For some students the new school year means a chance for a new start, as many students take this time to make back-to-school resolutions. Perhaps one of the more popular self-promises, however, is to get and stay in shape. For SLU students, the Simon Recreation Center houses a wide array of fitness machines and classes to make fulfilling this goal possible and convenient. The Rec Center has been a popular place on campus this semester, and the crowds have not gone unnoticed.
According to Simon Recreation Center Director Eric Anderson, the first week of classes, from Aug. 23 to the 29, raking in 14,023 visits. He said that September and February are traditionally the busiest months for usage.
“In September 2008 we had 50,409 visits,” he said.
Why the sudden influx of gym-goers? Graduate students James and Isabel call it “the fall special,” the time of year when, “all the new freshmen who say they’re going to work out start going.”
Senior Alex Hoeffler, who has been working at the Rec Center for four years, said she definitely notices an increase of people in the fall semester. She agrees that the crowds are “a lot of the new freshmen. But as everyone gets busier, it gets quieter.”
Fellow employee junior Alex Hoye adds, “People want to try to be healthy. But as the semester goes on, people get busy.”
Crowds at the Rec Center can also mean having to wait for favorite machines. Hoeffler said, “The tread climbers are the most popular machine, and they’re always broken too.”
Before the expansion and renovation of the center in 2006 and 2007, sign-up boards were used for cardio machines to limit times.
“We have not used sign-up boards [since then], but our fitness center guidelines state that patrons limit their time on cardio machines to 30 minutes during non-peak times and 20 minutes during peak times,” Anderson said.
He is confident, however, that “with over 200 pieces of fitness equipment, most students won’t have to wait long for a piece to become available.”
Some times of day are busier then others, as Anderson said, “our peak hours tend to start around three in the afternoon and last until around eight. Our peak days tend to be Monday through Wednesday.”
Graduate student Alison Malzahn said she tries not to come between three and five. Freshman Sam Kapraun, who says she comes every weekday, notices large crowds until six. However, this does not deter her.
“I plan to keep coming all year. I love it. I can’t think of anything that’s not here that I had at my rec center back home.” Freshman Savannah McMath, on the other hand, said, “Sometimes I don’t want to go work out because there’s so many people there.”
Despite the growing numbers of visitors to the Rec Center, Anderson said they are prepared to manage peak usage hours by having “more staff scheduled to work in order to meet the needs of our patrons.”
“Many of our recreational programs are offered during this time since it is most convenient for students schedules. We also try to schedule cleaning and maintenance projects during off-peak times so as not to interfere with patrons,” said Anderson.
Based on past statistics, however, by midterms, students may realize they have too much on their plate, and the crowds will dwindle.
“Sometimes working out during peak hours can feel like rush hour traffic, but with a little courtesy and fitness center etiquette everyone can enjoy the benefits our facilities have to offer,” Anderson said.
