Fitness, although in many lifestyles may seem like a luxury, in reality - and in a perfect world - it should be part of ones daily routine. It not only does wonders for your body, it also plays a vital role in smoothing out the rough edges (read stress) and overall helps the mind to relax and feel fresher than ever.
Doctors are becoming increasingly conscious that the three qualities of a person, in particular, play a role in our physical health. For example, if someone is under a great deal of emotional or mental stress, they may become ill. Ulcers, heart attacks, strokes, digestive issues, and other health problems can all be caused by excessive stress.
However, if a person's physique is fit, he or she will be in better general health and be able to avoid numerous physical problems.
1. Keeping your blood pressure under control is easier when you're physically healthy. The heart is a muscle, and it will not be healthy if it is not exercised. When you're in good shape, your heart is less prone to develop the various heart illnesses that so many individuals suffer from today. Walking is thought to be the best method to stay in shape, with 2000 steps a day being ideal for heart exercise and keeping joints supple.
2. When it comes to joints, exercise - fitness – is beneficial to everyone suffering from arthritis or stiff muscles. Gentle activity such as walking or swimming helps to strengthen muscles, joints, and ligaments, allowing for the maintenance or even expansion of range of motion.
3. Physical activity causes us to be fit, but it also helps us mentally healthier. It offers us a sense of purpose and helps us to feel less tired and depressed. When you go for a stroll, you will encounter or meet other people, and this social connection is vital to maintain your positive attitude toward yourself and your life.
Jacobs University has then and again proved that it supports the fitness trend that has taken Germany, along with the rest of the world, by surprise. It’s common knowledge that the idea of fitness and physical wellbeing has been on the rise for some time, but as we’ve witnessed in the last decade, gyms and sports halls have sprouted at almost every corner of major cities in the world.
Our very own campus gym is one of those examples. The fitness center has all the essentials one needs for a full-body workout plus more. It has weights ranging from 2kg to 40kg and a bundle of weight plates that can be utilised to hit a number of body parts. The overall environment is trendy and feels - more or less - like a perfect place to shed some energy. It’s highly convenient that the gym stays open until 10pm in the night nowadays, but it wasn’t always like this.
Back in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit Germany, the gym was closed for a number of months. It’s a struggle, really, to try to find the energy or the willpower to workout at home. When things got a little better, the gym finally opened, but for a limited number of people. It then reduced its capacity to mere two (including the student assistant) before it was forced to close again because of the second wave.
Since September, the Jacobs University Fitness Centre provides monthly and semester memberships to all its respective students.
BY MUHAMMAD SHAHZAIB TAHIR AWAN (PAKISTAN) | CLASS OF 2022
