'Huge Sigh Of Relief' For Marblehead Fitness Studio Owner

MARBLEHEAD, MA — When Tread Tabata, MHD owner Kelly Lorenz thinks of the members of her Marblehead fitness studio she says she feels like she is thinking of members of her own family.

Lorenz said she breathed "a huge sigh of relief" Tuesday afternoon that she'll still be able to see members of her Tread Tabata family in person after new coronavirus restrictions Gov. Charlie Baker announced fell short of shutting down gyms and fitness studios.

"I feel we are already executing all the guidelines he announced so that does not affect us negatively at all," she told Patch shortly after watching Baker's news conference. "It's a huge sigh of relief.

"We had a lot of friends who were praying for us. Praying for good outcomes."

Lorenz said her relief comes not only for herself and her business — which she said earlier in the week she was prepared to shift back to Zoom classes "in 10 minutes" if necessary — but for clients who benefit both physically and socially from the high-intensity interval workouts at the boutique fitness studio.

"We have one woman in her 60s who used to only come once a week and now tries to come three times a week," Lorenz said. "She told us that is the only three times a week she gets to see people. Other than that, it's just her and her dog. She is always thanking the teachers for being there for her."

Tread Tabata Marblehead was one of the many North Shore businesses nominated as a Patch 2020 Business of the Year with those nominating the studio gushing about Lorenz's enthusiasm, motivational spirit and her caring for her clients.

"If somebody is not there for a couple of classes, we will reach out to them," Lorenz said. "We are not just the instructors. We are a friend. We will make sure that if you are able to get there, we will get you there. We will hound you to make sure you know you are missed."

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While the high-intensity interval workout delivers obvious physical benefits, Lorenz said the mental benefits are clear as well whether they came from one of the Zoom classes she held in the spring, one of the outdoor classes held in the summer and fall, or one of the smaller, socially distanced indoor classes of seven people or less that she or one of her staff of six conducts inside the Bessom Street studio.

"We were created for connection," Lorenz said. "When we're not able to connect with loved ones we have to be very creative and innovative, and find ways to make that happen. Otherwise, it's too overwhelming."

Lorenz was an instructor at the Marblehead location before she took it over as a license owner from workout creator Kathy Glabicky, who runs the Beverly Tread Tabata location, on March 1.

Less than two weeks later, Lorenz was forced to shut the doors of her new business as Baker announced sweeping closures aimed at slowing the spread of the growing pandemic.

Lorenz moved classes outside for as long as was allowed. When social gathering limits prevented that, she began offering Zoom classes to her clients.

"We were 100 percent virtual," she said. "I was overwhelmed with gratitude at how committed this community has been to Tread Tabata. They followed me and continued to show up every day."

With Baker's Tuesday announcement that the state is reverting to step 1 of phase 3 of reopening, gyms and fitness studios must reduce to 40 percent capacity and mask orders will be enforced when working out.

Asked why he didn't call for more extensive restrictions or shutdowns of places like gyms, fitness centers, restaurants and personal care businesses, Baker said a lot has been learned about the virus and the impact of closing businesses since the spring.

"That had a calamitous impact on people who didn't have MBAs or MPHs or the ability to do their job from home or were white collar workers or worked in finance or accounting or law," Baker said. "The people who really got creamed by that were the people that actually have to get up and go to work somewhere."

Lorenz she follows nearly all of the new guidelines already anyway, and will enforce any new ones gladly if it means keeping the studio open to in-person classes.

"Our team has been very committed to creating spaces that are safe," she said. "We want to keep that sense of community when you are there. Feeling like you are still part of a group is so essential right now."

Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.

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