The new year is usually a lucrative time for the fitness industry, but the recent surge in Omicron cases could mean otherwise.

Gym owners nationwide are relying on people looking to drop the pandemic pounds and get business booming again.

"It's really been a difficult time, and it's just unacceptable this industry has had so many mandates on it with no relief in sight," says Todd Scartozzi, COO of Retro Fitness.

Retro Fitness has dozens of local franchise owners in New Jersey and nine other states. They all follow their own local mandates.

"If it's a fully vaccinated gym and you can't come in unless vaccinated, you aren't required to wear a mask," says Scartozzi. "If the local municipality says it's a mask indoor requirement, everybody wears a mask."

The fitness industry is heavily regulated when it comes to sanitizing, and many gyms are still taking extra steps to keep members safe.

"We do social distancing in our classes where we have marks on the floor 6 feet apart," says Scartozzi. "We do a lot of little things like that. Part of it is making people feel comfortable when they come back into the gym."

Gym owners say they have a built-in contact tracing system since all members must check in before working out inside. Many gyms and fitness centers are offering no-commitment and discounted memberships as incentives.