Fitness Asylum --Adapting to the Virus Crisis

As part of my series highlighting ways businesses, organizations, and congregations are adapting to life in the midst of the pandemic, I interviewed Bonnie LeFrak, owner of four Fitness Asylum facilities in Central Massachusetts and the Metrowest.  Bonnie's Fitness Asylums have been a successful, popular business and program for years now, and Bonnie also plays a role in the INBF Northeast Classic, a major competition for male and female amateur bodybuilders, held in Worcester.

"We've had to pivot our business, and have been able to keep the majority of our members because of the services and programs we are now providing." LeFrak says.  "We are helping people via Facebook Live, Zoom, and other online media."

Through utilizing all these internet based mediums, LeFrak and her staff have been able to offer a Kid's Boot Camp; Storytime for Children, Cooking programs focused on teaching and encouraging learning how to cook and prepare good tasting healthy meals, a Dance Party, and other entertaining but educational projects.

LeFrak has used the Facebook page: Fitness Asylum Community Page to "hold / host" her physical training. "Our page, which we've managed for quite some time, used to be informational, now it's also about providing health and help." Lefrak suggests.  "We're communicating with a number of people who are stressed out, using food and alcohol to to deal with the often overwhelming stress this crisis has brought on."

Through the Facebook page, members have access to live workouts, and find a great deal of encouragement. "We've been offering special programs online, such as our 30 Day Sprint Nutrition program, and have lowered the price for both members and non-members." she continues. "The responses we've been getting about this program have been so very positive!"

"My team has been, and continues to be agile in developing changes through this crisis." LeFrak suggests.  "We found ways to give people what they need, coaching as well as a community."

LeFrak and her team are developing additional virtual classes and training. "We've been able to support parents, teachers, healthcare workers, and many of our neighbors who all have one big thing in common, a need to stay healthy and work out."

"This pandemic is going to change a lot of things for businesses, and every business is going to have to be relationship based, which we always have been." LeFrak says. "We used to do a lot of one to one training, then stopped doing much of that, and now people may ask us to do more of that, in their homes."    Every business, including hers, has to consider how to serve clients / customers, probably in very new ways.

Since 2014, LeFrak has been involved with helping members participate in Bikini Boot Camp and bodybuilding competitions, including the INBF Northeast Classic.  "The event was planned for June 21st at Worcester State College, and even with the pandemic, we had about 85 people register, which was down from the usual 300, but still, about 85 men and women were hoping to participate." she states.  The event timing / date is, at the moment, up in the air. 

"We're still working with people who want to participate, holding posing classes on Zoom for instance, as well as providing diet, nutrition, and exercise assistance." she says.

The Fitness Asylum is adapting to changing conditions, and will continue to do so.  Every business is going to have to do the same.

Editor's Note:  I'll work to provide updated information about this competition as it becomes available.