The Gym | Photo by Kelsie Tomlinson | The Wright State Guardian
Located in the Student Union, the Wright State University (WSU) fitness center is home to classic gym equipment and staffed by a knowledgable community from the recreation department. The fitness center is free to all currently enrolled students and has been since its launch in 2007.
Getting involved
Any student interested in getting involved in the Recreation Center but does not know where to start is not alone, said Recreation Program Director Billy Willis.
“For a student who might be intimidated about where to start working out in a gym, we have many resources. We have a youtube channel with instructional videos, and we have classes for beginners, Hit the Weights (HtW) and Women On Weights (WOW). They are open to everyone as an intro to weightlifting and using weight machines, and some helpful tips on form,” Willis said.
The atmosphere in the fitness center is welcoming and energetic according to student employee Vaibhan Gajjar.
“There are people who really love the fitness center. It’s a very healthy atmosphere for everyone,” Gajjar said.
For students who might be interested in joining a sport but are unsure of joining a team, Willis encourages them to look into trying intramural sports.
“For anyone starting out, intramurals are great. No experience is needed. It’s about having fun and competing for the championship t-shirt. That’s why our intramural sports have a twist on what they are, like water polo for example. You’re floating around in an inner tube in the pool and throwing the ball around for fun. We don’t expect people to tread water for 18 minutes,” Willis said.
The staff will help any student to find the answers that they need.
“If I’m not able to answer a student’s questions, we have great well-trained patrons here that can help,” employee Rachana Giade said.
Accessibility
The Recreation Center prides itself on accommodating the needs of its users within possibility. In the case of WSU student Lily Berkow, the team was able to assist her in accommodating her fitness journey.
“Lily is an avid participant in our program and very active even though her disability did not allow her to do some things. Well, I worked with her dad, and with our maintenance team, we actually designed a tool so that she could use the treadmill properly. Definitely something that we are excited and proud to have accomplished,” Willis said.
COVID-19
For any student who may be worried about utilizing the fitness center during the pandemic, Willis encourages them to come to the gym and see their active precautions taken against COVID.
“We are the cleanest we’ve ever been. People are cleaning their machines, our staff are cleaning the machines…It is very easy to get a workout in our facility in maintaining six to 10 feet, social distancing from others. We do have limits on how many people can go to fitness classes so that we can properly social distance,” Willis said.
