Coronavirus Updates

MASKING

The Final Word

 

We have been operating under a County-wide Mask Mandate for well over a year now. We’ve also done our best to follow the directives for mask wearing from the State and County during this pandemic. We’re all tired of wearing masks, especially in an environment like ours where unobstructed breathing is at a premium.

 

Here's our issue. Some of you don’t wear your masks properly. By definition, “masking” during this

pandemic has come to mean having your mask pulled up over your mouth AND nose. Most of the

infractions we see fall under the “mask under the nose” category. Members complain about other

members who violate the mask rules, and rightly so. This is a real safety issue. It has been preventing

many of our members from attending the club.

 

I have personally promised members I’ve spoken to that we will take a more affirmative position on

mask enforcement. Here’s what we’re going to do.

 

If you are spoken to by our Staff for a mask infraction twice (two times) in a one-week period, your membership may be suspended for one week. If you continue to violate the Mask rule, our suspension period will become 30 days. Additionally, should you behave in an abusive manner toward our Staff or toward another member regarding a mask intervention, we will suspend your membership for an indefinite period. My Staff is simply doing their job. Your fellow members are looking out for their

safety and the safety of other members in the club.

 

YES. The issue has become this big of a deal.

I don’t want to suspend anyone from the club, but I will respect the State and County mandates we are currently under, as well as our fellow members who

deserve to be protected.

 

We expect your full cooperation.

 

Jerry McCall

The McCall Gym Group, Inc.

 

 

January 1, 2022

 

Dear Members and Guests,

 

What a year we’ve been through. Back in May of 2021 I wrote, “vaccines are everywhere”, which continues to be true today. However now, the Omicron virus is everywhere, or it will be everywhere very soon. Could we be nearing the end of Covid as we know it? I don’t think it will “go away”, but it may transgress to “flu-like” status, according to the information I read. Vaccinations really do make a difference.

 

Back in October, I “hoped” we would enter 2022 free of masks. Whoops – missed that one. I just released a Memo to all our clubs revising the Mask Mandate and our adherence to that protocol. Many of our members are somewhat lax when it comes to wearing their masks properly, over your mouth AND nose. This is extremely unnerving to our members who adhere to all the Covid safety protocols. The Memo should be on our website shortly. It’s already up in the clubs. We will continue to enforce the Mask Mandate at our clubs. Read my October 2021 Post. If you’re a continual offender of the Mask Rule, you may get some time off for bad behavior. You can do it. Let’s get out of this predicament by Spring. Wear your mask PROPERLY.

 

On other matters in the clubs, I continue to see more people using their phones than paying attention to their workouts. The worst of this is when members sitting on a piece of equipment, effectively taking it out of use for everyone else, and staring at their phone. Put your phones away for an hour and indulge yourself in a great workout. Otherwise, you’re left wondering why your fitness goals aren’t being achieved. Plus, you’ve wasted a lot of time in the process. Seriously, get off your phones.

 

And one last thing on equipment use; When you are loading and/or unloading weight plates from our leg presses, hack squat or other large, plate loaded leg equipment (or a bench press or power rack for that matter), ALWAYS load and unload the plates – one plate at a time PER each side of the equipment. This method prevents any danger from the equipment “toppling” over. DO NOT load or unload plates on this type of equipment - all on one side, and then, all on the other side. I see this behavior more than I like in the clubs. Topple hazards are rare, but I have heard of instances of leg presses toppling in other clubs. Get used to handling plate loaded equipment in this manner. It’s a big safety issue.

 

Loading Weight Trees: 45 lb. plates go on two out of the three LOWER weight pegs on our Red, triangulated weight trees. The third peg is for 35 lb. plates. The upper three pegs are loaded - 5 lbs., 10 lbs., and 25 lb. plates, separately, on an individual peg. The gray, quadrangular weight trees are loaded as follows: 3 out of 4 pegs on the bottom tier are loaded with 45 lb. plates. The fourth peg is for 35 lb. plates. ALL the middle pegs are for 25 lb. plates. On the top tier (these are three-tier racks), two pegs get 5 lb. plates, and two pegs get 10 lb. plates. 2.5 lb. plates can be placed on the floor at the center of each tree. NEVER, EVER over stack plates of

different weight – NEVER. (Ex. Placing a 45 lb. plate over a 10 lb. plate on the top tier – don’t do it)

 

Happy New Year!

 

Jerry McCall

The McCall Gym Group, Inc.

 

 

October 5, 2021

 

Dear Members and Guests,

 

My last web-post to this site was back at the end of May (May 24th).  In my last paragraph on that post, I wrote that I “anticipated” that I would “have more information on how a health club can operate” after June 15th.  Well, I certainly apologize for making that statement and not following through with “more information”, but I’ll bring everyone up to date on this post.  Full disclosure, however; I got lazy and disenchanted over the fact that not much was changing in terms of the way we could operate.  Hence, no updates.

 

Regarding our operations today, not much has changed since that May 24th post.  The mask mandate is still in effect here in Santa Clara County.  Many of you have returned to the clubs and resumed your workout routines wearing masks.  With a vaccination rate in the 80+ percentile in Santa Clara County, getting back to your pre-covid workout schedule is a good [safe] bet right now, especially if you’re vaccinated.

 

Here’s what has changed – and it looks like it might be a big deal.  By now, everyone should be aware of this new oral therapeutic that reduces your likelihood of a hospital stay and even severe illness from Covid [and even if you aren’t vaccinated].  The idea has always been to stop this illness.  That takes a vaccination.  Getting vaccinated remains our position in the fight against this pandemic.  The new therapeutic is still great news that warrants mentioning.

