In a July 2020 segment of KTVU’s "Mornings on 2," host Mike interviews Reena Vokoun, founder of PassionFit, about how to stay active safely amid the COVID‑19 pandemic. Reena outlines five practical approaches: (1) exercising at home using apps, livestream classes, and minimal equipment, which eliminates mask‑wearing and shared surfaces; (2) working out outdoors—running, hiking, biking—while selecting low‑traffic routes, maintaining six‑foot distancing, and wearing masks when near others; (3) preparing for gym reopenings by implementing temperature checks, hand‑sanitizing stations, mandatory masks, reduced class sizes, and limiting high‑intensity activities that increase droplet spread; (4) choosing breathable, securely‑fitting athletic masks from trusted brands (Nike, Reebok, Adidas, Under Armour) and consulting a doctor for respiratory concerns; and (5) adopting a flexible mindset as fitness venues and guidelines evolve. Throughout, Reena emphasizes CDC recommendations, the importance of personal safety, and the role of technology in facilitating low‑risk workouts.
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From KTVU Fox 2 News, this is Mornings on 2. And tips to stay in shape during the pandemic, especially with so many gyms shut down. Up next, how to work out safely both indoors at home and outdoors as health guidelines continue to shift. The CDC recommends wearing a mask in public as we continue to battle COVID-19, but some say that's really not always possible, especially when it comes to working out. To give us 5 different ways to exercise safely, during this pandemic indoors and outdoors. We're joined live once again by Reena Vokoun, founder of PassionFit. Reena, good morning, great to have you back.
Good morning, thanks for having me, Mike. Great to see you.
Yeah, of course. You know, I've often told people that I used to be a gym rat, right? I enjoyed going to the gym 3 or 4 days a week, if not more. But these days I'm okay, you know, working out from home here. And I think this whole idea has legs because as we saw, Lululemon bought Mirror for what, I think it was $500 million. So there's some consistency going forward with working out at home. You think, Reena, that this is the safest technique for people who want to work out, is indeed working out from home?
Absolutely. Working out from home is the safest right now during the pandemic. There are so many options and resources as well. You mentioned, Mike, you know, some of the home equipment options. There are mobile apps, there are livestream classes, there's online videos on demand. You don't have to share your exercise mat or your weights with others. You could work out in your backyard, your garage, your living room, wherever it makes sense. And you can kind of feel at peace knowing that, you know, you're at the least risk and you can still get in your workout. And you don't have to wear a mask when you're in the privacy of your own home. So it's definitely the safest option right now.
You know, just yesterday I took a hike up the hill just outside my house with my son, and I noticed one of my neighbors— it appeared that she had hired a trainer. Who had come over, but they were outside, kind of on the street, they were down in a cul-de-sac, and I hadn't seen that before. But not everyone, the point of this story is not everyone has the space at home, doesn't have a garage so they can bring in the equipment. So when it comes to working outdoors, that's still safe, but do you think putting on a mask is still the right thing to do there?
Absolutely. You know, it is safer to work out outside than inside at this time. And you know, if you're going for a run or a hike or a bike ride or even a walk, you wanna try to pick streets trails and pathways that don't have a lot of people. Obviously, if you start to come into contact with people, that's where the mask is really important. In general, the CDC is recommending that you wear masks when you are out in public. So I do think that that is really important. There are outdoor classes that are also happening, but what's most important there, and usually the instructors and gyms that are providing it are requiring that the class sizes are smaller, that everybody is staying within 6 feet distancing apart, and they are asking people to still wear their masks. So you can work out outside, you get some fresh air, but keep those CDC recommendations in mind as well.
Okay, what about going back to the gym? Let's talk about something maybe in a month or two months from the road. And we did see gyms, some gyms here in the Bay Area did reopen for a short time, but, um, yeah, I don't know. Are you going to go back, Reena? And if so, do you think this is something that, you know, if you're on the treadmill, um, StairMaster, whatever it is, or even lifting weights, is this going to be something where we're all going to have to wear masks?
Yeah, I think it's gonna be a new world. I, for my company PassionFit, I do offer livestream and online classes, but I do teach in studios and gyms as well. I'm not obviously currently doing that, but I do think that gyms are, many of which, Crunch Fitness being a great example, are trying really hard to make sure that it is a safe environment. They're requiring things, or will be requiring things, like temperature checks at the door, hand sanitizing when you enter the gym or studio and when you leave, wearing masks the entire time, the 6 feet distancing and having smaller classes and even having classes that don't require a lot of high-intensity or cardiovascular activity because as we know, when we're sweating, we're breathing heavily, droplets can spread and that's where we see the most risk. So yes, gyms are definitely the most risky right now. I think it's gonna be a long time before we're high-fiving and entering packed classes. That is going to definitely be changing. But I think taking those precautions is really, really important.
And when it comes to masks, since we're talking about it, I mean, some athletic companies are working on their own. I mean, Reebok, I think, what else, Nike, all trying to come up with a specific mask. Right? What are they working on here?
Yeah, you know, I think if you're looking for breathable masks or masks that you can wear when you're exercising, start with those trusted brands, Nike, Reebok, Adidas, Under Armour, because some of the considerations that you wanna make are being sure that the mask can securely fit so that it doesn't move around when you're exercising. That it is breathable, but at the same time that it still gives you protection against COVID-19. It's not gonna be comfortable for sure, no matter what you do, but having that mask is really important. If you have asthma or other upper respiratory issues, it's always a good idea to talk with your doctor and just make sure that you're taking all things into consideration when it comes to exercising, wearing a mask, and even where you're getting your workouts in so that you are most protected.
Different world we're living in. I guess we all just have to be flexible as, uh, owners of gyms and, you know, people just trying to get in a run outside wearing a mask. But, uh, Reena Vokoun, always a pleasure. You are the founder of PassionFit. Thanks again for taking the time and joining us. Have a great weekend, Reena.
Thank you, you too, Mike. Thanks again and take care and stay safe.
