BY: Hannah Long
Since the COVID-19 outbreak, people’s lives have changed drastically. Before this pandemic, life seemed to be running smoothly. The classes were all in person, masks were not a thing and gyms were open to all.
The Auburn University of Montgomery Wellness Center is a beautiful building that sits right off the road for everyone in Montgomery to see. Students, faculty and those with memberships all share this building, working out right beside one another. COVID-19 has changed the way this facility runs and has brought some frustration to frequent goers.
Previously, you could visit the Wellness Center at any time during normal hours of operation. Now, you must request a time slot to work out, which might not be available. Not only is the time an issue, but there are also no free weights available for use. This has been a big frustration to those who are working out. Although signing up for a time may seem easy, it is a struggle for those who do not know when they will have free time.
I had the pleasure of interviewing an AUM baseball player Grayson Blackwell about his experience with the new rules of the Wellness Center. He said, “I went to the Wellness Center a lot before COVID. Whenever I had time between practice and class I would go and workout. Since they changed the rules, it is hard for me to find a time to go, and when I do, that time slot is already taken.”
He also went on to say, “As an athlete, it is important that we lift weights. Since they took away free weights and only allow machines to be used, I had no other option but to sign up for a gym membership.” Blackwell said he got a gym membership to Crunch Fitness, a 24-hour gym near AUM where he can work out with free weights when he wants.
Getting another gym membership costs money, and in these trying times, not many people are willing to do that. If you are someone who does not care about using weights but still cannot find the time to go to the gym, there are other solutions.
AUM offers a beautiful track around the Wellness Center with plenty of green space for yoga mats, speed cones or whatever you are into. This space has been utilized by many people since the rules of the Wellness Center shifted, and what’s even better? This space is free. While there are no weights to use in this space, it is still a great area to use for cardio or bodyweight exercises.