Let's get physical

In the first two-and-a-half months of each year, the Student Recreational Sports Center and the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation are packed with students trying to fulfill their New Year’s resolutions and get in shape for spring break.
Right after New Year’s and the weeks leading up to spring break are usually the busiest times of the year, SRSC trainer and IU junior Josh Ryan said.

Pre-spring-break exercisers have one thing in common: motivation. The thought of putting on a bathing suit for the first time since last August drove many to the gym for last-minute crunches or 15 minutes on an abdominal machine. However, now that spring break has come to a grinding halt and students are dragging themselves back to classes, it may be difficult to keep up the pre-spring-break momentum. One way to keep up the enthusiasm is to find a social aspect to working out.

Group exercise instructor Lyndsay Brown said that attendance varies throughout the year, especially after spring break. Brown has worked as a group-exercise instructor for about four years now, though this is her first year working at IU. Though there is a shift in attendance levels, a lot of people still come who are committed to working out and staying healthy, Brown said. Plus, building workout habits and developing a consistent schedule is one benefit of making that pre-spring-break push to lose those few extra pounds.

“People get committed to a workout schedule before spring break and are able to keep that up afterwards as well,” Brown said.

Brown’s point was proven when more than 30 people showed up for a Step-I group exercise class she led Monday night at the SRSC.

Though it may be hard to keep up the motivation to stay healthy after spring break, working out with a group or partner is a great alternative to solo workouts, especially for beginners, Ryan said.

She said that those who utilize group workouts gain psychological benefits from it.
“There’s someone else there pushing you. There’s someone there forcing you to get off the couch and go to the gym,” she said.

While Ryan acknowledged the benefit of working out with a partner or group of friends, she said students should be careful about getting caught up in a conversation instead of focusing on working out and being productive. She added that students may get less work accomplished since they are waiting on another person and switching off between repetitions.

For students who want a more structured workout, the group-exercise programs hosted by the SRSC are great alternatives, Ryan said. Classes can be especially helpful for beginners, since there is an instructor demonstrating exactly what to do. In addition, there is always someone there for support and motivation.

Sophomore Melanie Leventhal said she participated in an amazing kickboxing class. She said that both the workout and instructor were excellent and kept her motivated. Leventhal has been taking group workout classes since her freshman year and is currently attending the Step-I class.

Junior Sarah McKee also attends the Step-I class and said she drags her roommate along for it, too. Group workouts are exciting for McKee since other people are around.
“You can bring a friend and make fools of yourselves together.”

Group classes are more fun and more varied, Brown said. In addition, it helps that there is a professional who is knowledgeable to lead the class and switch up the exercises. Also, it forces students to keep pushing themselves since they don’t know what exercise is coming next.

“I think it makes the time go by faster when you have someone leading,” Brown said.
In addition to the Step-I class, the SRSC and HPER offer other group-exercise classes every day of the week from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Instructor Kayla Little teaches a Deep Water Exercise class on Monday nights at the HPER pool (the class is also offered at the SRSC). She said the attendants are mostly older faculty and staff but anyone may attend. Deep Water Exercise classes last 45 minutes and participants “experience the benefits of this group non-weight-bearing form of exercise,” according to the Rec Sports Web site.

For students who are looking for a more strenuous workout, Little recommends the trekking class she teaches. Trekking classes last 45 minutes, and each participant runs or walks on a treadmill. The class consists of interval training for the beginner or intermediate student.

Students can exercise outside the SRSC and HPER as well. Running or walking, especially in warmer weather, can be a boost to cardiovascular health and energy level. Only 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise a day can produce results in weight loss and body-mass index. Perhaps the stairs in Ballantine won’t be as daunting, either.

Little said the most important thing to remember about exercising is consistency. Two to three days a week in the gym on an elliptical will be vastly more beneficial than an hour once a month. Some people efficiently and gladly use the buddy system to stay in shape. If exercising sounds nauseating, your workout partner can keep you motivated. Group-exercise classes are a great place to meet new people too. Students who are outgoing and social will be more likely to come back to the gym with a friend, Little said.

Exercising doesn’t have to be structured. Thirty minutes of cardiovascular exercise can consist of walking around campus throughout the day. And with spring weather on its way, walking instead of taking the bus can be beneficial.

The American College of Sports Medicine guidelines detail “moderately intense cardio 30 minutes a day, five days a week.” This includes walking to class and walking the dog. The other option is “vigorously intense cardio 20 minutes a day 3 days a week.”
The front desk at the SRSC has information available for anyone wanting to make lifestyle changes in their workout plan. You can sign up for group exercise classes, request a personal trainer to help on a regular basis or sign up for intramural sports. Even though spring break is over, all is not lost. There are still three months of summer swimsuit season to look forward to, but more importantly, the rest of your life.