Exercise Habits Change During Pandemic

Exercise habits inevitably changed when the pandemic began last spring.

Although lockdowns and regulations on gatherings put a damper on how students could get their exercise, those who played school sports had a chance to get out safely and do what they enjoyed. 

Dimond Sophomore Izzy Williams said, “Hockey gave me something to look forward to. Along with that, the outdoor practices were actually really fun.” 

Of course, vaccinations will play a role in how comfortable students are when they start going outside more as summer approaches. 

Williams said, “I’m planning to get vaccinated here soon, so during the summer, I’m hoping I can go out to the lake more often.

“Now that people are getting more and more vaccinated, I think my summers will hopefully go back to normal.”

Another student who participates in school sports is Dimond Sophomore Amae Kam.

Kam said, “Right now, I’m on track. I did cross-country skiing along with cross-country running and tennis.” 

The environment for students playing sports was different, but the activities were still about the same in terms of content. 

Kam said, “There was definitely a lot more running outside instead of running inside. We couldn’t go to the gym anymore.

“We used to do strength together inside on Wednesdays, and now we do it through Zoom. Our coach does something, and then we copy him.”

Outside of sports, there was not much opportunity for students to go out and get exercise. 

Kam said, “If I hadn’t done done them, my athletic capabilities definitely would’ve gone down.”

Dimond Junior Micah Brown plays football and does track and field as well. When the pandemic first started, his exercise habits fundamentally changed. 

Brown said, “When the pandemic started, I was doing a lot of football weight room and stuff like that, and then once that spring break came around and they canceled school and all that, I wasn’t going to the gym.

“I could only do push ups, go on bike rides and stuff like that.”

However, as more and more people get vaccines, guidelines for going outdoors are changing. This means that students will have more freedom when it comes to how they get their exercise. 

Brown said, “I’ve been going to football weights again, and I’ve been doing the throwing bench for track and field.

“I’m just trying to get back into it, but it was a long time of just stuff on my own.”

Of course, not all students participate in school sports. 

Dimond Freshman Mykayla Harms is used to getting her exercise with her friends, and the pandemic along with its corresponding lockdowns changed her habits entirely. 

Harms said, “I had to be more creative with my ideas and who I was doing it with, and instead of focusing on going to the gym, I actually had to focus more on staying inside my house or in my neighborhood.”

As summer approaches, many students are becoming more optimistic. 

Harms said, “Especially as the weather gets warmer, I think that I’ll be a lot more willing to go outside.

“As time goes on, more stuff is opening up, and I just feel like it will bring more opportunity for exercise.”