The future came fast for Priscilla Freed.

The owner of Camp MissFits, a women's fitness center in Littleton, started her first virtual workouts March 17 in a new space large enough to accommodate a growing clientele.

“Basically, overnight, we went online,” Freed said.

Two days in, Freed's “temporary normal” amid the COVID-19 pandemic felt routine. A group of 20 followed along on a web-based video meeting as Freed and coach Jess Gerard led a workout. Viewing each little square on the monitor, Gerard doesn't fail to shout corrections to her clients. With a staff of four, they're determined to keep their clients healthy through the internet.

“We've been working a lot of extra hours, but this is our business. We need to save our business and we need to help our clients get through this,” Freed said. “I've been stressed. It's been stressful. But I've also felt grateful. Every morning, I wake up and thank God that we still have a business, that our clients love us and appreciate everything we're doing.”

As concerns about COVID-19 grew, Gov. Jared Polis on March 16 ordered all gyms to be closed to the public.

Freed, who launched her business in 2006, moved into her new space at 1500 W. Littleton Blvd. in January. Freed had done some virtual workouts, selectively, but nothing to the extent they currently have.

“It went from two years to two days,” Freed said.

The studio was equipped with a sound system. With the help from her husband/IT specialist Robert Thompson, they scrambled to assemble the proper equipment.

“We're still working out the kinks but eventually the experience on the screen will ideally be as close as what they could get here,” Thompson said.

Striking a balance between the gym's mission to be personalized is a challenge, Freed said. But they found ways to make it work.

“We want them to really feel how much we love them,” Freed said. “Everyone is stressed. Everyone is not happy with the changes, obviously.”

Freed said people appreciate their communities, their gym-mates and coaches, and their routines now more than ever.

“It's not that we need to save our business," Freed said "We need to save them — their health, routines, their stress levels."