Strength training during cold and flu season

Hi StrengthSpace community!

For good reasons, there is a nationwide push to stop the spread of germs. At StrengthSpace, we want to take an intelligent approach to prevention, while still getting the health promoting benefits of proper exercise.

Here are the hygiene procedures we follow EVERY day to promote your health and safety.

  1. We wash our hands frequently, and use an effective hand sanitizer before AND after every session. We encourage each client to do the same thing.
  2. We sanitize all door handles, equipment, bathroom surfaces, and water spigots multiple times each day with a hypochlorous acid based spray which effectively kills viruses, including influenza & coronavirus. Upon evaporation, it then breaks down into saline, so it won’t irritate your skin.
  3. Our space is kept cool! Normally, indoor heating dries out the air to very low humidity, making it easier for coughs and sneezes to evaporate and spread. This is partly why colds and flus are more prolific in winter. Because StrengthSpace is kept cool, viruses have a tougher time staying airborn on evaporated water droplets. The general lack of sweating is another huge hygiene bonus of training in a cool studio.
  4. Our sessions are private, supervised, and last less than half an hour. This means there are rarely more than 2 people in the building, so you can still promote your health and fitness while keeping your general exposure to a minimum.

Here is what we encourage you to do to ensure your health and the health of our community.

  • Wash your hands thoroughly, or at least use our lobby hand sanitizer, before training. Practice the habit of only touching your face with a clean tissue.
  • Do NOT come in sick. We have an accommodating rescheduling policy, and a 60 day expiration on purchased sessions. If you feel even a little unwell the day prior to your session, let us know, and we may be able to tentatively keep your session, while allowing for the need to reschedule the day of, if it means keeping our community safe.
  • Make yourself robust. Obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and poor fitness all increase risk of pneumonia from a respiratory infection. In addition to helping address these risk factors, one way resistance training builds resilience is by heightening your immune function. There is now evidence that it can even reverse age-related loss in immune function.
  • Live a healthy lifestyle. Sleep is crucial for immune health. To optimize your sleep, avoid sugary foods, screens (try blue-blockers!), and alcohol in the 2-3 hours prior to bed, as each of these can disrupt sleep quality. After sleep, you focus should be on promoting optimal health with a protein rich, whole foods diet that avoids deficiency in vitamins such as A, C, D, and K2, and minerals such as zinc and selenium.

As always, thanks for trusting us with your health! We take your confidence seriously, and take pride in helping you build a healthier, more robust version of yourself.

With your health in mind,

Dr. Bryce Lee, PT, DPT