GoodLife Fitness has finally released its game plan for reopening gym facilities in Toronto and across the country after weeks of mandatory closures due to the pandemic.

The chain, which has more than 230 locations nationwide, will be operating by new standards, just like every business that is now learning to navigate a strange, physically distant new form of normal.

1/3 We are committed to reopening a safe & caring space for everyone in Canada to work out while meeting public health guidelines. The GoodLife Standard will help guide the reopening of our Clubs & ensure the safety & health of our Members & Associates going forward. pic.twitter.com/nG0khIwgF7

— GoodLife Fitness (@GoodLifeFitness) May 28, 2020

Unsurprisingly, part of its new policies include the installation of hand sanitizer stations, along with more frequent and intense disinfecting of gym spaces and equipment — staff will actually go around to clean and reset the club once every hour.

Wiping down equipment both before and after use will also now become a requirement of members, not an option.

Signage and directional arrows will ensure safe social distancing and the proper flow of patrons, while gym capacity will be reduced to prevent the notoriously busy GoodLifes of yore.

And, as part of this effort, all gymgoers will have to book an appointment slot in advance online. Walk-ins may be taken if a location has enough space, but given the fact that no one has been able to hit any gym other than the one on their living room floor for weeks now, that seems pretty unlikely.

(This will presumably become a regular part of working out anywhere in the country, as per guidelines recently set out by the Fitness Industry Council of Canada.)

All areas except for the general workout area, group fitness and cycling studios, and "for women's" area will remain closed, including pools and showers. Squash courts, tanning beds, saunas and steam rooms will likewise be off limits, and towel service will no longer be available.

GoodLife Fitness has released details on what its gyms will look like once they reopen.

Highlights include:

- all workouts booked in advance
- daily deep cleans
- directional arrows to ensure physical distancing
- no use of towel service/showers/saunas/hair dryers pic.twitter.com/p9MMbs9ub9

— Graeme Benjamin (@GlobalGraeme) May 28, 2020

Somehow, group classes and personal training will indeed resume, albeit with strict physical distancing measures in place, and trainers donning gloves and masks for every session. People are also encouraged to take advantage of GoodLife's virtual class options.

Though members can't book appointments quite yet (they'll be receiving an email two weeks before slots open) and gyms are still shuttered for the time being, the chain is in prep mode until our COVID-19 situation reaches a point where they can safely open their doors to the public again.

Locations in other provinces are opening as soon as June 15, but there is no date at current for when Ontario residents can expect to be back on the treadmill or at the squat rack.

working out at home is so ass I miss GoodLife

— M as in Mars (@MarsNis) April 19, 2020

While gym companies will each have their own way of operating while the threat of the infectious disease still looms, the chance to be able to get into an actual gym again will undoubtedly be in high demand, so the home workouts may have to remain a staple of most of our routines even after fitness facilities return.