With the busyness of the holiday season and the stress of final exams, students need extra time for exercise and relaxation. Fortunately, American University is mindful of students’ wellness and has extended hours at the fitness center. Starting in November, the Jacobs Fitness Center remains open until 12:00 a.m. on weekdays, 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, and 10:30 p.m. on Sunday. The new schedule gives busy students an additional two hours of gym access.
American University Junior and student athlete Katherine VanLent, says the extended gym hours are perfect for her busy schedule. “I love the new hours,” said VanLent. “First of all, my club volleyball team was given extra court time to practice. I also like to exercise at night rather than in the morning, so the extra hours give me time to go to the gym after classes instead.”
College students spend much time in sedentary pursuits – seated in lecture halls, studying at the library or typing in front of their laptops. With over fifty hours spent burning mental energy doing schoolwork, students have trouble finding the time to burn physical energy through exercise.
According to research done at the University of Oklahoma, most college students will gain about one pound during the holiday season. Holly Hull, the lead researcher of the study, said that Thanksgiving is the beginning of high-risk time for overweight individuals, who tend to gain more weight than their healthy-weight classmates. The reason for holiday season weight-gain is mainly due to overeating and a decrease in physical activity.
Furthermore, The President’s Council of Physical Fitness reported that 43 percent of Americans identify lack of time as their number one reason for not exercising. The extended hours at the fitness center will give students more time to exercise and avoid gaining extra weight during the busiest time of the year.
Assistant Manager of the Jacobs Fitness Center Laura Aristovulos said that the extra hours are helpful for busy students during final exams:
Currently and in past years, neighboring universities like Georgetown and George Washington have kept their gyms open late. Georgetown University’s Yates Field House is open until midnight, Monday through Thursday and until 10:00 p.m. on the weekends. George Washington University’s Lerner Health and Wellness Center is open until 11:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, 8:00 p.m. on Saturday and 11:30 p.m. on Sunday.
“I don’t know how I would have found time to exercise if Georgetown’s facilities didn’t stay open late,” said 2009 Georgetown University graduate Nadia Christian. “I did homework all day and worked out at night. There were times I was at the gym until closing.”
According to an article in Time Magazine, Americans spend approximately $19 billion on gym memberships a year. AU students, however, will not pay extra costs for the additional hours. Compared to some pricey public gym facilities, Jacobs Fitness Center is an easily accessible and free way that students can exercise.
American University Junior David Park lives off campus but he said he still prefers Jacobs Fitness Center to his apartment gym. “The extended gym hours make it much easier for upperclassmen that have classes until 10:40 p.m. With the gym closing early it was difficult to go,” said Park. “I also prefer Jacobs over my apartment gym because it has more bench presses and other equipment.”
Some students living off-campus however, will not utilize the extra night hours at Jacobs. “I definitely could have benefitted from the late hours when I lived in the dorms, but now that I live off-campus, I only use Jacobs in the morning before class,” said American University Senior Perri Eppie. Eppie said that she uses a public gym if she wants to exercise in the evening.
Through the years, the AU community has promoted regular exercise and active living by hosting special fitness events for students. This year, Recreational Sports and Fitness hosted the 3rd Annual Turkey Trot on November 13, and will host a seven-day ski and snowboarding trip to Quebec City during winter break. These events promote active lifestyles within the American University community by bringing students together to exercise in fun and creative ways. Jacobs Fitness Center will continue to offer group exercise classes including pilates, kickboxing, zumba, bootcamp, hip hop, bellydancing, spinning and yoga.
“I like going to kickboxing classes at Jacobs,” said an American University Criminal Justice Major, Emily Heltzel. “It helps me relive stress and keeps me active when I have a lot of other things going on.”
In addition to extended gym hours, AU’s Wellness Center offers body image reflection and freedom from smoking programs, which also promote balanced and healthy living.
The US Department of Health and Human Services recommends that people get at least sixty minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity most days of the week. Balancing physical activity with healthy diet and rest is essential to living a healthy life. Over-exercise can strain your joints and weaken your muscles which increases risk of injury. Most fitness experts and trainers recommend a day off after a hard work out to give muscles time to rest and repair themselves. A workout plan paired with healthy eating and sleep can prevent any unwanted weight gain.
Easy ways to add extra activity to your everyday routine:
* Bike or walk to class, to the grocery store or to the metro stop.
* If you drive to campus, park farther away for a longer walk.
* Try stretching, marching in place or taking short walks during study breaks.
* Take the stairs.
* Utilize the quad for group sports.
Looking ahead to the 2011 spring semester, AU students will now have more gym time to fulfill New Year’s resolutions to leading healthy lives. Later hours will likely lead to less crowding at the gym, and well, shorter lines at the elliptical machines.
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