Igniting ‘The Glo’ from home

The Glo Tis adding new workout content online every week through their subscription service. Photo by Audriana Thomas

Gyms around the country have closed amid the coronavirus outbreak.  However, some fitness centers have utilized the circumstances as an opportunity to rebrand themselves. The Glo, a fitness studio in Northeast Tallahassee, decided that now was the time to go digital.

The Glo is a relatively new business with less than two years under its belt. The studio moved to a new location in July of 2019 to house the growing business. Like many other businesses at this time, The Glo was left with very few options.

The coronavirus has shifted the economy. A recent Goldman Sachs survey of over 1,500 small businesses showed more than 50 percent of small businesses didn’t feel they would be able to continue operating for more than three months in the current state of the economy.

Kristen Strickland, owner of The Glo, said she had already begun looking at cameras and software to create a digital format; the coronavirus just prompted her to do it sooner.

“When we were forced to shut down all the pieces of the puzzle kinda just came together. So it worked out kinda nicely because it forced me to go digit. I don’t know if I would have or I probably would’ve procrastinated,” Strickland said.

Several other local fitness entities opted to do a live stream for workouts. However, The Glo decided to record videos of workout sessions. Strickland believes it’s one of the most consumer friendly options given the current conditions.

She said, “The subscription based allows people to kind of do it on their own time. Everyone has different schedules, especially now with homeschooling kids. I wanted to make it so everyone can tune in when it’s convenient for them.”

When The Glo closed due to the coronavirus halting operations, moving to a subscription program format allowed the studio to continue bringing in revenue. The studio normally hosts about six classes a day during normal operations, with classes ranging from boxing to barre.

Shifting to online meant making the classes user friendly and required some modifications to classes like boxing, for which the studio normally provided gloves, tape and a punching bag.

We’re not doing a typical boxing class, but instead we’re doing like a kickboxing class that is music based. So instead of the normal movements we are kicking or punching to the beat,” Strickland said.

Some digital classes still require the use of equipment. The studio’s most popular option both in-person and online has been the bounce class. The class involves the use of a personal trampoline for each student. The class allows students to jump and incorporates cardio so participants can work up a sweat.

Strickland says that during this time it’s important to stay healthy and a large part of that is staying active.

“People need to stay active for their health. We want to fight this virus, but you’re not going to do it from your couch, you need to keep your immune system strong,” she said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is normal to experience stress during this time. The CDC is advising the public in addition to practicing social distancing to, “Take care of your body. Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate. Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals,exerciseregularly, get plenty of sleep, and avoid alcohol and drugs.

For more information on stress coping tips from the CDC visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/index.html and for more information on The Glo’s online subscription visit https://www.theglofitness.com/about.