Studies show that the average college student should walk 10,000 steps (or the equivalent of 30 minutes of exercise a day) to reduce stress, elevate mood, and improve overall health. Those same studies show that the average college student only walks 7,000 steps, a lack of activity which attributes to gaining those “freshman fifteen” during the college years. Invigorated by this fact, lace up your sneakers and decide to get moving. But where to start? First, take a walk to the Wellness Center in Wayne Hall and join the WCU Moving Company. The Moving Company is an informal and free campus wide exercise club accessed through Blackboard. When you sign up, you receive a free water bottle and fitness kit, complete with the exercise tips you’ll need to start your journey. Once you become a member of the WCU Moving Company, you can start earning prizes such as T-shirts, aerobics videos, and pedometers for meeting exercise goals.
You can also meet exercise buddies and find more tips to healthy living online. After joining the Moving Company, cross the street and check out Sykes Union’s Fitness Center. The Fitness Center is free for students and has a complete circuit of Cybex pin selected equipment; cardiovascular equipment, (stair climbers, elliptical machines, stationary bikes and treadmills), and Olympic free weight equipment. The Fitness Center can get crowded at peak times, so depending on your schedule, you may need an alternative to get in your thirty minutes of activity. Before leaving the Fitness Center, sign-up for a speed cycling, boot camp or pilates class. These classes are all taught by WCU students so they are also a great way to meet new people.
If the fitness center is full there are three other gyms on campus: Hollinger Fieldhouse,Ehinger Gym, and South Campus Gym. Walk down to Ehinger Gym, room 133 to see what kind of equipment you can borrow, They have basketballs, soccerballs and softballs, tennis and volley ball equipment, not to mention, h o r s e s h o e , bocce ball, and croquet sets! If there are not enough people to join in then become a member of one of WCU’s sports clubs. Some of the teams are dodgeball, flag football, beach v o l l e y b a l l , roller hockey or whiffle ball. You can sign up online or in person. Also if you live in the dorms some may contain a small gym that is usually not very full. Interested in outdoor activities such as rock climbing? WCU also offers an Outdoor Adventure Program where you can go on camping or backpacking trips, and renting the equipment you will need is really cheap. The OAP offers different programs, that are really interesting.
They have something for everyone to enjoy. For instance Recreation and Leisure offers Shotokan, karate, equestrian, skate clubs as well as fencing, skiing and ice hockey. There really is something for everyon to do no matter what your interests may be. Overall there are many activitiesand places that can help you stay in shape on campus.
Exercising only has good benefits so why not make yourself look and feel better, when thirty minutes a day is all it takes. For those students who are extremely busy during the day, split the thirty minutes up into fifteen minute sessions and exercise during your study breaks Or even study while your exercising, like on a stationary bike, treadmill or eliptical machine for example. This year keep off those extra pounds by trying one of these great activities.