The reopening of DU’s Coors Fitness Center is an exciting announcement for those who spent the summer completing at-home workouts, exploring the outdoors and yearning for the gym amongst COVID-19 closures. While many students are motivated and ready to restart their fitness routines at the gym, one question lurks over this decision: is it safe? 

Who Can Go?

The Coors Fitness Center has numerous precautions and protocols in place to adhere to COVID-19 regulations and provide the safest experience possible. 

These regulations begin with who has access to the building. The gym is strictly accessible to students, faculty and staff who have a cleared COVID-19 status and can scan into the building. Upon entering the facility, an employee will scan I.D. cards. This automatically updates capacity numbers in an online system.

“I’m in favor of the changes,” said senior Alisha Azam. “Only being open to the D.U. community minimizes the risk of COVID exposure from the broader Denver area.”

Before You Go

It is important to come prepared to the gym, as a lot has changed. A pre-registration form must be completed before arrival, and face masks and facial coverings are required at all times. This includes the cardio area on the second floor and around the pool deck. 

Those who arrive without a face mask have the option to purchase one at the front desk or exit the building and return with a face covering at a later time. Refusal to exit and or wear a face mask will prompt employees at the Coors Fitness Center to contact Campus Safety. 

Patrons are expected to arrive dressed to work out, as locker room access is heavily restricted. Bathroom changing areas are available but limited. The Coors Fitness Center has asked members to limit their workouts to one hour and bring a filled water bottle in order to limit capacity and gathering at fountains. 

In the rare case that the gym hits maximum capacity (50 people), a line will form outside of the facility.

Changes at the Gym

The Coors Fitness Center has also taken on a new internal look to adhere to CDC guidelines and provide safety to the DU community. 

“The most notable changes that I’ve noticed include spaced-out equipment, limited room capacity and lots of signage that encourage mask-wearing and disinfecting equipment and machines,” said sophomore Talon Mehta. “Normally, you wouldn’t sanitize dumbbells or weights, but the pandemic has changed the way we work out.”

Disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizers are located throughout the gym, so members can sanitize equipment before and after each use. Machines and equipment are now spaced apart to accommodate a six-foot distance, such as bench-presses that are now caution-taped off. Many machines have been removed from the gym floor or relocated to alternate areas in the facility. A former cycling studio has been converted into a dumbbell room with benches. That room has a four-person maximum capacity. 

One of the lesser-known upgrades to the facility includes the conversion of the Gates Field House from one giant gymnasium into three separate workout rooms partitioned by curtains. The first room is filled with ellipticals, cardio and rowing machines, each spaced apart. The second room was configured into a basketball court and the third room contains bicycles. 

The Coors Fitness Center is closed between 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. every day to allow DU staff to sanitize the entire facility. 

“It’s a really good idea,” said Azam. “I am proud of the Coors Fitness Center for showing extra precautions to ensure everyone’s safety.”

Throughout the day, employees at the Coors Fitness Center complete rounds to ensure gym-goers adhere to safety precautions. Staff members check rooms for capacity, wipe down equipment and make sure that face coverings are worn at all times (hydration is an exception). 

If employees notice a guest violating guidelines, they will approach the guest directly.  If a guest refuses to follow the guidelines while working out, they will be asked to leave. Campus Safety may be called to escort unwilling guests out of the facility.

When to Go

For many students, finding a safe time to workout is still a concern. Throughout the week, the gym’s attendance is lowest in the morning until around noon. This is most likely due to students and professors being preoccupied with classes and homework. Gym attendance increases throughout the afternoon and hits a peak around dinner hours. 

“I go around 10 A.M each morning, and it is pretty empty,” said Mehta. “Once, I arrived right after midday cleaning, [and] that was the busiest I’ve ever seen the place. There was limited equipment and space for how many people were there. It was hard to get my workout in. I would not recommend going after cleaning.”

The Coors Fitness Center has approached the pandemic with an abundance of caution for the entire DU community which is apparent through numerous regulations, protocols and daily sanitation procedures. As long as guidelines are met, students, faculty and staff can incorporate fitness back into their daily routines and return to a slight sense of normalcy.