 

With our vaccination rate as high as it is, the idea of COVID booster shots on the way, and with an oral therapeutic close to being approved/disseminated, I hope we can all return to the clubs on January 1, 2022, WITHOUT a mask mandate.  I think we’re just about to the point where we will simply live with this virus.  And, with all the treatments that we have at hand, I think we can do it.

 

As always, I’m out and about training at all my facilities.  I still see people sitting on equipment, on their phones, as someone may be waiting to use that equipment.  I’ve written here before that most people do not want to confront another member while the member is either using or otherwise “controlling” a piece of equipment.  That isn’t how things are supposed to work.  Get off equipment between sets.  Get off your phone, period.  Three people can use the same piece of equipment – ALL AT THE SAME TIME.  We’re a community.  Get to know some of your fellow members.  We’re full of nice people.

 

One last item; We [still] are operating under a mask mandate.  Please wear your mask over BOTH your nose and mouth.  If I had to guess from my observations, I’d say that about 25% of you have your mask pulled down below your nose.  This misuse of your mask upsets a lot of people in our clubs, and rightly so.  I know this because these members call us, or they call the County.  You don’t want a call from me about your improper mask wearing.  I’m certain I’ll warn you about your behavior.  If the complaint comes to me and your history of improper mask wearing is egregious, you stand a good chance of having your membership suspended.  WEAR YOUR MASKS PROPERLY!  We’re going to get through this pandemic.  I think we’re about to cross the finish line.  Do your part. Wear your mask.  Get vaccinated.

 

All the best,

 

Jerry McCall

The McCall Gym Group, Inc.

 

 

May 24, 2021

 

Dear Members,

 

Vaccines are everywhere now. We hope all of you avail yourselves of this opportunity. All the age

barriers have been removed, so you’re free to schedule an appointment or even drop into a vaccination site at any time. The sooner we reach 75% to 80% of our population being vaccinated, the sooner we get back to normal living. Just as I wrote in my April piece, the mask situation remains elusive. We’ll continue adhere to the State and County rules for guidance on mask wearing.

Don’t put yours away just yet. I won’t make a pronouncement or engage in any speculation about mask rules at this writing.

 

We have all but eliminated the “extra” disinfecting stations throughout our clubs. I say “extra” because

these are stations that were added over and above the numerous stations that we’ve always had

positioned throughout the clubs. The addition of these extra stations was something that we took

upon ourselves to do in response to the early information regarding sanitation protocols. The State and County never mandated that we needed a certain number of sanitation kiosks to operate. Accordingly, we’re reverting to our original layout of sanitation kiosks around the clubs. Remember, it’s your mask that is providing you protection from COVID-19. The practical effect from reduced kiosks is that you may have to walk a bit further to get a disinfecting towel. As a reminder, please be sure to throw your used paper towel in a trash receptacle – thanks.

 

I’d like to address an issue that is a rule of ours but, more importantly, it speaks more to an aspect of

our gym culture than just a black or white rule. I see, I witness (I am a “user” of all my facilities) loads

of people siting in or on a piece of equipment manipulating their mobile phone, texting with their

phone, mainly just preoccupied with their mobile phone – all the while siting on exercise equipment.

Sure, we have moments (especially now) when the club isn’t that busy and siting in a leg press

machine scrolling through Instagram doesn’t seem like a bad thing to do. Here’s the thing; you never

know, even in a club that doesn’t happen to be that occupied, who wants to also use the equipment

that you are “tying up”. There’s no soft way to say this. Please, please, get up and get off the

equipment if you want to use your phone. Siting in equipment using your phone is an affront to every

other good member in the club. This is a big problem. This is the most complained about issue in the clubs – member on member, someone sitting in equipment, not using the equipment, but using their

phone. GET OFF YOUR PHONE WHILE YOU’RE SITTING IN or ON EQUIPMENT. That’s all… and it’s that easy. Your cooperation would be greatly appreciated.

 

I anticipate doing another post right after June 15th. We should have more information on how a

health club can operate at that time. Stay tuned.

 

Jerry McCall

The McCall Gym Group, Inc.

 

 

March 2, 2021

 

Dear Members and Guests,

 

We are scheduled to reopen our facilities on Friday, March 5th.

See our Hours of Operation below.

 

The Santa Clara County Health Department is indicating that we are now in the “Red Tier” of COVID-19 profiling, which means we are

authorized to reopen, although under certain operating restrictions (reduced occupancy).

 

As I mentioned on our last web posting, we need two days to reorient our staff and restart our operational systems. This puts us to Friday, March 5th. Follow our website for ongoing updates. We will attempt to make all information as “real time” as possible.

 

Thanks for your continued support of American Barbell Clubs.

 

Hours of Operation:

Monday – Friday: 5 a.m. until 10 p.m.

Saturday – Sunday: 6 a.m. until 6 p.m.

 

Jerry McCall

The McCall Gym Group, Inc.

 

 

February 26, 2021

 

Dear Members and Guests,

 

Preliminary information from the Santa Clara County Health Department is indicating that we may fall into the “Red Tier” of COVID-19 profiling, which means we may be authorized to reopen by next Wednesday.

 

If we get this affirmative information next week, we will schedule our reopening for Friday, March 5th. The reason for the two-day gap in opening is to reorient our staff and restart our operational systems.

