The Right Workout
find yours on or off campus
by Elizabeth Focht
We all know that being healthy and staying fit is important, and finding the right workout routine that’s fun as well as effective is the key to success. Many students have busy schedules and perceive working out as time consuming and hard to fit in; the truth is, there are many ways to involve fitness into a daily routine that doesn’t always involve a trip to the gym. This guide will make it easy to get in shape on campus, off campus and on your own time.
Campus Recreation Center
Hours: Monday to Friday 6 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sunday 12 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
The Campus Recreation Center is where the majority of students go to work out. Seventy percent use the on-campus facilities, which is free to full time students. On any given weekday, between 3,600 and 4,200 people visit the Rec Center to get fit, according to Nicole LaRocque, fitness coordinator at the Rec Center.
In addition to cardio and weight machines, basketball and volleyball courts and an indoor pool, the Rec Center offers free group fitness classes through the Get Fit program. These classes are a fun, structured alternative to a typical workout. With a wide variety of activities, including high energy cardio kickboxing and hip hop classes as well as strength and toning classes -- like core conditioning and total body strength -- it’s easy to find one that works for every individual.
“We get all different kinds of students -- there’s a little bit of everything for everyone,” LaRocque said, adding that the number of students who attend the group fit classes is growing each year, with about 10,000 students participating in fall 2007.
“People are really into kickboxing because you don’t have to know choreography but you still get a great workout, and hip hop is fun because people love to dance and it’s unique,” LaRocque said.
These classes are all taught by students who take a 12-week training course and are nationally certified through the American Council on Exercise. The classes are great for people who need a more structured workout and want to try something new. With up to seven classes per day Monday through Thursday and three per day Friday through Sunday, the flexible options can easily be worked into any schedule.
For those who want to venture beyond the Rec Center, there are many off-campus locations to fit a variety of needs. Whether it’s weight training, cardio classes or late night gyms, there’s a place in Fort Collins for everyone looking to get healthy and stay in shape.
The Zone
1739 S. College Ave.
970-224-4500
Membership Rates: Individual: $32 per month plus $20 start-up fee; Couples: $53 per month plus $40 start-up fee (based on one-year membership)
Student Discount Rate: $29/month with no start up fee (based on one-year membership). $129 per semester with no start-up fee; $239 per academic year with no start-up fee
Hours: Monday to Thursday 5 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., Friday 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The Zone is a great place for those interested in a no-frill, down-to-business gym.
“We’re a weight lifting facility, not a health club,” said Kim Trionfera, manager of the Zone. “We have one of the biggest selections of free weights and the heaviest dumb bells in Fort Collins as well as the friendliest staff,” she said.
Students make up about 25 percent of the people who use this facility. The gym offers a wide array of classes, like spinning and hip hop cardio, that are included in the membership fee. Yoga classes are available for $7 per session. Personal trainers are available starting at $25 per hour. The facility is 8,000 square feet and includes three tanning beds. An individual tan costs $3 and unlimited monthly tanning is $20 per month with a membership. For those with limited time, the Zone offers quick thirty-minute workouts with a trainer that gets you in and out in just half an hour.
Fort Collins Club
1307 E. Prospect Rd.
970-224-2582
Membership Rates: Individual: $70 per month plus $125 start-up fee or $714 per pre-paid year, Couples: $105 per month plus $150 start-up fee or $1071 per pre-paid year
Student Discount Rates: $55 per month plus $75 start-up fee or $561 per pre-paid year
Hours: Monday to Friday: 4:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., Sat & Sun: 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
For those looking for a laid back yet luxurious work out environment, the Fort Collins Club is the right place.
“We’re a club, not a gym,” said Aaron Maish, fitness director of Fort Collins Club. With more than 60,000 square feet, this gym has racquet ball courts, yoga rooms, cycling rooms, sand volleyball courts, an indoor and outdoor pool, indoor golfing area, batting cages, basketball courts, a punching bag area, climbing wall with auto belay, an indoor track and perhaps its most unique feature, the Xrcade.
The Xrcade is all about virtual exercise. Bicycle machines hooked up to Playstation 2s make the usual workout more entertaining and visually stimulating. Other games encourage movement, like the interactive soccer game or the virtual boxing game. After working out, members can go to the steam rooms, saunas, hot tubs or cocktail bar for a drink or snack. The gym also has an on-site spa, Giorgio, which gives a members a 10 percent discount. “It’s more welcoming here (than other gyms),” said Amanda Palen, a 22-year-old human development and family studies major.
