The evolution of the home workout has defined fitness for the past year—especially for motivated Liberty students. 

“I really started committing to building muscle back in April, without the gym,” senior Arvind Raman said. “There was a lot I could do with stuff I had on hand, but the prices of equipment are unreal.”

With interest in at-home lifting ballooning nationally, scalpers bought up exercise machines and dumbbells, hoping they’d become worth their weight in toilet paper. But as the pandemic continued into the summer, shortages of other types of gear quickly became common.

“I was trying to get a bike last June, and I had to call a ton of shops to find one in stock,” senior Dylan Bomgardner said. “I finally got them to hold it for me until I could pick it up.”

Equipment might not be necessary to start a new fitness habit, but careful planning is a must.

“I play frisbee, walk my dog, and do Zumba,” junior Juli Malit said. “Having a schedule’s really important. Getting friends involved is also a great form of motivation.”

Quarantine has placed unique constraints on students’ typical lifestyles, but the discovery of new athletic passions by students is a valuable and potentially long-lasting silver lining.