 
|
|
|
|
 |
New classes, trips and clinics at the Division of Campus Recreation provide invigorating workouts that exercise the mind as well as the body in a variety of ways and locations. For groups of friends or coworkers who want to get fit together, Campus Rec is offering on-site personal group fitness instruction. Campus Rec trainers will lead groups in private fitness sessions at times and locations that accommodate participants’ busy schedules. Groups can choose personal fitness sessions of step aerobics, dance aerobics or yoga. A new feature at the Intramural-Physical Education building this fall is the personal training studio. A racquetball court has been converted into an intimate-feeling exercise studio where personal trainers guide participants through individualized strength and conditioning programs using stability balls, body bars, weights and other equipment. For those who are a little intimidated by the prospect of going it alone with a personal trainer, the buddy personal fitness training program with a friend or spouse may be the solution. Workout buddies purchase one, three or six sessions with a personal trainer who guides them in developing their own fitness programs, and the per-person cost is less than if they purchased personal training packages separately. Last Christmas, son Scott gave Nancy Casey, associate dean in the College of Communications, and Pat Casey, his father, six sessions of the buddy training program as a gift. They enjoyed the program so much they signed up for another round in the spring. "We wouldn’t have done it if he hadn’t given it to us," Nancy Casey said. "The sessions were diverse and tailored to our individual needs – strength, flexibility, golf and tennis muscles. Each session was different, and our personal trainer would take us through it. We felt great. The most important thing I learned is that you have to know what you are doing on the machines. The settings have to be right for you, and the technique must be right – otherwise either there’s no benefit or there’s possible injury to some muscles." For faculty and staff members looking to build camaraderie and not muscles, Campus Rec offers Courageous Cascading, an interactive leadership development program. Courageous Cascading uses stations of hands-on activities or games that small groups of participants work on to accomplish goals or solve problems. The activities are geared toward groups wanting an entry-level team-building experience. None of the activities involves weight-bearing or lifting, as some programs do. Participants usually spend two to four hours in their Courageous Cascading workshop, depending upon the size of the group. Trained facilitators guide the groups through the activity stations and lead discussion sessions afterward to help participants assimilate their experiences. Patty Pyrz, assistant director of special events/leadership development, works with each organization selecting from dozens of possible activities to custom design a program that is unique to the physical capabilities and interests of that group. "They’re challenged in a way that there’s action, but it’s also cognitive as well for those who might not be action-oriented," Pyrz said. "People with disabilities can participate too, so we try to gear the program so everybody can do it whether they’re athletic or not or whether they can move or not."
In addition to its adaptability, the program’s portability makes it a favorable option for groups that want team-building exercises with a limited time commitment. "Supervisors are always looking for ways to bring their staff together," Jayne DeLuce said. DeLuce is the associate director of marketing at the Division of Campus Recreation. "If they wanted to do a staff retreat but didn’t want to go out to Allerton, we have all the materials, and we can take it anywhere. It’s an afternoon versus a whole day, and you can do it at IMPE in a gymnasium or we could take it to their building or to any open area." The
Great Outdoors What’s
new
Campus
Rec membership
|
|
|
|
PUBLICATIONS
|
|
|
News Bureau, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 507 E. Green St., Suite 345, Champaign, Illinois 61820
Telephone 217-333-1085, Fax 217-244-0161, E-mail news@illinois.edu |