Fitness options not too far from home

[Originally printed in The Temple News March 3, 2009]

It is hard enough to go to class, not to mention the gym, when the temperature drops to 30 degrees or below.

Fortunately, it is easy enough to get a comprehensive workout that doesn’t require walking in the cold, rain or snow to get to the gym. Students living on campus have the added advantage of fitness equipment that Temple provides in every Main Campus residence hall.

A combination of cardio, resistance and stretching provides the best workout geared toward general weight loss and maintenance. The elliptical trainers and treadmills available in residence halls give students the chance to get a cardio workout without having to go out in the cold.

Temple students keep up with treadmills in the upper level of the IBC Student Recreation Center. Many students, however, prefer to work out in their own residence hall (Carroll Moore/TTN).

Tricia DePoe, a fitness coordinator at Temple, suggests students alternate between the treadmill and elliptical trainers or use both on some days.

“You don’t ever want to do the same routine all the time,” she said. “Your body gets used to it, and it’s not as beneficial.”

She also advises students not to hold onto the treadmill when walking or running.

“When you swing your arms, you are increasing your heart rate and getting more of a workout,” she said.

For cardio activities, DePoe tells students to focus on their heart rates, noting that the benefits of increasing heart rates include burning fat, losing weight and strengthening the heart.

Assistant Director of Student Recreation Anne Wilkinson, who also serves as an adjunct professor in the department of kinesiology and the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management, emphasizes the importance of working at an increased heart rate.

She recommends working at levels students can keep up with, but that would make having a conversation somewhat difficult.

As for how much exercise, students need to maintain or lose weight, Wilkinson said, as she follows the “Fitness, Intensity, Type and Time,” principle guidelines. By FITT standards, workouts should be between 20 minutes and 60 minutes, as many as three to five times per week.

Wilkinson said the most important thing is to simply get moving. If students cannot exercise for 20 minutes, she said one way to get to this level is to start with three 10-minute exercise sessions a day.
In addition to doing cardio with the treadmills and elliptical trainers available in the residence halls, students can do resistance and stretching exercises without having to leave the building.

Free weights and weight machines can be used when available, but students can use their own body weights for this type of exercise. Push-ups, lunges, squats, sit-ups and back extensions are just a few resistance exercises that can be done without fitness equipment.

Such exercise is important for weight loss because your body burns more fat at rest when it has more lean body mass. Resistance training also tightens muscles, increases strength and tones. It is important, DePoe notes, to work arms, legs and abs into your regular exercise routine.

Wilkinson admits that students will feel minor aches because “if you are doing it right, you will feel it.”
To deal with these aches and pains, Wilkinson emphasizes the importance of stretching. She advocates stretching as a means of reaching a fuller range of motion, repairing muscle and relieving stress.

As with resistance training, stretching can be done almost anywhere and does not require students to walk in the cold, snow or rain to get to a gym.

With any and all types of exercise, Wilkinson advises students to drink water before, during and after working out.

“If you’re thirsty,” she said, “you’re already dehydrated.”

Electrolyte sport drinks, however, should be avoided unless exercising for more than 60 minutes. These drinks provide more calories than health benefits.

Wilkinson also stresses the importance of safety measures such as telling someone when and where you plan to exercise.

As the cold winter months linger, do not let the weather keep you from staying in shape. With a few basic exercises and the assistance of Temple’s fitness equipment, you can stay in and still stay fit.

Christine Fisher can be reached at fisher.christine@temple.edu.

Fitness Series: IBC Combo Workouts Offer Benefits

Originally printed in The Temple News http://temple-news.com/2009/04/07/ibc-combo-workouts-offer-benefits/

No matter how you break it down, 20-20-20 and 30-30 offer full-body cardio and toning exercises.
These combination-group fitness classes, which are currently offered five times a week, break an hour into segments of aerobics and toning that provide a full-body cardio and strength-building workout.

The 30-30 sessions combine 30 minutes of high- and low-impact aerobics with 30 minutes of full-body toning. The 20-20-20 sessions also break an hour into segments of high- and low-impact aerobics and full-body toning, while adding step aerobics to the workout.

Leaders of the classes agree that these sessions are beneficial because in one hour, participants are able to take part in both cardio and strength-building exercises.

“Cardio exercise is great for a number of things such as weight loss, reduced stress, stronger heart and many other things,” said Jenna Page, 30-30 leader. “Combining cardio with toning provides a full-body workout, not leaving any muscle group out.”

“You’re losing weight and gaining strength,” said Albrina Alston, a 20-20-20 fitness leader.

As with most group fitness programs at the IBC Student Recreation Center, these combination sessions are set to upbeat music and taught by different leaders who bring various personalities and levels of motivation to the sessions.

“I work you hard so you feel it and come back,” Alston said about her methods in leading 20-20-20 sessions.

Because you need at least 25 minutes of cardio, Alston tends to avoid rigid time limitations and instead, blends the exercises together.

In each session, the exercises are repeated. This allows first-time participants to catch on to the aerobic and toning routines.

“Don’t get discouraged, and give it your all,” Alston said. “Whether you’re a novice or a pro, you have to be willing to come in.”

Page also encourages people of different fitness levels to participate.

“The 30-30 provides alterations of more difficult moves and the choice of any size weight,” Page said. “Basically, the participant can form their workout to what fits their needs.”

Page pushes men and women to try the 20-20-20 and 30-30 fitness sessions.

“Most men do not want to try group fitness because the classes are predominantly women,” she said, “or they think they will not get a good workout. Men who have tried the class have not been disappointed.”

Christine Fisher can be reached at fisher.christine@temple.edu.