Reopening Precautions at CrossFit 11:24

As the “happy place” for many, CrossFit 11:24 reopened late April in Marietta, Georgia, after shutting down for the pandemic.

Callie Cooke, a co-owner of the Box, said her and her husband felt comfortable enough with the precautions they had in place to reopen. Plus, they knew people were itching to leave home and the gym was a safe place for them to go. “We created and have grown a family at CrossFit 11:24, and each relationship was certainly missed throughout the quarantine period,” said Cooke.

Since reopening, the gym has been performing the below to keep members safe:

• They created 11-by-14-foot squares on the gym floor. Members come into the gym and immediately go to the square. “From there, they are able to proceed with a workout in their specified square,” said Cooke.
• Before and after working out and touching any equipment, each member must wipe down/clean the equipment with disinfectant wipes.
• All common areas remain closed to discourage lingering.
• Bathroom stalls have been limited, and all showers are closed. Towel services have been suspended.
• Members come in one designated entrance and leave one designated exit to avoid any overlap of traffic. They also use the bay doors to avoid having to touch door handles. 
• All Coaches wear masks.
• Prior to closing, the gym had been “fogged” to kill any germs that could have been living on surfaces.

With the above precautions in place, Cooke said they are up and running. Members have responded well. “So many have been so grateful we’ve chosen to open,” she said.

However, there are some members with underlying at-risk conditions who have chosen to remain at home. As such, Cooke said they are still providing at-home workouts. “This decision has been 100% respected, and we’ve certainly extended grace to whomever chooses to remain in a shelter-in-place,” she said. “We understand the uncertainty in the world.”

For other gyms looking to reopen, Cooke said it is important to not judge someone’s decision to not come back to the gym right away. But it’s also essential to do all you can to be safe. “You can’t take enough precautionary measures,” she said. “If you think you’re doing too much, good. It’s better to be over cautious than under cautious.”