As a senior at KU I have picked up on a few things throughout the years that have saved my life in more ways than one. Want to know one of the secrets I learned about the Rec? There are about four months out of the school year that can make you want to pull your hair out whenever you walk into the Rec. These are the first two months of school and the first two months after the New Year.With everyone trying to fulfill their New Year’s Resolution, the Rec becomes like a wild jungle with everyone fighting over their space and machines. These seven tips will help you maximize your time at the Rec, so you aren’t one of the weak gazelles getting run over.
1. Waiting for a machine to open? Drop down and give me 20. Instead of just standing there scrolling through Instagram waiting for the next squat rack to open up, spend your time doing a quick exercise to get your heart rate up. From pushups, to squat jumps, to jumping lunges, your body will burn more calories with these high intensity exercises than Instagram ever will.
2. With the Rec packed with people it is easy to walk in, see all the people and turn around and walk right back out. Don’t do that quite yet; one way to burn a high number of calories in a short amount of time is high intensity interval training, or HIIT. A HIIT workout can be done on the treadmill, elliptical, bike or stair stepper. It’s as simple as going at a higher intensity for 30 seconds and a lower intensity for a minute, and repeating. This type of training not only gets your heart rate up, but it also allows you to work out for a shorter period of time while still burning a lot of calories.
3. As weird as it may feel, step out of your comfort zone and ask someone to work in with you on a machine. Most people take short breaks between sets so working in with them allows you to get your set in while they’re resting. And who knows, you might have just met your new gym buddy.
4. Sometimes it’s as simple as switching up your workout. Looking to do bench press but all the bars are taken? Just use dumbbells instead. It’ll work the same muscle groups, just with different equipment. While doing the same workout is a good way to see progression, this switch can also be a good thing. It is a good way to shock the body by doing something you aren’t used to.
5. With the KU Fit Pass you can avoid the overpopulated Rec altogether. There are classes from Zumba, to Yoga, to Body Pump. With designated times throughout the day and limited space available, you won’t be so close to someone you can feel their breath on you, and that my friend is a great feeling.
6. Take a medicine ball, a pair of weights and head to the corner by the courts. Circuits are a great way to get out of the crowd and crank up the cardio.
7. As much as it will kill you to set your alarm for 6 a.m., as Nike says, “Just Do It.” Getting to the Rec early will sufficiently cut your time spent waiting for machines to open up, as well as help you dodge the hundreds of people there, and create a little less hair pulling. Although if you are a night owl, the Rec is also open until 12 a.m. Whatever you do, avoid the dinner time rush altogether.
These seven simple steps will help you get the most out of your time at the Rec. So lace up those tennis shoes, grab your headphones and get ready to put some work in.