After five months of being closed, gyms and fitness centers in New York state can finally reopen.

Many opened their doors to the public first thing on Monday, but others say they're not ready.

The following gyms and fitness centers are open for business:

  • Central Rock Gym, 725 Averill Avenue
    4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
  • Gold's Gym, 855 Publishers Parkway/101 Fairport Village Landing
    5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
  • Knockout Fitness, 675 Atlantic Avenue
    6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
  • World Gym, 1717 East Avenue/190 Greece Ridge Center Drive
    8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
  • Harro East Athletic Club, 400 Andrews Street
    6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Athletic Apex, 667 Panorama Trail West
    5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
  • Rochester area LA Fitness locations
    M-Th - 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.
    Friday - 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
    Saturday/Sunday - 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

These gyms in the Rochester area opted not to reopen right away:

  • Planet Fitness locations will open on Friday, August 28
  • Anytime Fitness
  • RAC
  • Orange Theory

Gyms closed in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Last week Governor Andrew Cuomo said they could reopen on August 24 as long as they met the following guidelines:

  • Capacity: 33% occupancy limit.
  • Access: Sign-in with contact information and health screening required.
  • PPE: Appropriate face coverings required at all times.
  • Distancing: 6 feet of separation at all times.
  • Hygiene/Cleaning: Cleaning and disinfection supplies made available to customers; shared equipment cleaned after every use; staff must also be available to clean and disinfect equipment in between uses; rental equipment must be cleaned and disinfected between customer use.
  • Classes: By appointment/reservation only; maximum class capacity capped at number of people that can adhere to the 6-feet social distancing rules, but in no case more than 33% of the typical class size (i.e., leave stations, cycles, etc. vacant); classes should be scheduled to allow additional time for cleaning and disinfection in between each session.
  • Amenities: Water bottle refill stations permitted, but not shared water fountains; communal showers are closed, but individual showers/stalls can remain open so long as they are cleaned in between use.
  • Air Handling Systems: Gyms should operate at MERV-13 or greater; if they are unable to operate at that level, they must have heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) professional document their inability to do so and adopt additional ventilation and mitigation protocols from American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
  • Inspection: Local health departments shall inspect before or within two weeks of the gym/fitness center opening to ensure compliance.

The Harro East Athletic Club did meet the requirements and opened on Monday morning.

For Greg Riley, this was a long time coming. Riley, an Army veteran from Rochester, lifted weights at Harro East Monday.

“Me and a couple of my buddies have been waiting for the announcement,” said Riley. “We were like, ‘why can you go drink alcohol but you can't work out?’ "

At New York gyms, working out now comes with a lot of changes. At Harro East there is plenty of hand sanitizer. Machines and weight benches are spread out to accommodate for social distancing. Workout areas are cleaned diligently. All gym members must wear a mask while working out.

“The biggest thing is the mask wearing, getting used to working out with a mask on,” said Gabrielle Bourgoine, Harro East general manager.  “I did my first class today and it was difficult."

Riley says he didn’t mind wearing a mask.

“If we want to keep the gym open, according to state standards, we have to follow those guidelines,” he said.

New York state guidelines say gyms can operate at 33 percent capacity. Harro East is going with 25 percent. Also, the gym is offering virtual classes, which began shortly after the shutdown.

“Some of them still aren't comfortable coming back in,” said Bourgoine.  “Which is understandable."

Riley couldn't wait to come back. For him, it's more than just for the physical workout.

“It clears your mind a little bit,” he said. “Whatever you're going through, you come in the gym and release it."

For more information from the state on gym reopening, click here.