 

Follow our website for our reopening updates. We will attempt to make this information as “real time” as possible.

 

Thanks for your continued support of American Barbell Clubs.

 

Jerry McCall

The McCall Gym Group, Inc.

 

 

February 16, 2021

 

Dear Members and Guests,

 

We are not yet authorized to reopen at this time.  However, one of the metrics that has remained high, but is dropping rapidly – the “Adjusted Case Rate” – is almost at a point where we can reopen our clubs. The Adjusted Case Rate stands at 10.9% [cases per 100K people] at this writing.  We must be below 7% to reopen in the Red Tier in Santa Clara County.  I don’t think we’re too far from achieving this milestone.  I was recently vaccinated.  I’ll receive my second dose in early March.  There is a good chance there will be an abundance of vaccine throughout the United States by April.

 

Like you, we’ll keep a close eye on further notifications as information becomes available from the County’s website.  We’re ready to reopen.

 

As I have been saying throughout the past year, track all of the County and State websites as well as our own website for reopening information.  You get the same information at the same time as we do.  Until such time….

 

All the best and we hope to see you soon.

 

Jerry McCall

The McCall Gym Group, Inc.

 

 

January 25, 2021

 

Dear Members and Guests,

 

We are not yet authorized to reopen at this time. However, there appears to be some movement toward reopening our industry. Instead of living in a blanket shutdown, it looks like we will move back to the color-coded system that was implemented in 2020. The only problem with this development right now is that our infection “numbers” are through the roof and exceed the opening requirements.

 

Like you, we’ll keep a close eye on further notifications as information becomes available from the County’s website. We have maintained ongoing repair protocols for all of our clubs. They’re ready. Our staff is patiently standing by to get back to work as well.

 

As I have been saying throughout the past year, track all the County and State websites as well as our own website for reopening information. You get the same information at the same time as we do. Until such time….

 

All the best and we hope to see you soon.

 

Jerry McCall

The McCall Gym Group, Inc.

 

 

December 22, 2020

 

Dear Members and Guests,

 

It’s been a while since I updated our website with information. The reason I haven’t done this is because I really don’t have anything new to report. You and I have access to the same information outlets for COVID-19 updates. I don’t get any clues or inside information from the County before you do.

 

Here’s what I can speculate on. I don’t see any reopening orders until mid-January. The good news; vaccines are on the way. I’m ready for one right

now. I’m hoping by the end of the second quarter of 2021 (June) that enough of the country will have been vaccinated to get America back open

again. The question now is will there be any small businesses left to reopen once we’re in the clear?

 

We’ll watch the weekly COVID updates just like you. Even when we get the “go ahead” to reopen, it will probably be at reduced capacity. Keep an eye on

our website. This is where you’ll hear about our reopening schedule.

 

Until such time, I want to extend best wishes to all of our members during this holiday season. I know you want to visit friends and relatives who you only see once a year. If you do, be careful. Take all the precautions as outlined by the CDC.

 

In the meantime, Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.

 

Jerry McCall

The McCall Gym Group, Inc.

 

 

November 16, 2020

 

Dear Members and Guests,

 

EFFECTIVE NOVEMBER 17TH, 2020 WE ARE CLOSED – AGAIN!

 

The State of California issued an abrupt closing mandate on the health club industry today. We

apologize and regret not being able to get this information to you sooner. We are one of 41 counties in the State that were “pulled forward” to the Purple Tier, which automatically triggers this closure mandate.

 

Normally, this information is disseminated on Tuesday of each week but, as I mentioned, the action was pulled forward due to the rapid spread of the COVID-19 virus in the State. We know we will have to spend at least two to three weeks in this lockdown mode. At this writing, I can’t even speculate on the duration of the lockdown.

 

Pay attention to our website as well as any other informational outlets that you have come to rely on

during the pandemic. As we have done throughout the earlier closures, our Membership Administration office will remain open on. half schedule: 8 a.m. to 12 noon, Monday through Friday.

 

Our Membership Administration office can be reached at: 408-271-2400,

extension 4804 and 4805.

The email address is: membershipadmin@americanbarbellclubs.com

 

We will automatically place everyone’s membership on “Inactive Status”. There is an $8 monthly fee

while on Inactive Status. Annual Fees are suspended during mandated lockdowns. If you don’t wish to remain on Inactive Status during this lockdown, please inform our Membership Administration Department.

 

We regret this business interruption. We advise everyone to wear a mask and to adhere to social

distancing guidelines while out and about in public. We can reduce the transmission numbers through

these simple steps.

 

We will provide intermittent updates as we get information.

 

Thanks for your understanding.

 

 

November 5, 2020

 

Dear Members and Guests,

 

Here we are into the month of November already. We’re managing our facilities according to the directives set forth by the State and County – and it’s working out OK, all things considered. I train in the mornings. I see 100% compliance with the masking rules. Everyone is to be commended for adhering to this policy. Thank you very much for your cooperation. It’s hard, it can be annoying, but we’ll get through this.

 

We’re going to stay under these rules until a vaccine proves to be safe and effective. Then it becomes a matter of gaining acceptance by a high percentage of the population. It’s one thing to have a vaccine and another thing to have a high percentage of the population willing to take it. Let’s hope we can achieve both of these goals.

 

This pandemic has brought some new people to our facilities. That’s great. I have noticed a few troubling

developments, however, in all the clubs. Here’s what I see and here’s how to manage these issues.

