Over the past couple years, fitness has evolved in more ways than one. After COVID-19 struck the world, people were left with little to no in person companionship. The bright side of this is that people were left with their own company and decided to take charge of their fitness in quarantine trying to counter the “quarantine 15.”

When quarantine began in early 2020, the virtual workout boom had begun. From YouTube to Peloton to group workouts on Zoom, people were online and on their grind. This kickstarted a new, innovative way to do workouts at home. It established a routine and was accessible, for the most part free and in the comfort of your own home. Even as gyms reopened, the newborn fitness experience hasn’t gone anywhere since 2020. Many fitness influencers earned their status by giving at-home fitness tips through Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.

“Many people have influenced my fitness journey this year. I watched a lot of workout YouTube videos and it greatly impacted my love for fitness that I have now. I also watch a lot of TikTok girls that lift and post videos in the gym and such,” junior Olivia Arrowood said.

Working out became more convenient for people once the virtual fitness realm was born. In 2022 especially, “mini workouts” became very trendy. A short YouTube video for those on the go became easy to fit into busy schedules instead of the typical hour long workout. With these mini workouts, more and more people are building gyms in their homes. Gone are the days where a lonely treadmill sits in the basement. People are building full blown gyms in their homes: free weights, racks, cardio machines etc. This has changed the game in terms of accessibility for getting fit.

Alongside these mini workouts, fitness technology has become more common. A fitness gadget that has been around for a while but has recently become very trendy is wearable fitness tech like an Apple Watch. It has helped many keep their health and fitness on track while still remaining fashionable and trendy.

“I start my Apple Watch workouts every time I go to the gym. It helps me calculate the time I spent on each particular exercise, how many calories burned, and my heart rate also. The Apple Watch is really good to use during an exercise because you can set the Apple Watch to calculate any type of exercise including swimming, strength training, cardio, core training, tennis, etc. The possibilities are endless,” senior Allison Herbert said.

Another thing that has really boomed this year is women’s presence in weightlifting. For a long time, women were told that they would look bulky and “manly” if they lifted heavy weights. But over the past few years, women have broken down that stereotype and picked up the barbell. Female influencers like Chase Byrd, Pareesa Akbar and more are the women paving the way to showing young women that lifting is acceptable and empowering.

“All the creators but especially @chaysembyrd make a very safe and open community where they talk about the best AND worst parts of working out and lifting. They also shine light on the mental health of it all. They all also provide workouts that girls can follow to have a plan and be able to go to the gym without the fear of feeling like they don’t know what they are doing,” junior Ella Bland said.

Overall in 2022, there has been a shift in the mindset when it comes to fitness and working out. For decades there has been a certain physical standard that society feels the need to portray. In recent years, people are breaking down barriers of the societal view of physical perfection when it comes to body image and beauty. The conversation about fitness and health has changed and more people have become focused on health regarding their own well-being and mental health. Fitness for many has been rooted in trying to fit into a certain societal mold. Now, many have switched the narrative and progressed to not being focused on weight loss but just being healthy in general.

Health in 2022 has changed the way that people look at fitness. We have more opportunities and less barriers keeping us from reaching our goals. This year is the segway to the future in the realm of fitness and a better look at the wholeness of health, mind and body!