Covid-19 Sawston

UPDATE 4/3/22: As the government have now removed all Covid legal restrictions as part of their 'Living with Covid' plan, we have as a result altered our Covid risk assessment. All points written in red below are currently enforced. All points in green are no longer enforced but will be brought back should the government bring back legal restrictions.

At Gymbo’s Sawston, we take the safety of our staff and members very seriously. We have introduced a number of measures at our gym to ensure we go above and beyond all recommendations by our governing body UKactive. This includes but is not limited to:

Increase in frequency in which our staff clean the gym
Monthly hydrostatic cleans of the entire building (click here to watch the explanation video)
Touchless hand sanitiser units installed throughout the gym
Each member is provided with a cleaning cloth to keep with them throughout their entire session. We have over 15 anti-viral spray bottles available thoughout the gym and members use these with their personal cloth to wipe down equipment before and after they use it.
Social distancing enforced with the gym split into 7 areas. Each area has a member capacity to avoid crowding in any given area
Strict membership cap to ensure even at the busiest times, members can easily keep their distance from each other
Reduced capacity of group sessions to ensure members have more space
No sharing equipment during group sessions (sharing restricted to pairs of people only)
When the weather allows, all doors (including our large shutter door) to be left open to allow excellent ventilation / fresh air at all times
Separate entrance & exit available
Clear guidance to all current and new members of what is expected of them to ensure everyone’s safety
Members to be turned away if they are showing any symptoms of Covid-19 (members are encouraged to not go to the gym if they are showing any symptoms of any virus, out of respect for others)
Regular communication with members to reinforce the importance of following our Covid-19 measures

Frequently Asked Questions

1. I want to take a look around first before I sign up. What do I do?

We are still offering people the ability to take a tour of our gym before signing up. However, to save yourself the trip, you can take our virtual tour by clicking here. Should you prefer to see us in person, contact us to arrange an appointment to view the facility. During your visit, we will follow all relevant Covid-19 procedures to ensure your safety. Currently, you do not need to wear a mask but can do so if you prefer.

2. How many of us can take a look around together?

So as to keep the number of people in our gym as low as possible, we can only show a maximum of three people around the gym at one time.

3. How will you ensure social distancing at the gym?

(Social distancing is no longer enforced, although members are encouraged to respect the personal space of others. Our gym is also less busy than a typical mainstream gym so you are most likely to have more space anyway). The government requires a minimum of 100 sq ft of space per person. This means we can accommodate a maximum of 47 people at one time. Despite being able to safely accommodate up to 47 people at one time, our strict membership cap has meant we have never experienced more than 30 members in the gym at one time, ever. So when you come in, you will have almost double the space recommended by the government (at the very least)! The gym is also split into 7 different zones, with each zone clearly stating the maximum number of people allowed in the zone at any one time. This will prevent too many members being in one particular area of the gym.

4. How will you ensure the equipment is safe to use?

We have always prided ourselves on how clean and fresh our facility is. We have been open for a number of years now but we still have new members join who had assumed we had not been open long as the facility always looks in a good-as-new condition. Despite this, we have stepped up our daily cleaning of the facility. The facility is cleaned regularly throughout the week by a professional cleaner (after the gym is closed in the evening). The staff regularly wipe down surfaces of equipment and any touch points. We also have a contractor who comes in once per month to apply the latest anti-viral technology – spraying our equipment with hydrostatic anti-viral solution which kills Covid-19 in under 5 minutes and once applied, continues to kill the virus for up to 4 weeks. The spray also wraps around the entire object which is great for making hard to clean objects such as dumbbells etc. safe. Click here for more details regarding our monthly hydrostatic clean. Members are also asked to wipe down all equipment before and after using each item of equipment. We have provided each member with a cleaning cloth to keep with them throughout their session and have strategically placed anti viral spray bottles around the gym so you are only ever a few steps away from a bottle.

5. How well ventilated is the gym?

We do not use air con, and we have a large 4 meter high shutter door which we keep open (as well as another door) to allow a constant flow of fresh air from the front of the building to the back. Our ceilings are also up to 3 stories high so our gym stays fresh all day long.

6. How are you ensuring group sessions are safe?

Our group sessions were always restricted to a small number of attendants so members can benefit from plenty of individual instruction / correction from our trainers. However, we have temporarily reduced our group capacity further from 10 people to 7 (4/3/22 group numbers now at 8-10). This ensures members have plenty of space between each other and members will face away from each other when performing exercises. Members will also not share equipment. You will wipe down your equipment before you pick it up and after you have put it back.

7. How are you ensuring PT sessions are safe?

Your personal trainer will maintain their distance from you at all times. Your trainer will never touch your equipment and will use their own to demonstrate. You will be responsible for wiping your equipment before and after use. We have designated personal training areas to ensure you have your own space. The session will be designed so you can perform the majority of the exercises in one spot, avoiding the need to be constantly walking around the gym passing people.

8. Are there any changes to your facility?

(No changes currently) Our track is no longer available for using the SLED, but it can be used for walking lunges etc. if nobody is using the area. Otherwise during peak times, it is to be used for group and semi-PT customers for their sessions. We have one less bike and rower available. Monkey bars should not be used. That is it!

9. I have just joined. What do I need to know?

We will be in touch to organise your induction. Each time you visit our gym, sanitize your hands before and after using our entry system. Wipe down equipment before you pick it up and wipe it down after you have put it back (use our gym sprays and cleaning cloth). Try not to face anyone when you exercise. When using our user spaces (the floor marking areas), please do not use a user space directly opposite or next to another person, with the exception of the track area. Our facility has 7 zones / areas. Each zone has a member capacity (displayed on the wall). Please do not enter a zone if it is at full capacity.