How the Covid-19 Regulations have Affected Students at the Gym

INVESTIGATION INTO HOW THE COVID-19 REGULATIONS HAVE AFFECTED STUDENTS AT THE GYM
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Introduction
The COVID-19 Pandemic has subjected the world to a life-threatening situation, judging by the mortality and morbidity rates. More than 6.2 million people have died of COVID-19, and over 505 million cases have been reported worldwide as of 2022 (de Abreu et al., 2022). To contain this epidemic, governments have enforced measures like lockdowns, social distancing, and quarantines, which have proven highly effective (Bas et al., 2020, p. 2). These measures aim to prevent contact between vulnerable and infectious people. Their severity varies from country to country, with some nations limiting the distance people can move from their homes and some prohibiting any unnecessary outdoor activity (Stockwell et al., 2021, p. 1). These strategies have impacted the economy and affected physical activity and exercise because the imposed regulations have forced gym enthusiasts to change their lifestyles (Gallo et al., 2020). College students are a significant study population because most institutions have converted to a virtual format, and students have been advised to stay away from school. This project investigates how COVID-19 regulations and the health risks affected students' behaviours and attitudes towards the gym. It also identifies the specific rules and outlines how the established policies affected the willingness and discipline at the gym.
How Have Covid-19 Regulations and the Risks to Health Affected Students' Behaviours and Attitudes Towards The Gym?​
COVID-19 regulations, such as lockdown of all services and activities except a few essential services, have brought radical lifestyle changes such as reduced physical activities and exercise since students no longer go to the gym (Mochizuki et al., 2022). Kaur et al. (2020, p. 2) reported that COVID-19 home confinement has decreased all levels of physical activities and increased about 28% of daily sitting time and unhealthy pattern of food consumption. Even though these sudden changes have influenced everyone, most students who conducted their fitness programs in gyms before the lockdowns have suffered the blow intensely. The closure of fitness centres has forced people to remain indoors, interfering with their daily routines and fitness activities (Bas et al., 2020, p. 2). The hampered fitness activities and restricted social communication have exposed individuals to physical and psychological problems (Woods et al., 2020, p. 56). Physical activity is one of the best methods of managing weight and preventing or reducing health risks such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and some cancers. It also helps improve psychological conditions. Kaur et al. (2020, p.2) found that these changes have severely impaired the mental health of the affected individuals, manifested in the form of increased stress, anxiety, and depression.
The prolonged staying at home has influenced students to develop a negative attitude towards the gym due to isolation measures. Students who enrolled at the school gym have difficulty attending the sessions. As a result, their fitness morale has reduced. Other students have begun unhealthy leisure activities like watching television and movies and playing video games excessively. These activities are associated with physical inactivity. According to (López-Valenciano et al. (2021), physical inactivity is a pandemic. It is one of the leading causes of chronic diseases, obesity, and premature deaths worldwide (Dor-Haim et al., 2021, p. 1). COVID-19 regulations like social distancing have also risked students' mental health because they have discouraged individuals from exercising at the gym. Boredom and physical inactivity have accelerated anxiety and depression symptoms among gym-goers (Puccinelli et al., 2021, p. 2).
COVID-19 regulations have also motivated students to seek alternative physical activity methods instead of going to the gym. According to Kaur et al. (2020, p. 8), a shift from the gym workout and fitness equipment toward substitutes is evident during the final parts of the lockdowns. After the initial confusion and temporary wait for normalcy, gym-goers accepted the reality and began thinking about alternatives to exercises related to heavy gym equipment (Petersen et al., 2021, p. 2). Some options include lifting heavy buckets, high-intensity workouts at home, performing yoga and meditation, and running and cycling (Kaur et al., 2020, p. 8). The US physical activity guidelines recommend a weekly aerobic exercise for about 150-300 minutes and two-weekly sessions of moderate-intensity muscle strength exercise for people to be physically active during the pandemic (Kaur et al., 2020, p. 8). These alternatives have helped students to maintain their daily routine exercise and have contributed to their physical and mental health.
