With Canadian wildfire smoke blanketing much of the United States and making being outdoors — much less exercising outdoors — unpleasant, Planet Fitness is offering free access in dozens of locations for a limited time.
As reported by NBC affiliate WAVE in Louisville, 10 gyms in the metro area, as well as a dozen other Kentucky locations, will be open through the weekend for guests to freely use any equipment or training areas.
“We want to make sure those who normally exercise outdoors have a safe option to avoid unhealthy air quality levels,” GlowBrands CEO Rick Kueber, who leads the Louisville-area Planet Fitness franchisee group, said in a release. “Part of a healthy lifestyle is making fitness a part of your routine. We hope this free access gives everyone the opportunity to exercise safely and continue their healthy habits.”
Likewise, Cincinnati-based ABC affiliate WCPO reports there are 19 different Planet Fitness locations in the Greater Cincinnati area and all will offer free access to those looking for a safer place to exercise than outdoors through Sunday.
"Visitors will have no obligation to join to take advantage of this opportunity," reads a press release from the company.
"With nineteen Planet Fitness clubs in and around the Cincinnati area, we want to make sure those who normally exercise outdoors have a safe option to avoid unhealthy air quality levels," Mike Hamilton, CEO of Midwest Brands, said in the release.
Wildfire smoke in the atmosphere triggered the Air Quality Alert earlier this week, but the conditions are expected to persist for the Cincinnati metro area and throughout the state of Indiana.
The air is considered generally unhealthy and is a worse classification Thursday than it was the day before, WCPO reported.
