The pandemic that shook the world will be a mark in history and our lives that we will never forget. We will never forget the fear of walking into the grocery store, or sitting on the couch watching the infection rate escalate. We will never forget the hours spent at the dinner table talking because hey, there was nothing else to do. We will never forget disinfecting bananas on our garage floor because that’s what we were “told to do,” but most importantly we will never forget how this pandemic has changed us all forever.
What is most frustrating about the pandemic is the lack of control we have on the world around us. In the spring, school was canceled, our social lives were nonexistent, and we were limited to the walls of our homes. Since I couldn’t control what happened outside of my bedroom walls, I decided to control what I could – and that was myself. This was a time to indulge in self-care and focus on me because I knew there would never again be 4 months of near solitude.
Before quarantine, I spent every day juggling the life of a college student. Running from Southwest circle to class, to the dining hall, and back, I had limited time. However, finding time to workout was something I had always prioritized. It was something I took part in every day to clear my worries and enjoy the hour I had to myself. Whether that was a quick run around campus or a spin class at the Rec Center, it was routine and a part of my day I always looked forward to. Once the pandemic began, I lost all motivation. I no longer had a beautiful campus to run across or an instructor to tell me to pick up the pace. All I had was a closed gym and gloomy weather that piled onto the negativity the month of March had brought. Everyone had decided that this was it, the pandemic was where they would lose all sense of motivation. All sense of hope. But this was a time to focus on myself, improve myself, and become a better me. This was a time I discovered Megan Roup.
Megan Roup is the founder of the Sculpt Society, an in-person and online exercise program that consists of dance cardio and toning. Roup attended NYU Tisch School of the Arts and continued her dance career as a Brooklynettes dancer before she found her love for teaching exercise classes. Now, she attracts models from around the world who she collaborates with, and posts on her virtual library to reach thousands across the globe. My older sister had shown me Roup’s workouts, and from the moment I saw them, I became addicted. Every workout is customizable, allowing you to choose the duration and area of the body that you want to exercise. They require minimal fitness accessories, as well as minimal space. So whether you are in your garage (like me), in a hotel room, or in the kitchen of your apartment, there is always a space to get your dance on and have a good time. The Sculpt Society became routine for me just like my workouts had at school. After my online classes, I would jump in my workout clothes and head to the garage just like I would the gym and take an hour of myself to wipe all the worries away.Â
The Sculpt Society workouts are like no other, in the way that they are in your home on your time. Every class begins with a quick cardio workout, which is a different variation of dance movements to increase heart rate and blood flow. Whether that’s jumping jacks, grapevines, box steps, or around the world, your blood is always pumping and you’re left wanting to increase the intensity. In partnership with cardio is the sculpt section of her workout. Using ankle weights, hand weights, tension bands, or simply your own body weight, each class targets the arms, core, gluteus, and legs, leaving you sore and satisfied at the end of your workout. With over 30 videos in Roup’s online library, it is hard to not try every one—leaving you addicted to the music and movements.Â
The Sculpt Society carried me through my darkest times through to the other side. The side where I am living in currently, is in an apartment with my best friends. The side where I wake up every morning and am healthy. The side where I put down my computer at the end of the day, grab my two-pound hand weights and tune into The Sculpt Society.