Getting Fit
By Schuyler Clemente ’07
Students this
year have been flocking to Get Fit Smith, a new Athletic
Association-sponsored
series of unusually varied noncredit fitness classes, including yoga,
swing dancing and kickboxing. The classes give students a chance to reduce
stress and relax while meeting new people and trying new types of exercise.
According to Athletics Facilities and Recreation Manager
Theresa Collins, who, as adviser to the Athletic Association
oversees the Get Fit Smith program, the classes are extremely
popular. Collins specifically cited an intensive abdominal workout class
called Awesome Abs, which consistently attracts about 90 walk-in participants
for each class.
“It’s been a tremendous success,” says
Collins. “It’s
way beyond my expectations.”
The idea of Get Fit Smith was born at the end of last year, Collins explained,
when the Athletic Association was searching for an alternative to the failing
intramural sports programs. They noted large waiting lists for the for-credit
yoga and pilates classes as well as a fourfold increase in gym attendance since
the opening of the Olin Fitness Center last January. The Athletic Association
decided to respond to the increased demand for exercise options on campus.
“I
think we’re in a fitness craze,” notes Collins.
The Athletic
Association came up with the idea of noncredit workout classes in up-and-coming
areas of fitness so students could pursue different areas of interest without
making a serious commitment. The class options have included Awesome Abs,
introductory yoga and pilates.
“It’s a fun fitness class that
you can bring your friends to,” says
Becky Spalding ’06, president of the Athletic Association. “You
can come here if you get your work done or you need a study break.…It’s
a lot less pressure knowing that you don’t have to keep a schedule.”
The
classes, which are open to alumnae, faculty and staff in addition to
students, are all taught by professional instructors who
are certified in their areas of expertise. Local professionals, exercise
and sport studies (ESS) graduate students and members of the athletics
and ESS departments have all taught Get Fit Smith classes.
“I’ve
heard great things from everyone who’s been going,” says
Spalding.
Molly McCadden ’07 started attending
the Get Fit Smith yoga classes during the spring semester. “I thought
it would be a good opportunity to get exercise, and it’s free,” she
points out. “I heard it was
laid back and good for all skill levels.”
McCadden has enjoyed
her Get Fit Smith experience so far, and hopes to continue through
the end of the semester. “I liked that it was relaxing and
it felt good, but it was challenging, too. It was a good combination
of both.”
Collins is happy to be sharing her passion
for fitness with the campus community. “I
take yoga four or five times a week, and I’ve found it
to be so good for me that I wanted to share it with the students,” she
explains. “I
wish I discovered yoga 20 years ago, when I was in college.”
Two
sessions of Get Fit Smith have been held each semester, and
with each new session the Athletic Association has increased
the number of class options. Get Fit Smith has also sponsored a few one-time
events, such as “Let’s
Dance,” four dance workshops in October 2004 that taught
students different styles of dancing like hip-hop and swing.
Get
Fit Smith received initial funding from the Athletic Association
and the Office of the Dean of the College, and it also received
funds from the chapel because its activities contribute to
students’ spiritual wellbeing. The
program was only supposed to last for one semester, but it
has proved to be so popular that it was continued into the
spring. Though this year’s
Get Fit Smith program is only a pilot, both Collins and Spalding
hope to see it continue next year. “It’s a good
thing on campus because it promotes healthy alternatives
and a healthy lifestyle.…People and their
friends benefit from it,” notes Spalding. “I
think it’s provided
better options of spending your afternoons.”
Collins
also sees the campus benefiting from the Get Fit Smith program. “It
didn’t take much to get it off the ground, so obviously
there was a need for it,” she says. “Our goal
is to continue to be a happy, healthier and more health-conscious
community here at Smith.”
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