Despite an increase in omicron cases, local gyms are seeing success.

New Year’s resolutions are still being made as we enter the second half of January 2022.

Joining a gym or fitness center is one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions each year.

Many gyms and fitness centers use the new year to attract new members, and this year is no exception.

“Everyone has their New Year’s resolutions on January 1st,” Jen Loos, a trainer at RHO Engine Room, said. “It usually involves getting in shape, getting fit, or getting healthier.”

RHO Engine Room was founded in 2018 and provides members with over five different types of classes to choose from.

Prior to the pandemic, RHO Engine was experiencing a 129 percent increase in sales, according to owner Laura Kitzi.

Due to capacity constraints and members’ fear of contracting the virus, gyms and fitness centres saw significant drops in attendance after the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Due to declining revenues, the Global Health & Fitness Association (IHRSA) mentions that 27 percent of gyms and studios had closed by the summer of 2021.

Kitzi put a lot of her own money into reopening RHO Engine Room in order to keep her members safe.

“She spent about $6,000 on plexiglass,” Loos explained. “We socially distanced ourselves by creating cubbies out of plexiglass so that each person could have their own safe space.”

As the year 2021 approached, COVID-19 cases began to decline, and there was growing optimism that the pandemic’s end was near. This would not be the case for long, as the new strain of COVID, the omicron variant, began infecting people at a rate that was greater than any other previously known variant.

Fearing that this new strain would have a significant impact on gyms and fitness centres, the Community Gyms Coalition and IHRSA wrote to congressional leaders requesting federal relief aid.

The start of 2022 at RHO Engine Room has been markedly different from that of other gyms across the country.

“We’re actually getting more new members right now,” Loos said. “We’re doing everything we can to keep our members happy by making them feel safe.” “This includes extra cleaning as well as social distance.”

CrossFit Unstoppable, located in Jefferson City, is another of the many small business gyms.

CrossFit Unstoppable was founded in 2011 and provides personal training through various forms of exercise to clients.

There was some skepticism when the omicron variant first appeared.

“I was a little scared,” owner and trainer Debbie Rosslan admitted. “We have smart members, though, and I know we’ll do everything we can to keep everyone safe.”

According to Rosslan, the New Year brings no significant changes to her gym.

“We usually stay around the same all year,” Rosslan explained. “We’ve added three or four new members since the beginning of the year, but our membership has remained stable.”

Both gyms believe that as the year progresses, they will be able to overcome any obstacles thrown their way by COVID.