Spring break is coming soon, and students are coming out of hibernation for some pre-vacation exercise. It is important, especially for those who don't keep up with fitness during the winter, to know how to get in shape healthily, avoid injury, and still achieve and maintain an optimal level of fitness for spring vacation and thereafter.
"I am going to Florida, so I am working out more for this spring break," said Emily Leschhorn, a freshman communication major.
Amanda Coe, a freshman political science major, like Leschhorn, works out more when spring comes around, and believes that this increase in daily exercise is a common trend with vacation nearing on the calendar.
"Students definitely work out more around spring break," Coe said. "It's all about looking good in a bathing suit."
With all this pressure on students to look good on the beach, some may find themselves going to great lengths to achieve their goals in the gym. According to Kevin Reynolds, a former personal trainer at Planet Fitness in Rotterdam, NY, knowing one's way around the gym can be the key to success.
"Everybody knows how to run and do cardio, but not everybody knows how to do other things like core workouts," Reynolds said. "What they don't know is that muscle training is just as important as cardio."
For those with beach body intentions, Reynolds prescribes an equal mix of cardio and muscle training that changes frequently and targets as many muscles as possible. Switching up the workout regimen, according to Reynolds, can be one of the best ways to achieve overall fitness.
"I see some guys who come into the gym and do two things, bench press and bicep curls," Reynolds said. "Sure, they get strong with those two exercises, but you need to incorporate your entire body if you want to really be fit."
On campus, students are certainly not out of options for places to exercise. Whether at the Ellicot Complex, Alumni Arena or Clark Hall, there is an athletic facility close by for students to use. There are even exercises that students can do in the comfort of the dorm room, if cold weather has cut down mobility.
"I usually do some stuff in my room and then go to the Ellicot gym for cardio," Leschhorn said. "Cardio is the most important part of my workout routine."
According to Reynolds, cardio is one of the simplest and most necessary aspects of exercising for those who want a lean, toned body. Some students believe that they have to spend hours on a track or a treadmill to get in shape, but there are more interesting ways to do cardio that get the heart pumping faster and take a lot less time, making them easier to stay committed to.
"Try sprinting in intervals; jog for a minute then sprint for 30 seconds," Reynolds said. "Do this for about ten minutes if you can and you will probably be exhausted at the end."
When trying to find ways to vary the routine, cross training is an interesting concept that may come in handy. This includes exercising with many different activities such as biking, swimming, running, climbing, etc. Working out in so many different ways will test muscles that most people don't use very often, according to Reynolds.
John Beale, a freshman exercise science major, works out year round rather than only before spring break, and uses swimming as a way to have fun and stay in shape.
"When I go to the gym I usually swim, but I don't have any regimen," Beale said. "It's just good to know that I got some exercise."
Before this spring break comes around, students should take some tips from the experts and spice up their daily visit to the gym with some interesting cardio and toning techniques. There are plenty of ways out there to get the body feeling stronger, healthier and more beach-ready, so if pumping iron gets boring, replace it with something new.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
