Michiana gyms, fitness studios going digital amidst the coronavirus crisis

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MISHAWAKA, Ind. -- Staying fit while practicing social distancing can be more of a challenge than the workout itself during the coronavirus crisis, so gyms and fitness studios are now using technology to help people stay strong and healthy. 

They’re delivering workouts right to their client’s living rooms by using social media and video conferencing apps. 

L.O.L Health and Fitness in Goshen started their virutal workout classes Wednesday. 

“There’s just a lot of different things you can do at home yourself to stay active,” said owner Diane Kritzman. “This is the time, if they were thinking about getting into exercising. They can make it work.”

Kritzman said after low in-studio attendance last week, they shut their doors Tuesday to prevent the further spread of COVID-19. 

“I just didn’t want to enhance any problems,” said Kritzman. 

From now until at least April 15, L.O.L will be offering boxing, strength, PIYO, cardio, and other classes through ZOOM. 

Kritzman just wants people to stay active.

“Exercise is important,” said Kritzman. “Staying fit, staying healthy. Maybe it’ll become a habit and then they will decide, ‘Ok, I can probably make that 5:30 class,’ We are together."


Daysha Amster is a group fitness instructor in Niles. 

She usually teaches Zumba, WORK, and yoga four times a week, but this week, she’s switching to live streaming her workouts. 

“It’s the way we relieve stress, it’s the way we show our emotions,” said Amster. “We need it every day or at least a few times a week, so now that we’re home more than ever, we don’t want to stop being motivated.” 

Amster says it’s been hard not seeing her fellow fit family and difficult to recreate the energy found in a packed studio in her home by herself. 

“It’s really hard not seeing them every single week, two three times a week,” said Amster. 

However, she hopes her virutal classes boosts people’s energy levels and lowers their stress during this time of uncertainty. 

“We’re here,” said Amster. “It’s a scary time. It keeps us connected. It helps those kinds of happy endorphins move throughout your head so you have a clear headspace and a lot of us are home with our kids and we need to stay as stress free as possible and sweating is one of the best ways to do that.” 

“This whole thing, we’re navigating something we’ve never done before, so this, who knows, could be the new normal,” said Kritzman. 

Amster’s classes are free. To sign up for one, contact Amster here

L.O.L Health and Fitness’ classes are $5. To sign up, download the ‘MindBody’ app and search for the gym. 

The YMCA of Michiana is hosting virtual workout classes for its members. Chart Fitness is emailing workouts to its gym goers.

Trainers say people can also search home workouts on Google and YouTube.



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