more difficult for the body to re-oxygenate the blood. In other words, the body has to work harder. As a consequence, over time it adapts by becoming more efficient in using oxygen and disposing carbon dioxide.  

 

Of course, just like any training, this takes time. But in essence, if you consistently restrict the metabolic gas exchange during training, you can count on your body to adapt and become much better at breathing and exchanging carbon dioxide for fresh oxygen. And the body might even respond by producing more red blood cells containing hemoglobin, which transports oxygen to our cells. 

 

As with any training, it is important not to overdo it. It’s okay to feel short of breath during workouts, but if you begin to feel dizzy, experience any pain or feel like you might be fainting, you must stop and rest, and subsequently reduce the intensity of your workout. As always, safety comes first. If you have any medical conditions, you must consult the advice of a qualified Doctor of medicine. (This is true before you do any kind of workout). 

 

 

CAPACITY LIMITS 

 

For the time being, these capacity limits are in place. Please check this page often, as adjustments will be made as time goes by. 

 

 

We hope that all these measures combined will make the Fitness Center at AERO Long Beach a safe place for all our members!