Have you ever thought of hiring a personal trainer to help you achieve your goal of learning to do a cartwheel? Well, one woman decided to do so, and the staff at Concordia’s gym, Le Gym, did their best to help. According to Vladimir Pavlicik, the associate director of campus recreation, this is a testament to the atmosphere of the Concordia facility.
“This place is not about muscles,” said Pavlicik in an interview on Monday. “It’s about wellness and health and it’s about joy.” Le Gym might just be what helps you keep your sanity this semester.
The long-term benefits of exercise probably come as no surprise: how you walk, how you feel, improved metabolism and sleep, significant reduction of stress. It’s also not shocking that the biggest issue gyms face is client retention. This is why Le Gym strives to create an atmosphere that students want to come back to.
“It’s impressive how much good energy there seems to be embedded in this place,” said Pavlicik. For those who find the gym an intimidating place, Le Gym’s staff is consists of many students who create a light and lively environment. According to Pavlicik, however, “it’s being unfamiliar with a certain environment that makes you feel (intimidated).”
New or aspiring members are offered a free first visit to the recreational facility to encourage students to test out the facilities. There are a wide variety of courses offered at all times of the day.
“There’s plenty to choose from. It depends on your schedule, it depends on your lifestyle,” said Pavlicik. “But I would say don’t go too much out of your general routine because it’s more difficult to sustain.”
Signing up for a course, be it fitness or relaxation, martial arts or dance, has a social aspect to it as well. It can be hard to connect with fellow students in a large, university-sized classroom environment, but exercising in a group is a great form of motivation. According to Pavlicik, one zumba class refused to stop meeting over the summer even though the course had technically ended.
On September 1, Le Gym added two more facilities, including a beach volleyball court. The other is a green space in the backyard of Grey Nuns’ building which is equipped with a small exercise area and a basketball net. This area also accommodates outdoor classes.
“It’s not pretentious, it’s not sophisticated,” said Pavlicik of the new facilities. “It’s just good.” He added that the outdoor space at Grey Nuns is similar to many parks around the island, so students can continue the workouts that they learn at Le Gym in an area that is more convenient for them.
After all, this isn’t about a gym membership. It’s about moving away from regimented exercise and creating a lifestyle and habits that are healthy and that work for you.
“It doesn’t matter how we do it,” said Pavlicik, but “it’s essential that we move.”