As the world experiences a pandemic due to COVID-19, athletes and fitness loving people have begun to struggle maintaining their daily and normal fitness routines. Students throughout California and especially San Luis Obispo High School have been impacted greatly because of this.
Schools at all levels across the United States have been closed causing high school athletics to be cancelled. The influence of this has affected athletes participation in training, weight lifting, or playing their sport. With California on Shelter-in-place, it has also called for the closure of gyms, recreation centers, and swimming pools. Therefore, the fitness indulging are left with their house, the beach, and hiking trails around our area to keep them active.
“Concerns surrounding the coronavirus have altered the rhythm of our daily lives and being a high school and club swimmer, it has been difficult adapting to life away from the pool deck. As a result, my coach can no longer train me, I no longer get to hangout with my teammates around the pool deck, and most significantly, there are no pools in the county still open to the public. Despite school closure and the uncertain circumstances, I’m glad the mandated shelter in place order does not prevent us from going outdoors and staying physically active. Therefore, some activities I have decided to implement in my daily routine include yoga, playing ping-pong, doing ab workouts, and going on walks. My goal is to be happy and healthy during this unprecedented time and stay in shape in hopes that life and my daily routine will begin again soon,” said freshman Emily Pan.
Gyms and yoga studios all around San Luis Obispo County including, Club 24, Spark Yoga, Headstrong Fitness, and many others have been pleasing their customers and even gaining some newbies with their online classes. The online classes cost nothing to watch and are either live at certain times of the day or are posted and can be watched whenever so people can workout on their own time. This has been a very convenient way for some athletes at SLOHS to stay active.
“Well, the first day of quarantine my coach sent me a bunch of workouts to do at home and then cut his hitting down to just me and two of my teammates. He still has us playing tennis the same amount each week there are just fewer people,” said senior Nathan Butterfield.
Some may not find themselves the type that likes to stay indoors and watch a video to get their exercise but instead going out and getting fresh air. The shelter in place still allows going out for walks and hikes but has set the “six foot social distancing” rule. SLOHS students have found themselves participating in their hobbies even by mountain biking, surfing, ocean swimming, hiking, or even just going on a walk in some cases.
“What’s happening around the world is so unfortunate and hopefully will end soon. This has not only affected mine but everyone’s workout schedule. I have been trying to incorporate some body weight exercises and mostly running for a while. The only thing I pretty much do to workout now is play basketball by myself and then run. Its been hard to adapt because it’s hard not lifting weights since I have been starting to take powerlifting more seriously and trying to get in better shape. Pretty much running has been keeping me busy and motivated,” said senior Adrian Ruiz.
During this epidemic none of us imagined happening in our lifetime, there are many ways to still stay active. SLOHS students are involving themselves in a little bit of everything and trying to get some fresh air and make the most of a not so practical happening.
