Guy Franklin and Terry Moore’s All Aerobics goes from thriving gym to deserted

A local gym has an innovative plan for its 1100 members in light of their forced closure due to the coronavirus.

THE well-known owners of Tasmania’s biggest privately-owned and longest running gym were shocked that they had to close their doors to 1100 members and say it will be a kick in the six-pack financially.

All Aerobics Fitness is normally teeming with people working up a sweat but the expansive gymnasium and workout rooms were ghost towns after the Federal Government’s noon shut down of gyms.

Some members were unaware of the enforced closure when they came in for a sessions early Monday.

Franklin and Moore said the feeling was surreal that All Aerobics would now gather cobwebs for the foreseeable future while the coronavirus wreaked havoc on the world.

They said they understood the measure but it hurts.

“We are in shock – really shocked,” Franklin said.

“We are a big gym. A really high-usage gym. But we had managed to get people working in the right way.

All Aerobics' Terry Moore and Guy Franklin in their now-empty gym in Melville Street, Hobart. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

“We’ve been doing all the right things – making sure people are the right distance apart when they are working out, having smaller sessions, using sanitiser before and after workouts, getting people to bring their own yoga mats, and being really diligent and thorough in wiping down all the equipment.”

He said working out is more than just physical.

“It’s that social interaction as the mental and physical side we were able to provide in keeping people healthy and fit,” Moore said.

“People have been really concerned about their health and fitness and balancing that up against the risk of catching coronavirus.”

All Aerobics will switch its members to virtual workouts, and have offered to hire out equipment for members to use at home.

Owners of All Aerobics Terry Moore and Guy Franklin in their empty Hobart gym. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

“We want to keep our members engaged and doing exercise,” Franklin said.

“We will be doing online classes and designing sessions for people to do at home, and hopefully have them back in the gym as soon as possible.”

All Aerobics members can now freeze their memberships if they choose.

“Financially it’s going to hurt us,” Franklin said.

“We have got to pay rent and overheads.

“We are very interested in the financial packages the Federal Government is offering.”