For Sex Issue, Pipe Dream Sports profiled some of the places and ways on campus to work out in order to improve your stamina and fitness.
— West Gym
For a student looking for a structured workout program or a unique fitness class, it can probably be found at the West Gym, offered through Binghamton University’s health and wellness department.
Almost all students are required to take two credits of classes through the health and wellness department, but 10 credits can be taken through the department and applied for graduation. Students can also minor in health and wellness, a 24-credit program.
“Being able to take wellness classes at BU makes me improve areas of my health [inside] and outside of the classroom,” said Adam Rusch, a senior majoring in mathematics.
The health and wellness department offers a variety of physical activity classes, including ones which focus on weight training, aerobic exercises, swimming classes, aquatic training, marathon running and many others. According to Sarah Thompson, a lecturer in the health and wellness department, there is something for everyone.
“We have a very broad range of offerings,” Thompson said. “By the time a student finishes the semester, they should have a really good fundamental base to basically go into any fitness center and they would have the basics about how to exercise safely and effectively.”
Students in health and wellness classes receive personalized attention from a professional instructor and work with them to achieve his or her fitness goals throughout the semester.
“Students come in for different reasons,” Thompson said. “The goals of the students are going to be very different. But, what’s unique about our classes, [is] we have a curriculum, we have a set outcome, but we’re flexible to working with a student in terms of where they’re at and what their goals are.”
Regardless of which class students take, an attendance policy is usually in place. This means that one is forced to exercise at least twice per week, leading to consistency and improvement in workouts.
“The instructor’s in the class every single day; they are guiding them through the exercise and giving constant feedback on their form and technique,” Thompson explained. “Our instructors will be able to facilitate their learning.”
— East Gym
The East Gym offers a plethora of options for getting fit, including over 15 different exercise classes per semester, similar to those sponsored by the health and wellness department at the West Gym. These classes are broken into six different categories — cardio, strength training, cardio/strength combination, yoga/pilates, dance and aqua. While classes in the health and wellness department are offered for credit, the classes in the East Gym are usually not. They are optional and are all taught by certified BU students, according to the campus recreation website.
“The instructor was really friendly and got us really pumped for spin,” said Paola Anteri, who participates in spin classes and is a senior majoring in business administration. “She seemed a year older than me but she acted really in charge and knew her stuff, so I respected her.”
While the fitness classes and FitSpace are well-known options for working out in the East Gym, there is another alternative that students may not know about — exercising with a personal trainer.
“Anyone and everyone is eligible for personal training,” said Cindy Cowden, the senior associate director of Campus Recreation, in an email. “You also do not need a Campus Recreation membership — personal training sessions are sold independently, but can be a great supplement to your current workout routine.”
Students, faculty, staff and community members are all eligible to purchase personal training packages. One hour session costs $25, with packages available to bring down the price per hour. Group rates are also available and current students receive a 20 percent discount.
In group classes, programs are designed to fit the entire group’s needs, but in personal training, goals are developed to meet the needs of the individual.
“Each client is unique, which means their program will be individually designed,” Cowden wrote. “A regimen is developed after you and your trainer have sat down and had an extensive consultation and assessment covering your individual goals, needs and any health injuries/concerns that need to be taken into consideration.”
Workouts with a personal trainer can be challenging and intense. But, if one is dedicated, they can expect to see results in a short period of time.
“Consistency is key when it comes to results,” Cowden wrote. “Most clients who are consistent with their training — between two and three days per week — can expect to see results in six weeks.”
Some might believe that personal training isn’t for everyone, but according to Cowden, that isn’t the case. She feels that every person could benefit from sessions with a personal trainer.
“If you don’t know where to start with a workout program, we can introduce you to our equipment and how to use it properly,” Cowden wrote. “You may also benefit from a trainer if you have been working out for some time but need someone to push you to the next level. With a little guidance from a personal trainer, you’ll have more efficient and productive workouts. You’ll achieve your goals faster and you’ll feel stronger.”