With online school being in place from Aug. 12-Sept. 8, students have been forced to spend more time inside and in front of computer screens, which has led to a decline in physical activity for some.

“There is tons of research that points to the negative health effects from staring at a computer or cell phone for long periods of time,” Coach Pat Richmond said. “During this pandemic it has made it even tougher for some people to get out of the house and be active.”

With little time for exercise, it could negatively affect the body over time and could potentially be a bigger issue for students who choose to join the Virtual Learning Academy for the remainder of the semester.

“Our strength coach, Coach (Shane) Trotter, has a poster that talks about the disease of sitting,” Richmond said. “It points out that sitting too much can have a number of negative health outcomes including premature death, heart disease and obesity.”

Being in front of a screen all day can be draining to some, but even the simplest things can get the brain and body moving, Coach Ann Callis said.

“To avoid sitting all day, students can do something as simple as setting the timer to get up and move,” she said. “Even getting up to stand instead of sitting is healthy. A simple way for students to get active is to find something productive to do around the house.”

Finding the right workout can be hard, but it’s important to find one that works best for individuals, Richmond said.

“There are a ton of resources out there for you to use,” he said. “You can do something as simple as walking or riding a bike but if you get bored by that there are a number of workouts you can find online, especially YouTube.”

If none of those options interest those who stay at home consistently, basic workouts like push ups and sit ups are good too.

“I remember people that I grew up with and they would have a goal of doing 100 push ups and 100 sit ups before they went to bed every night,” Richmond said. “That can seem overwhelming at first but just start small and build up to it. Even if you only do 10 of each (per) day, at least it’s a start.”

People interested in more advanced workouts can find them online through various sources from YouTube to college sports teams. Richmond suggests to start small and work up to advanced exercises incrementally.

“One thing you need to make sure you do is master the basics before you try to perform complicated activities,” Richmond said. “It’s really easy to get injured performing complex lifts and activities if you haven’t been trained by someone who knows what they are doing.”

At times working out may not seem fun to many, but it has benefits such as a healthier lifestyle and better mental health.

“I think (working out) is very important,” Coach Hector Calderon said. “You feel good about yourself. Your body releases these chemicals after you workout that make you feel better.”