'We Have To Win': Villa Park Gym Reopens, Defying Governor's Orders To Remain Closed

VILLA PARK (CBSLA) -- One by one, members of The Strength Co. returned for their first weight training session in months.

The Villa Park gym reopened this week, defying the governor's orders to remain closed for the time being.

"Sometimes you have to make a quick decision," said owner Grant Broggi.

He quietly reopened on Memorial Day, with only half the equipment and clients. Usually, eight clients train at a time, but the gym has scaled back to only allow four clients into the small facility at once.

There's a long list of members waiting to train during one of the gym's four sessions, three days per week.

While closed, Broggi came up with a unique idea to keep his gym afloat and allow members to maintain their training. He brought his weights and machines to his clients' homes and created Zoom training sessions.

Broggi said he used a philosophy he learned during his military service to persevere.

"General Neller, the commander of the Marine Corps during my active duty service, would always say, 'We have to win.' He didn't say, 'How are we gonna do it? What's gonna happen?' He said: 'We have to win.'"

With medical-grade air filters, open doors, mask-wearing trainers, and 20 feet between weights, he's not only open for limited sessions, he's continuing to run his Zoom training program — which has gone international.

Broggi said he doesn't know what the future will hold for COVID-19, but he does know that everyone will need strength to get through it.

"We're here to get people stronger," he said. "They think they can't do it, and then they do. It's the general adaptation syndrome. You applied a stress to your body, your body went into recovery mode, and it said 'This may happen to me again. How do I prepare?'"

Gov. Newsom has not announced an official reopen date for Orange County gyms. Several other gym owners said they plan to reopen in the next week, regardless of the governor's orders.