Creative Programing Opens Your Doors to More Students

Improved health awareness is making campus recreation facilities “sanctuaries of sweat” for an increasingly diverse population of student gym-goers. Once reserved for athletes and exercise enthusiasts, campus recreation centers are now evolving their program offerings to accommodate a larger demographic with a broad array of fitness needs.

Whereas most students using campus recreation centers were there to improve their physiques or athletic performance, this new wave of incoming fitness participants (or members) has different motivations, such as stress relief from heavy course loads and social interaction. Fitness facilities and programs offer students the opportunity to connect with others in person and “offline” (an increasingly rare occurrence in this digitally driven world). Of course, many of these new participants in the fitness club world come from the couch world — where virtual activities (e.g., video games and Netflix binges) supersede physical ones. Widespread inactivity among students has created a greater demand for programs that challenge the participant in different ways, such as with interactive games, equipment and activities. The need and interest to make fitness more enjoyable and feel like play has never been greater.

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