Open to All, Life Fitness Programs Abound
by Hannah Cully
February is American Heart Health awareness month. As most know, heart disease is a serious issue in the United States. Since it is now the beginning of a new year, it is a great time to focus on creating new and healthy habits. To help prevent heart disease, as well as maintain proper health, it is important to not smoke, eat a healthy diet, and to exercise daily. Just integrating a few of these habits into life can help maintain great health for years to come.
Cape Cod Community College (4Cs) offers many campus recreation and wellness programs to all students, staff, faculty, and alumni. Programs, services, and facilities are centered on the physical, social, recreational, and lifelong educational needs of the campus community as they relate to student development and student success.
Located right on campus, the Life Fitness Center contains both a fitness center and a gymnasium. The fitness center is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00a.m.–6:00p.m., and the gymnasium is open Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 8:30a.m.–4:30p.m. and Wednesday and Friday from 8:30a.m.–12:00p.m. There are also intramural sports such as basketball, volleyball, and soccer that run every Monday and Thursday from 1:00p.m.–3:00p.m. for anyone who is interested. There are also ways to get some fresh air in while you exercise. Outside there are 6 tennis courts, 3 soccer fields, an outdoor basketball court, and many walking trails.
These facilities can also be used to relieve stress by taking a break from school or even provide the chance to make new friends.
“Some of the more common reasons students and faculty use the fitness center is to relieve stress, to take some time for self-care, and to stay active in the midst of studying and sitting in class for much of the day,” said Tracy Morin, the Campus Engagement and Wellness Programs Coordinator here at Cape Cod Community College. “It is often also an important social time for many, and offers a welcoming environment to meet new people with similar interests.”
The center also runs two fitness classes called Circuit Training and Muscle Restoration both led by Nancy McIver. Circuit training is a high energy, endurance, and strength-building class, and Muscle Restoration is a low-intensity class to help gain more flexibility. Both of these fitness classes are free and open to all fitness levels without requiring registration before-hand.
Drop in with Lou is another fantastic and beneficial class designed with Project Forward students. It is an all-inclusive games, sports, and fitness training class run every Tuesday and Wednesday from 11:00a.m.–1:00p.m.
Even though it can be challenging to find time to incorporate daily exercise into busy schedules, 4Cs offers many different resources to the campus community to help stay active. Whether it is before, after, or in between classes there seems to always be an opportunity open. Make sure to take advantage of these opportunities to keep both a healthy body and mind.
Categories: Around Campus, Sports, Student Life