COLUMN: Exercise apps replace gyms as citizens shelter-in-place

Luke Wu • April 21, 2020

Lifting weights creates a great way to keep active at home.

Chinese international student reflects on past health, current efforts to stay fit

Chinese citizen and senior AmeriStudent international student Luke Wu is a first-year Feather reporter.

[/media-credit] Senior Mars Hou continues to exercise at home by jump roping.

As an international student from China, I was deeply impressed by the United States and how much Americans love fitness.

Not simply running, but dealing with weights and equipment. China has a huge population, a fast-paced life and stress. A large number of people do not have time to exercise.

Because of land intensiveness and the high price of gym memberships, gyms are not very well run in China and are not as common as in the US. Instead, many people in China choose to use apps to help them to exercise at home.

Since childhood, I have been so thin that my kindergarten teacher even talked to my parents because he felt that I was malnourished. After I went to junior high, school and home were the only two places to go. The lack of exercising time made me gain weight.

My weight has doubled in three years. In the 1000-meter sports test, I took nearly nine minutes, getting the slowest score in the school. The passing time is six minutes.

My appetite has also increased due to the sudden increase in weight. I have vomited many times because of overeating.

[/media-credit] Junior Arundeep Singh stay active by lifting weights in his home.

I first came to the US in 2016. I walked into the gym for the first time with my roommates and friends. At that time, my purpose was not to stay in shape like many people, but to attract my future partner. After a while, I enjoyed the thrill of muscles that the fitness brought me. Gradually, I became thinner.

I lost nearly 40 pounds in four months of the first semester. Neither of my parents recognized me when I returned home to China, as I no longer was a fat boy.

The Fresno Christian campus is closed due to COVID-19. All homework is done online. I stopped going to the gym due to fear and they are now closed. Like many Chinese, I now do fitness without equipment with the help of an app called Keep.

This is to maintain weight while sheltering-in-place and also to complete the task of physical education at the same time.

I always do some push-ups when I get up in the morning. Before going to bed at night, I will follow the app to do some extra actions. The most tiring of them is the Russian twist. What you need to do for a Russian twist is sit on the ground with your legs up and twist your upper body to exercise your abs.

On the internet, such as YouTube or Instagram, there are many video creators who make simple videos to help everyone keep their body shape during this time. Check out the lists below for some online workout programs and videos to try while stuck at home.