Like any other social place, gyms must comply with COVID-19 regulations such as social distancing and wearing masks. Scheid et al. (2020) found that gyms may pose a high risk of COVID-19 transmission. The reason is that intense exercise produces more droplets and aerosol particles that potentially spread the virus. Since the gym is a confined space that increases the possibility of COVID-19 infection, maintaining a safe distance may be difficult (Poon et al., 2021, p. 2). Wearing masks during a workout may also be uncomfortable. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has advised against masking during a workout if it creates more significant risks than benefits. According to Epstein et al.(2021), wearing a mask during an exercise hinders an individual's ability to see properly and reduces the ability to breathe comfortably (Poon et al., 2021, p. 2). Other risks may exist for people with breathing difficulties. Due to such possibilities, students have seen no need to risk their lives attending the gym. They have resorted to exercising indoors without wearing masks.
Further studies indicated that many students have chosen to apply spatial distancing to minimise or prevent the spread of the virus. Although gyms offer a sense of community, support, and individualized instruction, they are crowded spaces with many surfaces that can transmit the virus (Nyenhuis et al., 2020, p. 2152). For that reason, students have shifted to online training, which appears to be convenient. The application of electronic health (eHealth) for fitness has become a substitute for staying active during quarantine. eHealth refers to using electronic means like the internet, mobile applications, and electronic devices to transfer health resources and health care (Marchant et al., 2021, p. 2). Some interactive health home fitness apps that need home fitness equipment include Zwift, Mirror, Nordic Track, Peloton, iFit, and Tonal (Nyenhuis et al., 2020, p. 2152).
These interactive platforms use real-time modified health data to encourage consumers to take a more active interest in their health (Dor-Haim et al., 2021, p. 1). More importantly, they provide social connections with other users and fitness professionals. This feature makes the digitalised forms of exercise interesting for individuals who need accountability and social motivation (Nyenhuis et al., 2020, p. 2152). In the case of physical activity and exercise, eHealth has been operationalised as an online tool to help students exercise. A growing area of research has incorporated eHealth technologies to enable individualised behaviour change (Marchant et al., 2021, p. 3). This tool has become increasingly familiar with the internet proliferation and access to a wide range of health information.
Interactive, digitalised technologies provide numerous potential benefits for developing behavioural interventions. eHealth utilizes computer-based programs to personalise students' experiences (Sui et al., 2022). It offers some level of anonymity and allows for asynchronous online communication (Drew et al., 2022). This enables users to regularly contact physiotherapists, share information, search for services at their convenience, and provide mutual support. Raiola & Di Domenico (2021) noted that physical inactivity levels have become worse during the COVID-19 Pandemic because of the set regulations. Paradoxically, confinement has become an excellent opportunity to promote fitness. For instance, in the case of Italy and France, exercise was one of the sporadic opportunities for the people to get out of confinement for a limited distance and time (Marchant et al., 2021, p. 3).
Before COVID-19, little information about eHealth adoption for exercise and its effects on motivation and behavioural change mechanisms regarding physical activity level was available. However, the Pandemic has led to more research and acknowledgement of eHealth. Some researchers suggest that most of its users are, unsurprisingly, the youth (Park & Kwon, 2022). Current literature shows that eHealth positively influences social support, self-efficacy, and attitudes towards physical fitness (Marchant et al., 2021, p. 3). Perceived self-efficacy is one's belief in the ability to organise and implement actions needed to produce intended results (Marchant et al., 2021, p. 3). Using eHealth for fitness affects self-efficacy through individual and social interaction. The feedback, goal settings, and rewards inform users about their physical activity progress, which allows them to reflect on their performance. Subsequently, they can improve their capacity to do physical exercise (Marchant et al., 2021, p. 3). Individual success strengthens their belief in exercising.
Another study indicated that goal setting and rewards could boost users' eHealth confidence ...