MCCC’s fitness center is currently open, unlike most of the school, but you can only enter by reservation and COVID-19 health protocols are in place.
All gyms in N.J. were closed for five and a half months after the state went into lockdown on March 16, 2020. When the governor eased the restrictions and fall semester classes started in September, MCCC re-opened the fitness center which was particularly important for student-athletes who continue to train.
Gyms in N.J. were permitted to reopen following certain restrictions. Members and employees are required to wear face coverings, maintain appropriate social distancing, and only a certain capacity is allowed at once.
Throughout the pandemic, stores that sell exercise equipment, like Johnson Fitness in the Mercer Mall on Quakerbridge Road, five minutes from the West Windsor campus, have been out of inventory on things like weights or back-ordered on equipment like treadmills.
During the warmer months, people took to parks and local playing fields or worked out in their homes. Fitness gurus on Instagram have been offering classes online. Some of the most well known include Kira Stokes with 481k followers and Ebony Fowler with 47k followers. They offer a mix of equipment-free workouts and ones that utilize basic equipment like a kettlebell or resistance bands.
Personal trainer sweatbyjess on Instagram has been working out in her basement and outdoors daily. To help others she uploads easy do at-home exercises that can be done with and without weights. From cardio, full-body, lower body and upper body exercises, it is all done at home.
Some people are working out during COVID-19 because of how your health determines your risks when facing the virus. According to MedlinePlus, a website with trusted health information, people who work out generally have better health and stronger immune systems. Working out can also reduce obesity, a factor that can put some people at risk for greater complications from coronavirus according to the CDC.
Second year Mercer student Andy Dieudonne, says, “Although there are many COVID restrictions in place, I think it’s still important to take care of one’s physical health. COVID will be around for a while and we honestly have to become accustomed to these new changes. No matter what gym you go to, you will have to follow the same restrictions.”
For the time being, unless the governor reinstates restrictions to manage a spike in COVID cases, all local gyms including PEAC Health and Fitness and Planet Fitness are currently open, but they require payment. Students enrolled at MCCC can use the on-campus fitness center for free.
