A trip to the gym equals a dreaded run on the treadmill or what seems like hours on the elliptical, followed by (thank God) dashing out of Dedman, relieved that you’re done. Does this sound about right? Or maybe it’s just even the thought of getting yourself to the gym that makes you cringe and scan your brain for every reason why youreaaally just can’t make it today. If this is you, where Snooki doing your hair for formal sounds more appealing than hitting the gym, do not fear. I have scoured the Dedman Rec Center for fun, new ways to stay fit and maintain that hot body. Let’s be real, compared to other colleges’ fitness centers, we’ve got it pretty good. You owe Dedman a shot! Take a look at the opportunities I discovered and give a few of them a try, you’ll probably end up really enjoying at least one of them. Before I forget, peruse around the gym yourself the next time you have a workout sesh… new fitness opportunities arise often and are posted throughout the center. You no longer have to be a slave to that treadmill—take a chance with one of the following:
Tired of putting in the time but not seeing results? Fret no more…
To most collegiettes™, a workout consists of one thing: cardio. We run for miles. We Ellipticize…for freaking ever. And often, we do not see results. We typically believe that if we put our best efforts in doing our cardio, we’ve done a successful workout. Yet, logging excessive minutes or even hours on the treadmill, elliptical, or other cardio machines frequently render nada results. So what gives? It’s time to look to the Jersey Shore for advice by tuning up you’re workout and familiarizing yourself with the situation I’m calling strength training. Yeah, Mike’s abs result from some serious weight lifting, a form of exercise that most women shy away from. But according to Woman’s Health, lifting weights is the key to melting flab from the places most difficult, especially our waistlines.
The magazine explains, “Although cardio burns more calories than strength training during those 30 sweaty minutes, pumping iron slashes more overall.” Because weight lifting builds lean muscle, it therefore revs up your metabolism, allowing you to burn more calories throughout the day—not just during your workout. Multiple studies show that strength training can help you burn hundreds of extra calories a week just in the 24 hours after a weight training workout. Burning more calories while Facebooking? Who doesn’t like the sound of that? So Google “strength training workouts” or check out your favorite workout magazine for the variety of ways you can incorporate weights into your gym routine. Then channel your inner Jillian Michaels and pickup some dumbbells to drop the flab.
If you like working out with friends…
If you like hitting the gym with a girlfriend, or want to get out of your comfort zone and try something new, group classes are the way to go. Dedman has over 25 different group classes ranging from hardcore 6 Pack Abs to less intense Water Fitness. Each class is designed to target certain areas of the body, so choosing a class based on where you want to shape up is easy—just visit the Group X link on the SMU Department of Recreational Sports homepage (http://smu.edu/recsports/groupx/default.asp) to find in-depth class descriptions.
This past semester a few friends and I gave Zumba a shot. With a zealous instructor, dancing and releasing my inner Latina (albeit not very well) warranted some soreness the next day from the intense, yet fun workout. Unfortunately, the group exercising classes aren’t free (though most classes are offered free to test out the first two weeks of each semester) and a pass granting access to all of the classes is $70. But if you are only interested in a single class (yoga, spinning, etc.) the price for a pass is lower. And if you just want to try out a class, a one-time pass is only $4.
Just can’t get motivated?
For a full straight week you hit the gym your targeted number of times: 4. So proud of yourself, you vow to maintain that number. But homework piles up, and then it’s a Thursday night, and there’s also that day party this weekend…soon you’ve only made it to the gym once that week. Everything just keeps getting in the way, and working out falls to the bottom of your list of priorities. Need something to make your commitment last? Aha, a personal trainer might just be the answer.
Not only will a personal trainer help you schedule and plan your workout, but one will also be there to cheer you on and show you how to workout most effectively. Most importantly, with their expert guidance you will see results. Personal training can work for you too if you want to start exercising and don’t know where to start, or if you want to make sure your form is correct. SMU personal training offers many different personal training packages that range in price from sixty to over a thousand dollars. However, most are under $200, and you can even buy a package to share with a friend.
If you’re looking for some excitement in your workout…
Look to SMU’s Outdoor Adventure Program if you are sick of staring at a TV while working out, or if you want to do some extreme adventuring. The Outdoor Adventure office (located on the bottom floor of Dedman on the same side as the rock climbing wall) hosts plenty of thrilling experiences, like zip lining, sky-diving, and even overnight camping and backpacking trips at unique locations (like in a cave!), which are rare once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. But if jumping out of a plane isn’t your thing, this office also has less terrifying opportunities, like bike rentals, to use on the nearby and beautiful Katy Trail across the street from campus.
Hopefully, some of what I’ve dug up intrigues you enough to give one of them a try. If you really get into things, you could always sign up for Ms. SMU, the fitness competition…err…maybe you don’t want to do something that extreme. Better just get a massage after you hit the gym and call it a day.