Anytime Fitness
200 B W. Foothills Pkwy.
970-223-2248
Membership Rates: Individual: $35 per month plus one-time $50 key payment for a one -year membership
Student Discount Rates: $32 per month plus one-time $50 key payment for a one-year membership
Hours: Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year with access from a membership key
Located across the street from Foothills Mall, Anytime Fitness is the perfect place for those who think they don’t have time to get to the gym. Since it is open 24/7, there’s no excuse to skip a workout. Members pay a one-time fee for a key that provides access to the gym whenever is most convenient for them. Anytime Fitness is great for people who want to avoid crowded gyms or who may be self conscious while working out.
“It’s a really laid back, comfortable workout atmosphere,” said David Lopez, trainer and membership consultant at Anytime Fitness. “It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles like other gyms,” said Lopez, “It’s easy to get in and get out at your convenience.”
The 6,000-square-feet gym has top of the line Nautilus strength and cardio equipment, a wide variety of free weights, basketball court, and most uniquely, a boxing ring. Anytime Fitness has classes like cycling, kickboxing, yoga and pilates that are free for members. Access to the facility’s three tanning beds can be added for $15 per month or $99 for one year.
The Fort Collins Pulse
2555 S. Shields St.
970-490-1300
Membership Rates: Individual: $67/month plus $100 start up fee; Couples: $95/month plus $150 start up fee.
Student Discount Rate: $48/month.
Hours: Mon. to Fri.: 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Sat. and Sun.: 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Voted No. 1 fitness club by the Fort Collins Coloradoan for the fifteenth year in a row, The Fort Collins Pulse is actually three gyms in one: Pulse Aerobic, the Yoga Center, and Women’s Express. The tranquil yoga center is separate from the more upbeat aerobic center, and the Women’s Express provides women a comfortable space to work out without feeling self conscious.
The locally owned gym prides itself for its friendly atmosphere. “Our customer service is the No. 1 thing that sets us apart from others,” said Mitch Crockett, membership consultant at The Pulse. “We want to make people feel comfortable,” he said. The 53,000-square-feet facility includes basketball, volleyball, racquetball and squash courts, an indoor pool, elevated track, cardio machines and weight equipment. The club has a sauna, steam room and whirlpool to help relax after working out, and an on-site massage therapist is available for an extra fee.
The Pulse offers more than sixty different fitness classes including “world renowned aerobics classes” like BodyPump, BodyCombat, and BodyJam, according to Crockett. Spinning, swimming, yoga and tai chi classes are also available, as well as personal training sessions. New members get two free hours with the trainer of their choice.
If the gym is not your scene or you can’t find time to get a full workout, there are plenty of things that can be done in your own time to keep you healthy and fit. Here are five quick and easy ways to slip a workout into your day.
1. Walk as much as you can, whenever you can. It all adds up. All it takes is 30 minutes a day of moderate activity to maintain a healthy lifestyle, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. It doesn’t have to be thirty minutes all at once, it can accumulate throughout the day.
“Just getting five minutes here and ten minutes there can really add up,” said Kerry Jacques, research associate and instructor in the department of health and exercise science. Get in those extra steps by parking off campus and walking to class, or getting off the bus one stop early. Take the stairs whenever possible. These little efforts can make a big difference.
2. Don’t think of it as “work.” A workout shouldn’t be boring, find something you love to do and make it fun. It is easy to get stuck in a workout routine, but it’s necessary to mix it up.
“Just have fun with your workout,” said LaRocque. “Find something you enjoy and move; it’s what our bodies are supposed to do.”
Workouts don’t just happen in the gym, either. Dancing, playing sports, and bike riding all are great exercise and an exciting way to get in shape.
3. Don’t be a couch potato. Instead of channel surfing during commercials of your favorite TV shows, why not get in a quick workout? Each commercial break work a different part of your body, for example, crunches at the first commercial break and push-ups during the second. For a one hour show, that’s a 15 to 20 minute workout! As busy students, it’s hard to find time to go to the gym, but this commercial-break-workout shows how easy it is to get moving and get healthy.
4. Get credit for getting fit. The Health and Exercise Science department offers one credit aerobics and sports classes, including weight training, aerobics, volleyball, basketball, golf, ice skating, racquetball, and more! Taking one of these courses puts fitness right into your schedule. These classes are open to all majors and provide a structured way to get in shape while receiving class credit.
5. Prioritize your health. Many people say they don’t have time to work out, but the truth is it shouldn’t be hard to make time for your well-being.
“It doesn’t have to be for hours,” said Dr. Matt Hickey, director of the human performance research lab. “The No. 1 thing is, if you don’t value it, it’s not going to happen.”
One way to set aside time for a work out is to combine other activities. “Study while you’re eating lunch. That way you can use that time you would have spent studying or eating later to be active,” said Hickey, adding that the most important thing is to “Make it a priority, and make it fun.”