As an avid gym-goer myself I can’t ignore that bubble of anxiety that rises in my chest as I hand over my phoenix card to the front desk of campus rec.
“Fitness?”
“Yes please.”
* Swipe *
As I walk down the hall, already profusely sweating, I am crossing fingers, toes and really any other readily available limbs, praying that a there is an open treadmill, elliptical, matt, ANYTHING available for me to really get a good work out in.
As I enter the gym I rush to the cubbies and drop my stuff off as quickly as possible in order to claim one of the machines as mine.
Often I find that all of the treadmills are either taken or broken – sometimes the gym is so crowded and hot that I’ve legitimately whipped a straight U-turn and proceeded to exit as quickly as I entered.
My friends and I have coined the term “peak gym hours” which can be defined as hours during the day in which the gym is packed and to stay away at all costs.
We have found that these hours of high-volume gym activity typically run from 3-5 p.m. Gym at your own risk during those times frames. People, you have been warned.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I applaud campus rec for all their amazing hard work! Keeping up an entire gym isn’t easy and Group X offers amazing class for only $20 for the whole year – a great opportunity for someone who really loves exercise classes.
But this morning as I stood at the water fountain in the gym waiting for my camelback to fill itself with sub-par room temperature water I couldn’t help but think is this it? What are my options?
The great thing about Elon’s gym is the obvious: it’s free to all Elon students, facility, and alumni – yeah as an alumni you can still work out for free, sounds like a pretty good deal right?
However if you are like me and don’t really enjoy waking up early to guarantee your favorite fitness machine will be available when you roll into the gym at 9 a.m. then read up because you do have options!
There are multiple off campus gyms that offer a variety of class and membership levels for all price ranges. Gold’s Gym in Burlington located next to CVS offers a student membership starting at $19.99 a month.
This includes access to the gym and all its equipment, guest passes, unlimited classes including HITT, BodyPump, Cycling, and many more. In addition Gold’s is equipped with a full pool, full basketball court, sauna, and a large locker room with showers and changing rooms for both men and women. Not to mention a surplus of treadmills, it’s like treadmill heaven over there.
http://www.goldsgym.com/burlington/
Another great gym in the Local Burlington Area is The Edge, located near Harris Teeter. The Edge offers a variety of memberships, their annual package specifically costs $200 flat for an entire year which is pretty affordable if you do the math – ends up costing around $17 dollars a month! With this membership you obviously gain access to the gym in addition to unlimited passes to any their available classes such as cycling, zumba, and core training. In addition for an extra $10 a month you gain unlimited access to the Edge’s tanning beds. With winter fast approaching this is a great deal for those who aren’t quiet ready to party with their summer glow.
http://theedgehealthfitness.com
“They always have machines available but sometimes it [The Edge Gym] gets crowded around 5-6 p.m. but never to the point where I feel like I can’t be there like how I feel at Elon’s gym. Plus the bathrooms are really nice, I love their showers and sauna,” says Senior Becca Lass.
One last gym option available for students can be found right next to Tropical Smoothie, the gym is called Anytime Fitness. This gym prides itself for being open 24 hours 365 days a year. Once registered you are given a swipe key that grants you access to the gym at any time – day or night. Unfortunately classes at this gym are not included in the membership and cost extra but this is a great option for those night owls who like to work out during crazy hours.
http://anytimefitness.com/gyms/2852/burlington-nc-27215
These are only three of the many gym options that can be found in the local area. If you too find that your trips to the Elon gym often leave you feeling like you’ve just stepped into a scene from the Hunger Games than educate yourself. Really weigh your options and do some research it’s never too late to join a gym and end the fight for fitness!