 

Re-racking Equipment after Use: I see workout stations (bench presses, a Hammer Strength station, our Hoist plate-loaded equipment) left loaded with weight plates from time to time. Remember, all stations and free weight bars must be unloaded after use. It doesn’t matter if you found it loaded when you needed it. It must be unloaded by you when you’re done. This is one of the most basic items to be aware of in a workout facility such as ours. Re-rack your equipment after use.

 

Racking Plates on Trees: As a rule of thumb, 35 lb. plates and 45 lb. plates ALWAYS get racked on the bottom weight pegs of a weight tree. NEVER, NEVER mix plates together. You should always rack a 45 lb. plate with other 45 lb. plates. Another nuance to this rule; NEVER mix up different weight plates on a weight peg and NEVER over stack a plate over another plate that is not of a like kind. You NEVER stack a 45 lb. plate over a 10 lb. plate, for example. Our experienced, long-term members know all this. Our newer members have never been

informed of these norms [probably] because of the nature of the club they came from. I can tell you that all of our members understand and enjoy the organizational benefit this brings to the weight room. Pay attention to conformity when re-racking weight plates.

 

Gym Bags: We have a rule. They shouldn’t be with you on our workout floor. They are a trip hazard and they contribute to the left of our cable attachments. Your gym bag can’t be on the workout floor. Don’t leave your phone, your car keys or your wallet in a gym bag. Valuables should be kept on your person.

 

Flipping Plates to the Floor: This behavior is expressly prohibited in our facilities. You can’t take a 5, 10, or 25 lb. plate or any weight and flip it to the floor from your waist. I see this, occasionally, from people using a bench press, a Smith machine or the Hammer equipment. This is abusive behavior; the plates can cut the rubber flooring and it’s a precursor to other abusive behavior around the facility. It’s a quick way to have your membership terminated. Don’t flip plates to the floor.

 

 

October 1, 2020

 

Dear Members and Guests,

 

Here we are back open once again. If the nation, not just Santa Clara County, can adhere to a mask policy for all public gathering places (like gyms and grocery stores and other venues), I think more of these venues can reopen and stay open. That’s our goal – staying open. Masks and social distancing should enable us to buy time for therapeutics and, ideally, a vaccine to emerge to conquer COVID-19. In order to fully restore this industry, we will need something (probably a vaccine) that instills enough confidence in people to freely socialize again.

 

We’d like to see Santa Clara County move into the “Orange Tier” sooner rather than later. This will afford us a larger occupancy limit. We have excess capacity throughout the mornings at all of our facilities right now. This is a great time to stop in.

 

These are constrained times. Try to limit your workout to 45 minutes to an hour at the longest. I still see people using equipment and sitting on it for the duration of their exercise time. Many times, they’re using their phone for some reason, too. Please refrain from this type of behavior. We don’t condone this type of behavior during “normal” times but, now, it is extremely inappropriate under the constraints placed on everyone. Get off your phone and free up equipment as soon as you finish your set. Someone else is probably waiting to use it.

 

As I have done for the past 38 years, I’m in the clubs in the morning for workouts. I’m pleased to see 100% compliance with mask wearing. Thank you very much to all our members who use the clubs in the morning and comply with the mask rules. My staff reports very good compliance at other hours of the day as well. Again, this behavior is greatly appreciated. If you see another member who is violating the mask rule, come to us [at the

Front Desk]. We’ll do the intervention with the member. It’s really better that we do this, but you need to let us know.

 

Let’s be mindful that we’re all in this together. The application of this idea for all of us means that we need to be more cooperative with and thoughtful toward other people. This pandemic may create the unintended consequence of turning us all into better people and, by extension, better citizens. What a great benefit that would be from a horrible situation. From my perspective, it would be worth the little bit of effort that we’re all being asked to make to accomplish that goal.

 

We’ll get through this.

 

All the best,

 

Jerry McCall

The McCall Gym Group, Inc.

 

 

September 18, 2020

 

WE ARE OPEN!

 

On Friday morning, September 18th, we reopened our four SouthBay American Barbell Clubs locations.

 

Here’s what you need to know.

 

• You MUST wear a face covering at all times and within all spaces of our facility –

NO EXCEPTIONS!

 

• You will not be required to make an appointment to attend the facility, but we will be monitoring our occupancy.

 

• You must maneuver within the social distancing guidelines of six feet from other people.

 

• We are a social community. However, during this pandemic we urge you to take up long conversations and reunion gatherings with friends you haven’t seen in six months – OUTSIDE.

 

• Please limit your workout to 90 minutes. This practice alone should keep us within the occupancy constraints.

 

• Due to the reopening restrictions we are still under, our locker rooms, shower facilities and cardio areas remain OFF-LIMITS! Of course, bathroom facilities are available to all members.

 

IT IS OUR GOAL TO HAVE THE INDUSTRY REMAIN OPEN. PLEASE HELP US IN THIS ENDEAVOR.

 

American Barbell Clubs Management

 

 

September 11, 2020

RE-OPENING SCHEDULE

 

Dear Members and Guests,

 

On Tuesday, September 15th, the State will make another weekly announcement about the infection

rates of COVID-19 cases for counties throughout California. Santa Clara County was marginally in the

“Red Tier” when this new grading system was implemented. The Red Tier allowed for gyms to reopen at 10% occupancy. We elected to remain closed for another week to determine if these numbers would stabilize.

