New Jersey gyms reopen under new guidelines Tuesday

FOX 29's Kelly Rule has the latest.

TRENTON, N.J. - Gym goers in New Jersey are now able to return to their routines as state officials allowed fitness centers to reopen under new health and safety guidelines.

Patrons will be required to wear masks inside the gyms and capacity will be capped at 25 percent.

Gyms and fitness centers had been required to keep their indoor spaces closed to the public. Since July, however, they were permitted to offer individualized indoor instruction by appointment only to individuals and their families, caretakers, or romantic partners according to a list of rules and health guidance published by the state.

The closing of gyms has been a point of contention for New Jersey residents, especially as facilities have reopened in some neighboring states.

Most notable has been the case of a Camden County gym that kept opening its doors in defiance of the state's shutdown order. The owners of Atilis Gym in Bellmawr, Ian Smith and Frank Trumbetti, have received several citations and were arrested late last month on contempt and other charges. The city council even revoked their license. And they said they're being fined $15,000 a day as long as they stayed open amid the pandemic. They had already been fined $130,000 by last week.

Murphy called gyms "among the most challenging indoor environments to percent COVID-19 transmission," and thanked gym owners "who have helped us crush the curve."

"I know this has been a long time coming, and I thank the many, many -- overwhelmingly, the many, many responsible gym owners who have done the right things and worked with us over the past several months. You are an asset to your industry ad our state, and I thank you for your understanding and partnership," Murphy said at a COVID-19 response briefing last week.

He went on to say, "I know there have been a few knuckleheads who have been more than interested in their own celebrity, frankly, than in working with us to defeat the virus. But they are thankfully, overwhelmingly, outnumbered by the good guys and gals."

The governor also thanked resident gym members across the state "who have also risen to the challenge" by adapting to new schedules, putting memberships on hold, moving their workouts outside, and changing schedules.

New Jersey gyms reopen under new guidelines

Gym goers in New Jersey are now able to return to their routines as state officials allowed fitness centers to reopen under new health and safety guidelines.

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