A gym in California has installed plastic pods to maintain social distance. (Source: religionofsports/Instagram)
The coronavirus pandemic has raised concerns about working out in a public gym in the presence of other people, including instructors. In a recent South Korea report, researchers warned against indoor fitness classes, suggesting it could provide a route for spreading the virus.
According to researcher Dankook’s Sukbin Jang, the “moist, warm atmosphere” in a “confined place coupled with “turbulent air flow generated by intense physical exercise can cause more dense transmission of isolated droplets,” reported Live Science.
To tackle such a situation, a gym in California, Inspire South Bay Fitness, has now made individual plastic pods for people to take classes while maintaining social distance. Take a look:
It was the owner Peet Sapsin and his wife who came up with the creative idea to design a safer space for working out.
The gym had initially mandated masks for returning clients. “We tested it out on Zoom, though, and could tell that people couldn’t breathe. We felt really bad for them. Our clients are like our family. We were thinking, how do we want our family to feel?” Sapsin was quoted as saying by CNN, after which they came up with the idea of plastic pods.
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The pods have been constructed from shower curtains and PVC pipes, with the project costing less than USD 400 (Rs 30,464). Each pod is about six feet wide and 10 feet tall.
“Everything you need is inside your pod — bench, mat, dumbbells. There is also a disinfecting spray in there, so that after, everyone can clean up after themselves,” Sapsin added. The team at the studio are also cleaning the area daily and keeping fans running and door open for air circulation.