Every September, I gradually fall out of my workout routine that I worked hard to establish over the summer due a hectic school schedule. After some thought about what I wanted to focus my personal inquiry on, I decided to explore different forms of physical activity. I’m hoping using this approach to fitness will encourage me to actively maintain a routine during my busy schedule, as I have the perfect excuse to prioritize it as part of my coursework.

Fitness is important to me because of the way it makes me feel, both mentally and physically. During my first two years of university, I was going to the gym five or six days a week. I could do this because I wasn’t working, I didn’t have many friends in the city I was living in, and I found working out at the gym to be something I really enjoyed doing in my spare time. I found that it empowered me, reduced my stress, and helped to energize me when I was having an off day. When I moved back to my hometown of Victoria, I had friends to socialize with, a busier school schedule in third and fourth year, and a part-time job to fit into my schedule. Despite the benefits of having more social support throughout school, my mental health suffered because I wasn’t actively taking care of my body and feeling all the psychological benefits that exercise can bring me.

My goal for the semester are to try in a new fitness activity (or revisit an old one) at least once a week outside of gym workouts. I want to assess how these activities made me feel, how much it costs, and how inclined I feel to do it again. Here is a summary of some of the physical activities I want to focus on this year:

Activities I currently engage in:

  • Gym workouts (mostly cardio)
  • Hiking

Activities I have previously engaged in:

  • Soccer
  • Basketball
  • Skiing
  • Cycling
  • Outdoor running

Some activities I want to try:

  • Rock climbing
  • Fitness classes (Spin, TRX, Kickboxing)
  • Yoga
  • Mountain biking
  • Snowboarding