Out-of-work trainers hope gyms can make gains after pandemic

During a normal week, fitness instructor Jason Tran would dart among grueling group spin classes, high-intensity interval training sessions at boutique studios in Manhattan and an occasional one-on-one workout with private clients.

But for Tran and the tens of thousands of other New York workers who make up the state's USD 3 billion fitness industry, the coronavirus pandemic shut down most of the business in mid-March.

The virus forced many workers into long, virtual lines for unemployment insurance and onto Zoom and Instagram to maintain relationships with their clients.

Now, some New York City trainers and instructors say they're worried the industry won't be the same when the shutdown eventually lifts and gyms can reopen in one of the globe's pandemic hot spots.

They wonder: Will loyal customers come back? Will they care enough to continue spending money on niche workouts? Will they wait until there is a proven COVID-19 vaccine?