 

Here's our plan at this writing. If on Tuesday, September 15th, we find our County has remained in the Red Tier, we will REOPEN ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18TH. What we can’t do is guaranty how well the infection rate numbers will hold up week to week. Our biggest fear in all this is reopening our clubs and, then, having to close again should the County revert to the Purple Tier, which mandates the closing of all gyms. We’re trying to be prudent, not reckless with our reopening plan.

 

We advise you to check our website and our social media pages for reopening updates. Let this

directive serve as notice that we will reopen on Friday, September 18th, PROVIDED WE REMAIN IN THE RED TIER ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH.

 

Thank you for your continued loyalty to American Barbell Clubs. We will make it through this very

difficult time. We wish the same for you.

 

Jerry McCall

The McCall Gym Group, Inc.

American Barbell Clubs

 

COVID-19 Hours:

 

Monday through Friday / 5 a.m. until 10 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday / 6 a.m. until 6 p.m.

 

• CAPACITY WILL BE MONITORED. YOU DO NOT

  NEED AN APPOINTMENT AT THIS TIME.

 

• MASKS MUST BE WORN EVERYWHERE IN THE

  CLUBS AT ALL TIMES.

 

• SHOWERS, LOCKERS AND CARDIO

  EQUIPMENT REMAIN OFF-LIMITS UNTIL

  FURTHER NOTICE.

 

 

September 9, 2020

 

Dear Members and Guests,

 

On Tuesday, September 8th, State and County officials made revisions to our current COVID-19 status. We were moved into the “RED” tier which allows gyms and fitness centers to open with a 10% occupancy capacity. Unfortunately, Santa Clara County is barely inside the “Red Zone” tier with our adjusted case rate numbers.

 

Given the Labor Day holiday, and like most other health club organizations in our industry, we feel it’s prudent to wait at least 7-10 days to see if we can remain inside the Red Tier.

 

What we don’t want is to open too early and be forced to shut down again in a week or two. Not only is reopening very costly, it’s also a challenge remobilizing, training and hiring staff only to be forced to closed.

 

Please keep an eye on our social media sites and web site for new and updated information. We will monitor the county’s weekly assessments, which are broadcast every Tuesday, to see how our numbers are trending and to keep you informed.

 

We are very excited to see things moving in the right direction and look forward to seeing you back in our clubs.

 

Stay well and all the best in health,

 

American Barbell Clubs Management

 

 

September 1, 2020

 

COVID-19 Reopening Update

 

Dear Members and Guests,

 

Governor Newsom outlined a new program on Friday, August 28th, that delineates where each County in the State stands with respect to their COVID-19 infection status. This 4-tier, color-coded system will determine under what guidelines a business can operate within their respective County when they meet certain criteria. The metrics that make up the coding system focus on case rate and test positivity. I urge you to go to: COVID19.CA.GOV – to learn more about this 4-tier, color-coded system.

 

The summary of the Governor’s presentation was that a County must move through the color charts in order to be allowed to reopen at some capacity. Even at the point of reopening, there will be restrictions and limitations. For our industry, this comes in the form of occupancy limits. When our County meets the reopening criteria, I don’t have any reservations about adhering to capacity restraints. As I’ve mentioned in past Memos, our spaces are large, and our abundance of exercise equipment enables us to operate well within occupancy guidelines.

 

My personal view on the management of this pandemic is mixed. The COVID-19 virus is real and it’s dangerous. But, with social distancing and face coverings (masks), I feel we could be open and operating. A statewide, rapid testing program would be helpful as well. If you’re like me, getting a daily workout is as essential as buying food at the grocery store. Yet we’ve become the scourge of society - overnight. It shouldn’t be this way.

 

I’ve written letters to both of our Senators, to the Governor and to our district Congresswoman, Zoe Lofgren. Of course, no one’s answered me back; not even a form letter or an email. I’ve also joined a statewide trade organization called the California Fitness Alliance. They recently crafted a very well-written letter to the State’s Health Director, Dr. Mark Ghaly. Health club operators in the State may soon have some clout through this organization. We will get heard.

 

I would pay close attention to the COVID19.CA.GOV website for now. This is where you’ll find the most up to date information about the pandemic and the reopening of the health club industry. In the meantime, stay vigilant with regard to your own health and safety.

 

All the best,

Jerry McCall

The McCall Gym Group, Inc.

American Barbell Clubs

Membership Administration

membershipadmin@americanbarbellclubs.com

 

 

July 27, 2020

 

Dear Members and Guests,

 

As of this writing, I have no news on a reopening schedule for our clubs, or for the health club industry. The State and the County have been eerily silent about any guidance on our industry.

 

For the two days we were open, I thought we did fairly well. What I mean by that statement is that, on my tour of three of my four clubs, you all appeared to be abiding by the masking rules and social distancing guidelines – thank you very much!

 

I thought our staff did “OK’, but the excitement of reopening led some of them wanting to socialize among themselves more than I like. We did some pre-opening training on mask wearing and social distancing, but even our staff couldn’t quell their emotions about reopening. I also received some very constructive feedback from some of our members about the behavior of other members and the behavior of our staff.

 

Some of our members caught other members “cheating” on their mask wearing and some of you also spotted our staff not acting to the letter of the mask or distancing guidelines. We can and will conduct more trainings with our staff prior to our next reopening. As for all of you, if we see a breach in the mask rules, we’ll ask you to please keep your mask on at all times. We’ll also respond in the same manner if a member comes to the Front Desk to lodge a complaint about a member flaunting the mask rule. We don’t really care how some of this might be characterized – tattletales, snitching – the policy and rules need to blanket the entire gym population, regardless of personal views or statistics that you believe to be true or false. Let’s strive to keep our clubs and the industry open. And once we do reopen, I would think the last thing you’d want to happen is to be suspended over a rule’s violation.

