It happens every New Year. Resolutions are made to shed some pounds before the arrival of spring break, and everyone decides to hit the gym to meet their goals. Because of this, it isn't uncommon to see an increasingly large amount of students, faculty and staff at the gym just after winter break.
According to Matt McGregor, associate dean for wellness and director for Campus Recreation, this has been happening on a regular basis since the gym opened in 2007.
McGregor explained that gyms are normally busiest in January and February, and it is no different here at Longwood. Other big months include March and April, when people start thinking about spring break and their plans for the week off.
McGregor said people are not only motivated to go to the gym because of New Year's resolutions, but also due to the excitement of a new semester. He says that in a way, the location becomes a bit of a "social hub" for students returning to Longwood. This is something they actually encourage, as social wellness is one dimension of the seven they promote at the gym.
Another aspect the gym encourages is moderate and realistic expectations. "Being able to maintain this, where we see people get better with it," said McGregor about the gym. "We don't want it to seem like a burden."
McGregor explained he is able to monitor just how many people come to the gym every day because daily reports are sent to him when people swipe into the gym. Stats are sent to his office after each day, and at the end of the month, they are compiled to represent the overall amount of people who visit the gym.
Another reason the gym becomes so crowded also depends on the time in which students, staff and faculty come to use it. "The hours from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. are pretty busy year round," said McGregor. "Especially on the social end of it." He also explained that, despite how busy the gym is, the facility is flexible with the machines that can be used to accomplish an individual's goals speaking largely on behalf of the cardio and weight lifting equipment on the main floor.
"The building is a great size for our campus," said McGregor. "We have room to grow and put more pieces of equipment in, which is great."
While the gym becomes somewhat of a meeting place at the beginning of the semester and stays that way for the first couple of months, the many personal training and group fitness programs help draw in many people. This semester in particular, the Recreation Center has more personal training programs offered than they have in the past. Combined with the same amount of group fitness programs, such as cycling and kickboxing, the gym experiences a large influx of people using the gym to keep their resolutions.
For more information on the center and the programs offered, visit longwood.edu/recreation.
