Fitness can be fun once more thanks to an assortment of new elliptical machines, stationary bikes and spinning bikes, which were recently added to the Student Recreation Center.
The new machines were added to the array of fitness equipment at the SRC after it was decided the center needed to improve and bring in more cardiovascular equipment. The machines were put in around August 15 and cost roughly $100,000.
‘Students were waiting for the equipment, especially the elliptical, for as long as a half hour up to an hour,’ Steve Kampf, director of Recreational Sports, said. ‘Besides that, a lot of the machines were getting old and we wanted to both improve that and bring in new technology.’
Along with bringing in new equipment, the SRC has also made additions to a few of the older machines.
‘Some of our stationary bikes now have video screens attached,’ Patrick Edwards, a graduate assistant in charge of the SRC Pro Shop and Special Events, said. ‘Instead of just displaying a number of miles on a screen, you can actually watch yourself ride the number of miles you want to using the landscape on the screen as an aid.’
The bikes will also keep track of different riders’ best times by asking the student for a username and password each time they use the machine. The account then stores the student’s progress and will show the biker a record of their achievements each time they log in.
Not only do the bikes allow the user to watch their progress using animation, they also turn a routine fitness exercise into a game.
‘The stationary bikes with the video screens also have the ability to interact with people on the other bikes next to you,’ said Edwards. ‘You can race people working out on the other bikes and that is definitely going to make exercising a lot more fun to some people.’
Bob Stech, junior, agrees that the new equipment and additions to the bicycles will likely draw more students to the Recreation Center and make working out a lot more enjoyable.
‘I think that with the new equipment there is a good possibility that a whole lot more people will show up and work out,’ he said. ‘The more variety of machines there are, the more people will show up and have the ability to work on different things.’
For Stech, working out at the SRC makes him feel better about who he is, works as a stress reliever when homework piles up and even gives him something to do in his free time instead of just sitting in front of the TV.
Liz Jennings, a manager who works at the front desk of the SRC agrees with Stech.
‘It’s very important to stay healthy during the school year, not just physically, but mentally as well, and the recreation center helps students do that,’ she said. ‘Most of our days consist of sitting in a classroom for hours on end, and that can get stressful. Students have to remember that we’re not just a place to exercise, but a place for people to relax and have a good time while they keep active and stay fit.’
