The Benefits Of Exercising During Quarantine

Story and photo by Camryn Smith

The internet has been a useful tool that can distract its users from the reality they are facing. The uses of the internet are limitless. It can help someone to find recipes, online shop or find information. But, it can also help you to find at-home workouts.

Even with the gyms being open again, some people may still have concerns about exposing themselves and others to COVID-19. So, throughout the pandemic, many people have turned to YouTube or other streaming services for at-home workouts.

Some people have used this time to workout a specific muscle group, such as the abdominal muscles. Others may have taken this time to start a new workout routine. Central Michigan University freshmen Robyn Brown and Hannah Donnelly started doing yoga in their dorms when the gyms were originally closed.

“We started doing yoga in the morning, which takes between 10 and 30 minutes out of our day,” Brown said. “We watch YouTube videos to learn different yoga moves.”

There are many useful social media platforms that people are using to find workouts. Tik Tok and YouTube have a lot of content that can give someone ideas to change up their current routine or find a new workout. The videos often range from beginner to expert, making it easier for someone to find a routine that suits them.

Working out not only helps a person’s physical health, but it may also benefit a person’s mental health too. According to Healthline, working out releases endorphins, the feel-good chemical in the brain, which can improve a person’s overall mood.

“After I created a new workout routine with practicing yoga, I started to generally feel better about myself,” Brown said. “It was important to me to create a new workout routine after breaking my leg over the summer, because I got out of shape due to this injury.”

Spending a lot of time in quarantine has negatively impacted a lot of people’s physical health and mental health. Working out for just 15 minutes a day releases more endorphins in your brain. Finding some time to exercise, whether it is returning to the gym or going on daily walks, can help improve your overall health.