Staying in shape on campus

    According to a survey given by The Colonnade, more than half of a sample of 60 students said they want to improve their physical health but are unsure about what the appropriate steps are. Such circumstances can be discouraging, more than half of people who begin exercising cease their efforts within three to six months, according to the American College of Sports Medicine.
    Personal health and fitness seems to matter to GCSU students and it should. On average, 335 students and staff have visited the Wellness Depot on a daily basis through August. For those who have been in there, that’s a tight squeeze. If space is available, it is good to know what to do and why it should be done.
    For starters, recent studies find that people who exercise regularly live longer than their couch-potato counterparts. Researchers at Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, Netherlands performed one particular analysis and found that active individuals live longer because they were free from heart disease, obesity and high cholesterol.
    Eat right
    According to the FDA, the average person’s daily calorie intake should hover somewhere around 2,000. Obviously, what counts here is from where the calories are coming. Foods that are very greasy, sugary or fried are typically foods that are high in unhealthy sugars and fats. These foods should be avoided.
“The college student’s spontaneous schedule makes it easy to eat fast food and junk food,” said Benjamin Lavender, a 2006 GCSU community health graduate. “Put some thought into your diet and plan your meals beforehand, that way you’re less likely to grab fast food.” 
    Chefs do not count calories, so it is up to the health conscious to monitor what they consume. Many people have benefited from recording a daily journal of what they eat in order  to keep up with their calories. A simple strategy like that, combined with healthy foods is good for the body inside and out. When at the grocery store, or in line at Sodex Ho, give fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains a chance, and, instead of always going for seconds (or thirds), drink a big glass of water.
    Train right
    Since an active lifestyle contributes to the body’s longevity, get outside today. Walking briskly to class, getting involved with intramural sports, jogging with a friend, participating in a free aerobics class at the Centennial Center, or working out at the Depot are easy ways to give the body the activity it craves.
GCSU students who want to use the Depot, but do not feel confident about doing the right routine, can sign up for free personal training from a GCSU senior exercise science major. If that does not work out, a sample training routine is provided below for both novices and the experienced.

Novice workout

Follow this resistance-training program two to three times a week and perform some sort of cardiovascular activity two to three times during the week as well. All of these exercises are labeled in the Depot, if a particular machine sounds unfamiliar, ask someone; there is usually an exercise science major on hand.

Each of the following exercises are done in three sets of eight to ten repititions.

Day one:

Push – Hammer Strength incline press, Hammer Strength decline press

Pull- Bicep Curls, assisted pull-ups

Lower body- Seated leg press

Day two:
Push – Push-ups, triceps pull down

Pull – Pull-down machine, dual pulley rows

Lower body – Leg extension, leg curl

*As with any strenuous physical activity, consult your doctor before beginning a workout program.

Advanced workout

Follow this resistance-training program three times per week and perform some sort of cardiovascular activity two to three times during the week as well.

Each of the following exercises are done in three sets of eight to ten repitions.

Day one:
Push – Dumbbell press, incline dumbbell press, decline dumbbell press

Pull – Isolateral front lat pull down, front lat pull down, isolateral low row

Lower body – Linear leg press

Day two:
Push – Triceps pull down, one arm triceps pull down

Pull – Biceps curl, single arm biceps curl

Lower body – Unilateral leg press, seated leg press, lunges

Day three:
Push – Shoulder press, Hammer Strength incline press

Pull – Lateral deltoid raises, lat pull down

Lower body – Linear leg press

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Sep 6 2007. Filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry