Eugene gyms, including the Student Rec Center, remain closed due to spiking COVID-19 numbers. In November, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown ordered all indoor gym and recreation facilities to close with hopes of controlling the ever-increasing numbers and to keep the hospitals from being overwhelmed. These precautions, though necessary, have left the UO community with fewer options for physical activity.
The combination of the pandemic, winter term, and closed gyms may be leaving students struggling with their mental health and self-esteem. Working out has become a very common coping mechanism during 2020 and although gyms are closed, there are still many options for physical activity in Eugene
The Student Rec Center created a new tented workout space called The Playground, which is open to UO students and requires a reservation for a 45-minute time slot ahead of time. In addition to a strength and cardio space, Group X classes and intramurals are taking place there as well.
Though this new workout space is innovative and making the best of the situation at hand, there are pros and cons to the space.
“I feel more comfortable in the weight section because creepy guys don’t stare as much,” said UO sophomore Samantha Harris. “It’s also nice to be outside and [I] felt overall safer with the virus. However, it’s very cold, and there is definitely less equipment. The only cardio machines available are bikes and rowing machines. It’s also awkwardly quiet.”
If The Playground doesn’t seem like your thing, you still have other options. Lucky for you, Eugene is nestled in the beautiful Willamette Valley, which provides plentiful opportunities for trails, hikes and walks. With gyms closed, it’s time to bundle up and get outside this winter. Spencer Butte Trail is Eugene’s most famous hike and a fantastic workout that can be done in an hour. Hendricks Park contains a multitude of trails, all beginner level, and all covered with lush greenery. Wherever you choose to explore in Eugene, you can’t go wrong.
The National Center for Biotechnology Information published a study that found moods increased with physical exercise and anxiety decreased. The study states that the World Health Organization recommends “regular moderate physical activities must be performed, if possible, for 30 minutes a day and 150 minutes a week.” The study also states “PAL [physical activity level] is an important factor in developing good mental health, correlating primarily with mood state, anxiety and health-related quality of life.”
Exercise not only affects moods but also self-esteem. NCBI published another study on the effects of physical activity and mood. The results were similar to the previous study, finding that “both the scientific community and lay people claim that regular PA impacts positively on self-esteem.”
With everything going on in the world right now, it’s also okay if you are struggling to find the motivation to exercise. I know that I for one have had many days, weeks and months where I just can’t find it in me to move my body. And that’s okay. Whether you choose to work out or choose not to, you are worthy and acceptable. At the end of the day, we have one life on this Earth, so let’s be gentle and kind with ourselves.