With finals approaching, every minute of the day is scheduled in to accomplish the homework and studying needed to finish off the term. As students are undergoing stress, they look for outlets to relieve stress and relax during the busy times on campus.
“Yes it’s hard. You definitely have to learn how to prioritize and get in a routine and something that works for you, I’ll be seeing those returners in class,” Casey Greene, graduate assistance of recreational programs at North Central stated. “I just like sweating and I like knowing that I’m working hard.”
The Department of Recreational Sports provides students with those outlets away from their chaotic lives. The department hopes for students to participate to live a healthy and fit life.
The Res/Rec Fitness Center is available to every student, but other areas of fitness are offered for students at no charge. Five different fitness classes are offered for students: Zumba, Yoga, Turbokick, Bosu Blast, and Total Body Toning.
Lydia Pond, coordinator of recreation and events manager personally loves interacting with the students. “This is my first full term and I’ve gotten to see student grow from competitors to people that just love to workout and have fun.”
Greene believes that not only are these programs a great way to meet new people, but way to keep your energy up during the final weeks of the term. “Especially in the winter, it is cold and nobody wants to go outside so it’s a great way to stay active.”
Greene is in her first year of teaching Total Body Toning offered every Wednesday during Winter Term at 5:15 p.m. According to Greene, cardio, strength and fat burning exercises are involved in the class. “I designed (the class) so that you can do everything at your own pace,” said Greene.“So you don’t have to be at the same fitness level as somebody else; for those thirty seconds you can go as fast or as slow as you want. You can get the workout that you intend to get.”
Marc Garcia ‘16 feels a sense of accomplishment everytime he hits the gym. “When you feel good about yourself, you feel good about everything else.”
Christine Pfau, graduate student in sports leadership at Northern Illinois University teaches Bosu Blast, a new class based on cardio and strength workouts with a Bosu ball. “I designed it in two parts: the first being a cardiovascular class that is very similar to a step class where we keep moving the whole time to keep their heart rate up and constant. The second part is more Pilates based lots of high reps that target certain areas in rotation.”
“It’s a great way to bond through fitness. Let’s sweat together, that’s kind of my mantra. Sweat happy and just be with people that find going through the trials and hardships of a workout brings them together,” Pfau states benefits that the class brings to each student.
“I feel like every (student) needs to take advantage of this. They need to relieve stress and look for different outlets to release endorphins that relieves that stress,” Garcia said. “Personally the most profound thinking happens when I work out.”
Pfau believes every student can fit a few workouts during the week. Bosu Blast is scheduled every Monday at 4:15 p.m. and Wednesday at 6:15 p.m.
Pond reccommends taking advantage of not only the group fitness classes, but also open swim, the Res/Rec Center, intramurals, and the open hours in the field house.
“You’d be surprised how many students don’t know about a lot of these ammenities,” Pond said.
Visit northcentralcollege.edu/recsports for hours and more information.