 

I keep checking every day when I get up in the morning and when I go to sleep at night to see if you can get a weight training workout online or through some other digital means, and you can’t. I’m not talking about training regimens that you can download or view online. Those tools are everywhere. I’m talking about handling some

weight plates, pin-loading a weight stack on a piece of equipment, loading up a bar on a bench or power rack – you know what I mean – lifting weights for strength and conditioning. And let’s not forget about all the other forms of training that literally require “hands on manipulation” to perform the exercise movement.

 

All I can say for the moment is, we’ll be back. Muscle memory, weight training memory – don’t worry, you

haven’t lost it. For the time being, if we all adhere to the masking and distancing rules, I think we’ll make it through to the other side of this pandemic. As I’ve taken to saying, “stay out of circulation”. We’ll be waiting for you.

 

All the best,

Jerry McCall

The McCall Gym Group, Inc.

American Barbell Clubs

 

 

July 12, 2020

 

Reopening Update

We’re OPEN, as of July 13th.

 

Our new hours (slightly modified) will be:

 

5 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Friday

6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

 

YOU MUST WEAR A MASK OR FACESHIELD – even during your workouts. It’s manageable. I’ve been doing it during my workouts. It will take one to two days to become used to wearing one. If you need to pull it down to catch your breath after a vigorous exercise set, go ahead. Just be sure to cover up as soon as possible.

 

THE LOCKER / SHOWER ROOMS ARE CLOSED except for the toilet and sink areas.

 

ALL CARDIO EQUIPMENT IS PROHIBITED FROM USE:

 

RESERVATIONS: We’re getting this question quite a bit because it’s been mentioned in relation to the Social Distancing Guidelines. Please, don’t call us about this. Rather, come to the club and we’ll establish your attendance protocol through our check-in system. It’s simple, there is no burden on you and our historical attendance data assures us that we will meet the capacity requirements set forth by the County Health Department. You are not going to wait in line to get into our facilities.

 

ADAPT: Our goal is to protect our staff and you. When everyone complies with the simple guidelines set forth by the State and County, we’ll meet our goal. We will be enforcing the guidelines. Any pushback of a nature that is beyond the bounds of common decency and simple respect for other people, will be dealt with by our management in the form of termination of your membership.

 

WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. We have a great interest in keeping this industry open. We can do it.

 

These are business mandates for operations during this COVID-19 pandemic set forth by the State and the County of Santa Clara.

 

Jerry McCall, Owner/President

The McCall Gym Group, Inc.

 

 

July 3, 2020

 

Dear Members and Guests,

 

At this moment in time, rather than imagine or speculate about anything related to what life will be like when we reopen, I thought it instructive to simply take excerpts, [direct language, a copy of the

information], from the Santa Clara County Public Health website.

 

From the Santa Clara County Public Health Emergency Operations Center

 

New Order Issued July 2, 2020: The Health Officer issued a new Order on July 2, 2020. The County

is submitting an application to the State that, if approved, would allow more businesses to open under the State’s Stay-at-Home Order. The State calls this a “variance.” If the State approves the County’s application for a variance before July 13, then the Order issued on July 2 goes into effect on July 13. Otherwise, the Order will go into effect two days after the State approves the County’s variance.

Continue to check the Public Health website for updates. Below are the July 2 Order and some

documents to help you understand it.

 

My Comments

 

This order means that there is a very good chance that American Barbell Clubs, and the rest of the

fitness industry, can reopen for business on Monday, July 13th. The other interpretation of this order

means that the industry can reopen “two days after the State approves the County’s variance”, which

could be later than July 13th. You are advised to check the County’s Public Health website for

updates to this order. These orders are quite extensive, which makes them too cumbersome to post here.

 

One of the documents the order refers to is a “Requirements for All Businesses” posting. I refer you to a partial excerpt from that document below:

 

Taken from the July 2nd Order

 

Under the new Health Officer Order, businesses must comply with significant requirements designed to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, and some very high-risk businesses must remain closed. Here are the requirements that apply to all businesses in the community:

 

Social Distancing: All businesses must require employees and customers to wear face coverings, maintain at least 6 feet from others at all times, and provide hand washing/sanitizing supplies to customers and staff.

 

Capacity limits: Businesses can have no more than one worker per 250 gross square feet and no more than one customer per 150 square feet of space open to the public in the facility at one time.

 

My Summary

 

This is all good news for the health club industry. It does not mean that COVID-19 has left earth. It

remains alive and well and continues on a rampage through many parts of our country, including the

State of California.

 

With our large facility spaces, we feel social distancing can be managed by all of you. Face masks will be required even while working out, although we will provide more guidance in the form of club postings where their use can be interrupted for short periods. We have added additional sanitation stations throughout the clubs for your convenience. And, we’re confident that we can easily meet the “Capacity limits” that the County recommends.

 

We want to get open and stay open. The County will be monitoring businesses like ours. Let’s

all adapt and prepare to meet this new challenge.

 

Jerry McCall / President-Owner

The McCall Gym Group, Inc.

American Barbell Clubs

 

 

June 15, 2020

 

Dear Members and Guests,

 

I regret to report that I have no reopening information at this time. I sent an email to the County from their website “Ask a Question ….” about health club re-openings. To their credit, they did answer me within about 3 to 4 days. They said they hadn’t made a determination on reopening our industry.

