THROUGH THE DOORS

I don’t want to spend more than a few sentences looking back over the past two years, but I think it’s important to think about what happened to us, what happened to all of us. Beyond the fear of an unknown virus, the uncertainty of jobs, and finances, and education, and all the life plans delayed for what was an unforeseeable amount of time, beyond that—there was an abrupt stop of real, day-to-day life. We stopped seeing each other. Literally, everyone in the world stopped seeing everyone else. We no longer saw the vibrance in each other’s expressions (Zoom and FaceTime just didn’t cut it), we no longer felt the unique nuances of familiar voices echoing off of familiar walls, we no longer touched a friend’s arm as a sign of understanding or empathy. Six feet, and so much more, was between us. 

As the world shut down, Fusion Fitness set out to keep our community connected.  It was a mission we threw ourselves into, we weren’t going to let a global pandemic take us away from us. We filmed, we livestreamed, we learned to Instagram live (vertical camera orientation so as not to miss comments, thank you very much), and we created content to keep the Fusion family moving and deliver some normalcy in the midst of a world that was anything but normal. As a studio, we wanted to offer movement and energy as a conduit of joy for our sisters, every single day. I’m proud of how we navigated this. I’m proud of our team and the instructors who showed up for each other, our clients, and for Fusion itself.

Despite our best efforts, nearly two years since the world completely changed, we are still experiencing the collateral effects of isolation, illness, and fear. There is no question that the fitness industry has changed substantially -- one study showed that, as of September 2021, 60% of gym members who previously attended classes weekly had still not returned to in-person workouts. Fusion Fitness is no exception to this phenomenon, though we know we are unique in the landscape of gyms and fitness experiences, the trauma and chaos of COVID has impacted our members with the same ruthlessness as the rest of the world. The result has been continued isolation, and the suspension of the relationships we had once taken for granted. 

The dissolution of the community experience meant the loss of the emotional, social, and spiritual support that had sustained us for years. Without each other, without our community and our day-to-day routine, many of us experienced fatigue, depression, and extreme anxiety. While now most of us have become accustomed to this new version of reality, the truth is-we still deeply need one another. 

Being together in the same space, doing the same thing is more than just shared energy, more than just common goal stuff. It creates a soul-deep connection that can’t be replicated in any other way. Humans need each other. Research shows that people who are involved in a positive community have longer life spans, reduced stress hormone levels, stronger immune systems, lower anxiety, and overall live happier lives. (That sounds like medicine that I would like more of, please!) Connecting face-to-face is crucial for well-being and mental health, it’s how we were designed. Moving together, experiencing together, sharing the ups, and the downs, and the broken and patched up parts, together— it is the cornerstone of the human experience. 

I know there are so many reasons why a lot of people simply cannot return to shared spaces yet. All of those reasons and beliefs are valid, and I think it’s important to honor them. If that is you, I assure you we will continue to offer ways for you to remain a part of the Fusion Fitness experience, and we will continue to try to cultivate relationships with you virtually until we can be together again. We love you and we miss you. (P.S. Turn on your camera when live-streaming so we can see you!)

However, if you are simply out of the habit and afraid that you’ve let your health and fitness slip away, or scared that you will not be able to do what you used to do to keep up with the pace of a class, let me talk to you directly. The world changed, and you changed with it. We’re not here to recreate what we had, that is gone. We’re here to build up something new, something better, and deeper than we had before. That might mean starting from scratch, that might mean redefining what success looks like, that might mean you’re a whole new person. And, guess what? We’re here for all of it. We can’t wait to connect with who you are now and build a new community that serves the person you’ve become. While we are mourning what we lost, we must honor our new selves. And you, right now, your brain, your heart, your spirit—it needs connection, it needs people, it needs community. That is what we’re offering, and what we want you to share. It is more than a workout. 

I can’t tell you the number of people I’ve seen walk through the studio doors with tears in their eyes as they return for the first time over the past few months. That is because Fusion Fitness isn’t a place or a workout, it’s a family and a bond. It’s a haven for your confidence and your strength to flourish. Regardless of your fitness level, or the changes and challenges you’ve faced, we have a class for you, a mat for you, a place for you. All you have to do is walk through those doors.