Marymount University Provides Fitness Classes During Pandemic

Author: Allaa Abdelaziz

Photos by Unsplash

To help combat stress and anxiety that worsened during the pandemic, Marymount University is offering stress-relieving activities for students to improve their mental health. 

Marymount’s Student Health and Well-being team hosts aerobic and yoga group fitness classes without cost to students. Classes are located at the bottom floor of the Lee Center Studio and are only available to students at Marymount. 

Erika Scaggs, senior administrative assistant, teaches hour-long yoga classes at 5 p.m. Mondays and noon Fridays. The level of difficulty is determined by the student and what they are comfortable with, Scaggs said.

Sara Pappa, assistant professor in the Health and Human Performance Department, teaches group step aerobics. Moves target legs, upper body and core to build strength. The 60-minute classes are offered at 9:30 p.m. Monday and 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The fitness class program was started in the Summer of 2021 because the COVID-19 pandemic had taken a toll on both physical and mental health. Aprile Preller, Community Health director, said this was a way they could help students combat that toll. According to a survey done by TimelyMD, two years into the pandemic, students are still struggling to cope with this new normal. 

“College students across the country are always reporting high levels of stress, and that is no different here at Marymount,” Preller said.

Exercise is not just about staying fit. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), physical activity can significantly reduce depression, stress, and anxiety. Physical movement and activity release natural dopamine chemicals in the brain that increase feelings of happiness. Scaggs said yoga requires still movement connected to breathing that can also reduce stress. 

“Through the movement and breath students work to become more aware of their bodies and feelings. Growing one’s awareness can help students identify feelings of stress and have some techniques to cope with this stress,” Scaggs said.

Step aerobics uses a step bench for more fast-paced exercise that has all of the benefits of a high-intensity workout without putting stress on joints. Pappa said the repetitive motions involved in exercise promote a focus on your body, rather than your mind.

“By concentrating on the rhythm of your movements, you experience many of the same benefits of meditation while working out. Focusing on a single physical task can produce a sense of energy and optimism. This focus can help provide calmness and clarity,” Pappa said. 

Preller said fitness is not a cure-all for someone struggling with their mental health. 

“Medical/professional help is what I personally would recommend for anyone struggling with their mental health but having these fitness classes at MU I hope can serve as a helpful tool for Marymount students possibly struggling with mental health, especially as we continue to navigate through the Covid-19 pandemic,” Preller said.

Students can sign up via MU Engage and see an updated schedule of fitness classes plus other activities the Health and Well-being team provide.