 

I encourage all of you to monitor their website for reopening information. We get this information the same time as you. We have no inside track on reopening information. Here’s a link to the County of Santa Clara’s COVID-19 website:

 

https://www.sccgov.org/sites/covid19/Pages/home.aspx

 

In terms of using our clubs, we will adhere to recommendations from the County in this form:

 

• You must wear a mask as you enter the club and you must wear a mask as you exit the club. We encourage everyone to wear their mask, when possible, while on the workout floor as well.

 

• As you enter our workout floor, assess the location of other members around the facility. Then, practice social distancing rules accordingly (stay at least 6 feet away from other people).

 

• We will have an adequate amount of disinfectant stations throughout the clubs for hard surface cleaning.

 

At this writing, we are standing by to reopen. Once we receive guidance on this from Santa Clara County, we’ll pass it along.

 

Thanks for your interest.

 

Jerry McCall

The McCall Gym Group, Inc.

president@americanbarbellclubs.com

 

 

June 1, 2020

 

Dear Members and Guests,

 

At this writing, I have no new information regarding a reopening schedule for the health club industry in California. I expect our Governor to make an announcement this week that will provide some guidance on a reopening schedule. Regarding industry news, Gold’s Gym International, my prior brand affiliation, filed for bankruptcy in the first week of May. 24 Hour Fitness filed for bankruptcy last Friday. New York Sports Clubs, an east coast chain, is about to file for bankruptcy very shortly, according to my industry sources.

 

We continue to do minor repairs and alterations according to requirements that we may need to meet upon reopening. We will have additional disinfectant stations throughout the clubs (8 of them per club) and all of our Front Desks will be equipped with plexiglass face shields. All of the clubs have had their equipment pads reupholstered.

 

There are a lot of, what I would call, “wild” ideas circulating throughout the industry that, in my view, are just unmanageable or unworkable to employ. A reservation system to use the club, shutting the club down at intervals throughout the day for “deep cleanings” and taking everyone’s temperature upon entering the facility. The reservation system; unmanageable and unworkable. Shutting down the club for cleanings; beyond unmanageable and unworkable. Taking everyone’s temperature; The science on this one is dubious. Do you really think we’re going to send you home if you were to breach the temperature threshold? No way. Unworkable.

 

Masks will be required upon entering, leaving and all points in between. There is good science on this one. Do you have to have it on while doing a vigorous exercise set or while on a piece of cardio equipment? No. But, we would like to see you use it even during some of those vigorous moments. I received a few emails about wearing masks from my last Memorandum. If you were to keep your mask on throughout your workout, it would be (might be) the equivalent of training “at altitude” (like working out in Denver, Colorado). Now, this is dangerous mainly because so few of us are conditioned enough to train at a Denver altitude. But, you could work your way up the conditioning ladder with the use of a mask. You won’t asphyxiate yourself by wearing a mask. I need to dispel that idea. Masks are engineered for breathing, not cutting off your air supply. There is a mask for everything. Get one that works best for you. We don’t plan on selling masks as they are too difficult to obtain right now.

 

You will be required to have a mask to enter the facility – No Exceptions!

 

I wish I had more to tell you at this writing. I am as anxious as you to get our facilities reopened. I remain dismayed over the fact that our entire population hasn’t been tested for COVID-19. If we had this information, I think the country could have avoided a shut-down.

 

Watch the website for Santa Clara County. We’ll update our website as soon as we have more information on reopening.

 

All the best to everyone,

 

Jerry McCall

The McCall Gym Group, Inc.

president@americanbarbellclubs.com

 

 

May 1, 2020

 

Dear Members and Guests,

 

Here we are six weeks into our State shutdown from the COVID-19 crisis. This is what I can report. We did receive our C.A.R.E.S. Act / PPP funding. We can now pay our employees, none of whom have been laid off but, rather, furloughed during this crisis. We want all of our staff members back once we reopen.

 

We have been categorized as a “Phase 3” business in the COVID-19 hierarchy. This means we won’t be a business that will open early in the “reopening process”. As regrettable as this is, it isn’t without logic if one understands the way this virus circulates. I don’t like it, but I understand the rationale behind the decision. I also understand that until the public is ready to get back to some semblance of a normal life, opening too early would be counterproductive.

 

What will happen when we receive the “all clear” sign to open from the State and local government? Here are some things we’ve been thinking about.

 

     • We may reduce our business hours, not by much but, somewhat. At first glance, this may appear counterintuitive. This idea has more to do with what we think may be reduced attendance (at first) rather than anything else. We’ll watch this closely from the start.

     • Everyone will be required to wear a mask. I won’t be surprised to see the State and local governments mandate this. We would likely require this as part of our own rules for entry to the club.

     • We can mitigate the density of people in our cardio areas by shutting down every other piece of equipment and enforcing our usage timelines (we’ve always had a 30-minute time limit).

     • We will [probably] keep our circulating fans OFF in the Cardio areas during this crisis. Many of our members hated these fans running during pre-COVID-19 times, but getting overheated on a piece of cardio equipment can be dangerous. We think you’ll be able to manage this change in the environment.

     • On our club floors; Our workout spaces are large, and we have more weight training equipment than most clubs. Our members should be able to manage social distancing rules on their own. You have clear vision to everyone, we have an abundance of equipment selections, which gives you a lot of choices for appropriate distancing. If the State or local governments place attendance requirements on us, this could make the space more difficult to manage.

