Hello,
Thank you all for your continued support over the past 70 days! It was your loyalty, encouragement, patience, and grace that carried us through this trying time.
The financial gifts, the words of kindness, purchasing mugs and other apparel etc. carried us and encouraged us more ways than we could ever express and we are deeply grateful. We found out even more just how incredible this Iron Sharpens Iron community truly is.
We officially closed our doors March 16, 2020. We had no idea what was in store. We didn’t know if the closure would be 1 week, 1 month, or longer. The future was… blurry at best. The closure of the gym and quite literally everything was completely unforeseen for ALL of us. There was so much we didn’t know. The one thing we did know - as a team - is that we were going to fight and do everything we possibly could to serve our clients and do our best to keep ourselves in a position to reopen should we ever get the chance!
And here we are!
Our chance to reopen the doors of Iron Sharpens Iron is here! And starting June 1, 2020 at 5:30AM - Iron Sharpens Iron will be up and running again!
After a 77 day hiatus we will be back in action and we absolutely cannot wait! We have met numerous times as a team, asked for your feedback, and consulted the CDC and Ohio Suggested Guidelines to come up with a plan of action that we feel will provide a safe, clean, fun, connected, positive, and encouraging atmosphere that makes Iron Sharpens Iron the place you love!
So now for the brass tax - the following information will be laid out a bit more transactionally:
Memberships & Scheduling:
March 16, 2020: All memberships were placed on hold and the schedule was frozen.
Thursday, May 28, 2020: All memberships will resume. If you wish to keep your membership frozen until July 1, 2020 then you need to email us as soon as possible to do so.
Scheduling for classes will be possible on May 28, once memberships resume.
Class Format:
In order to make things as streamlined as possible we have decided for the summer to go with 1 class format and put all other formats on hold. We see this lasting for the summer at minimum.
The class size will allow for 12 participants. Every class will have fixed sections - treadmills, rowers, skiergs, and boxing + 4 other sections that will focus on upper, lower, and core strength. (More about boxing later).
The programming will be the same for that entire day - meaning - whatever the 5:30AM class does will be the same thing the 6:15PM class does.
Each day of the week will have what we are calling a focus section - either upper strength, lower strength, or core. For example every Monday and Thursday will be an upper body strength focus day. So each day will work the entire body but Mondays and Thursdays will pay a little extra attention to the upper body. Tuesdays & Fridays will have a lower body strength focus. Wednesdays will be core. Saturdays will be compound movements.
The new weekly programming system will allow for you to train with us 1 day per week and still receive a full body workout or train with us more than 1 day per week and be able to hone in on certain areas each day.
Classes will last approximately 50 minutes from start to finish.
We will still provide towels - but you are more than welcome to bring your own towel to each workout.
The Good Fight lives on!
Boxing will now be a part of every session. We will use heavy bags so it is highly recommended that you have gloves and slip on quick wraps. Traditional wraps will not be functional for this format as you will have limited time in the middle of the workout to put them on.
We are no longer renting gloves and quick wraps.
You can buy gloves and quick wraps of your own from outside the gym but obviously we’d prefer you buy them from us.
Buying gloves/quick wraps is not required to take class but it will dramatically increase the overall experience of your session if you have gloves and quick wraps.
If you do not have gloves/quick wraps then no worries - you can still do all combos and routines on air while holding small dumbbells which we can provide.
If you do not have BOTH gloves and quick wraps you will not be permitted to hit the bag because this will increase your risk injury.
**Buying gloves from Amazon or Wal Mart may afford you a lower price than the gloves/quick wraps we sell at Iron Sharpens Iron but when you buy our gloves/quick wraps you’re supporting us in a major way that goes beyond the few dollars you may save elsewhere. We worked hard to design and source high quality gloves that allow you to fight in what you believe in!
Before class begins you will be able to set your gloves/quick wraps underneath or next to the bag that you will use once you arrive at the boxing section.
Class Schedule:
With reduced class sizes we are increasing the amount of class times we offer.
Here is the most updated weekly schedule:
Monday: 5:30 AM, 9:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 4:30 PM, 6:00 PM
Tuesday: 5:30 AM, 7:00 AM, 9:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 4:30 PM, 6:00 PM
Wednesday: 5:30 AM, 9:00 AM, 4:30 PM, 6:00 PM
Thursday: 5:30 AM, 7:00 AM, 9:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 4:30 PM, 6:00 PM
Friday: 5:30 AM, 9:00 AM, 12:00 PM
Saturday: 7:45 AM, 9:00 AM
There will be rigorous cleaning on all equipment (before, during, and after sessions) and we will allow for more than 6 feet of space between all participants.
In Gym Protocol:
-If you are feeling sick please do not attend class or come to the gym for any reason.
-If you have been exposed to Covid-19 please do not come to the facility
-If you are considered part of the high risk population we ask and trust that you will make the best decision to protect yourself and those around you.
-No one may come into the gym with you unless they are registered for the class, including children.
-There will not be a waiting area provided as they are prohibited by the State of Ohio at this time.
-Please do not enter the building more than 10 minutes before your session.
-All changing should take place outside of gym if possible.
-Please sanitize hands upon entry.
-We will have sanitizer available throughout the building.
-You can now check in remotely via the Zenplanner app upon arrival.
-All lockers are off limits.
-Bathrooms are limited to 1 person at a time.
-Water fountain is off limits. Bottled water will be available for purchase for $1.00.
-We are allowing ample time between sessions for cleaning and changeover without creating a larger gathering and limiting contact between people. Please arrive and depart with purpose. No need to rush but no need to linger either.
-You may bring your own towel or use the towels that we provide.
-Trainers will not be wearing masks and more than likely will come within 6 feet of you for coaching and adjustments. We understand this may make some people uncomfortable but we cannot effectively do our job and keep people physically safe without being able to clearly communicate. Our only intention is to keep everyone as safe as possible.
-If you would like to wear a mask that is 100% your choice but may prove difficult during strenuous exercise.
Scheduling and Canceling:
Please only schedule classes you fully intend to come to. Do not schedule a class that you might come to because class sizes are extremely limited and other people may be 100% sure they can come to that class.
If you need to cancel for any reason please email isiclasscancel@gmail.com the moment you know you cannot come.
If you need to cancel the automatic renewal of your membership you MUST give us 72 hours notice from the date of renewal or we cannot guarantee that you will not be renewed and you may not receive a refund for that month. Again, 72 hours ENSURES your membership will not be renewed and if it does get renewed we absolutely guarantee a refund with a 72 hour notice of renewal cancellation.
Please check your renewal dates via the member connect website.
Conclusion:
This has been a crazy past few months for each and everyone of us. We understand that getting back into the gym may be the least of some of your priorities right now and we totally understand that.
Upon reopening there will be lots of things that are different at Iron Sharpens Iron. Formats, class times, class sizes, no lockers, and many other things that we could point out.
But here is what absolutely will not be different:
You will still experience the same love, patience, care, kindness, positivity, and encouragement that you have before - from not only the trainers but those you will train alongside.
We are still stronger together. We are still training and living with passion & purpose.
In a world that is often disconnected, stifling and negative… we are STILL on mission to bring people together, to grow inside of a positive and encouraging environment.
I don’t know what’s coming - but I choose to believe that it will ultimately be good! I love you all and can’t wait to be with you again!
Sincerely,
Alex