     • Wiping handles and pads down with our disinfectant spray, BEFORE AND AFTER use, will be required. We will be on the lookout for members who do not adhere to these rules. We will be adding additional sanitizing stations with paper towels and disinfectant spray.

     • Group Exercise; we may have to reduce our schedule and / or limit the class sizes.

     • Our staff will be protected at our front desk (mask and gloves) and we already utilize a “non-contact” check-in system (you scan your own ID card for club access).

     • We have always had “Day Porters”. These people are daytime janitors. We will rearrange their task schedules to do more equipment disinfecting throughout the day.

     • Our Locker Rooms; this area will be difficult to manage. We have considered limiting use to the lavatory areas (toilets and sinks) only to utilizing half of our showers to posting strict occupancy limits in the actual locker areas. We just don’t know – yet – how we’ll organize and manage this space. The State and local governments may tell us what we can and cannot do. It’s an open question right now.

 

Many of you may have great ideas and suggestions as well. Send them along. We want you to return to your workouts and we want you to feel comfortable in the clubs. My [optimistic] guess as to when we may be able to reopen is June 1st. I’m only speculating at this writing. On a recent presentation from Governor Newsom, he let slip that it will be “months” before a business in our category (Phase 3) will be allowed to open. I’m not getting information any sooner than you. I hope this timeline changes.

 

One bit of information that I’ve been reading and hearing about during this COVID-19 crisis is this. It is hitting people the hardest who have not managed their health. I’ve read that people with high blood pressure and Type-II diabetes, two risk factors that can be managed successfully from a good workout regimen, are not holding up that well. There are many reasons for good and bad outcomes from COVID-19, but belonging to a health club

may improve your chances.

 

Keep an eye on our website for the latest information on our reopening. We wish all of you the best in health.

 

Jerry McCall

The McCall Gym Group, Inc.

president@americanbarbellclubs.com

 

Membership Questions?

membershipadmin@americanbarbellclubs.com

 

 

March 31, 2020

 

Dear Members,

 

By now, most, if not all, of you know that the “shelter in place” order has been extended through May 3rd. We all probably saw this coming. Over the past two weeks, we’ve received information that will materially affect our ability [and your ability] to withstand the economic blow that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought.

 

The SBA (Small Business Administration) has a program that will enable us to pay all of our employees. We have not laid off or terminated ANY of our employees and we have no plans to do so. We fully expect to bring our entire staff back online once we receive the “all clear” notice from either the State of California or the Federal government.

 

This is a national emergency of no

citizen’s making. Our local, state and federal governments are doing their best to ensure that no one falls off the economic ladder. This is another way of saying that no one should incur any personal debt over this national emergency and that, very soon, your income will be “backstopped” by the Federal government

[and as it should be].

 

Every one of us is sweating more now than we ever have during a gym workout. I’m confident our government will come through and keep everyone “whole” during this tragedy. Try not to despair.

I really do believe help is on the way.

 

We have two people working in our Membership Administration office (Val and Veronica, our Operations Manager( membershipadmin@americanbarbellclubs.com ), John, our Facilities Manager,

( facilitymgr@americanbarbellclubs.com ) is working at a club per day and our janitorial service is working on special assignments. We have moved our entire membership to an $8 monthly Freeze Status. This enables us to maintain key personnel and keep our business infrastructure viable. The worst-case scenario for any member who holds onto their membership during this period would be - $16 – should the lockdown last through May.

 

As I’ve been saying to everyone whom I’ve been communicating with, “stay out of circulation”. This really does help the national cause. I do hope that you and your friends and family are all well and free of this worldwide scourge.

 

All the best,

 

Jerry McCall

The McCall Gym Group, Inc.

president@americanbarbellclubs.com

 

 

March 18, 2020

 

Dear Members,

 

What a time we’re in. We are all in uncharted territory at the moment. As all of you know by now, the County government forced our closure on

March 17, 2020. We’re uncertain as to when this closure will be lifted. The best place to go for updated information will be our website. We will do our best to keep our notifications as current as possible.

 

We are not surprised to be asked about

membership billings during this period.

Here’s our plan:

Many people were drafted for their full dues amounts on March 1st. We’ll prorate or “true-up” the 50% of

the month that was lost due to the club closures. We’ll do the same type of proration for those

members who were drafted on March 9th and

March 15th as well.

 

Beginning with the March 23rd draft, we will be drafting all members, going forward, at $8 (eight

dollars) per month, which is our “Freeze / Inactive Status” membership. Why are we doing this?

During this shutdown, we still have business infrastructure systems to maintain, financial obligations to meet and some key employees to pay. For example, the people who will be executing all of these changes to our member accounts will still be working. We feel this is a fair and reasonable trade-off under the circumstances. You have similar obligations in your own lives that just can’t stop, even now. I know some health club companies are still charging their members full rates. That’s crazy. For those members who wish to simply cancel their memberships at this time, if you return after the coronavirus situation abates, you will be subject to our current rate structure. If you’ve been a member with us for some time, I’m certain the rate will be higher than your current/old rate.

 

We fully expect to come through this disastrous situation. We hope for good health to you and all

of your friends and family members. Take all the precautions and information that the CDC is providing. Finally, we ask that you stay with us

and remember to look for updates on our website.

 

Thank you for your loyalty and cooperation.

 

Jerry McCall / Owner

The McCall Gym Group, Inc.

American Barbell Clubs