Increasing fitness trend among college students

By Pyc Fitness
©2004-2008

Despite the classes, part-time jobs, internships and campus commitments, it seems that college students are increasingly finding ways to make their schedules fit.

It is no surprise that college students are busy these days. What needs to be done usually conflicts with something else, yet more and more students seem to be fighting the stress by working out.

Butler University¡¯s Health and Recreation Complex, which opened its doors to students in August 2006, has become a haven for fighting the stress of school.

Sheehan Hubbard, Butler sophomore and part-time student employee of the HRC, said the facility is often crowded, usually until 8 p.m. on weeknights.

¡°It seems like you seriously get to see everyone from this campus,¡± Hubbard said. ¡°Students have definitely begun to work out more often. Our options changed from a tiny room in Atherton to this great facility we have now. It¡¯s just more attractive.¡±

Hubbard said that since the establishment of the HRC, the freshman class numbers in 2006 and 2007 have been record breaking.

While this may be coincidental, freshmen are being exposed to the fitness facility before they even start classes. ¡°The HRC is now part of a tour for potential freshmen, so they see it early,¡± Hubbard said.

Exposure seems to be the key in the increase of student attraction to fitness participation.

Josh Downing, assistant director of recreation at the HRC, said that because freshmen are now introduced to the facility when they get on campus, fitness is more appealing. Three days in a row, freshmen welcome week activities were held at the HRC.

Downing said the establishment of the HRC has completely changed Butler¡¯s campus. ¡°[Fitness] will now definitely be a part of the incoming class¡¯ daily lives, and this will continue to increase over the next two to three years,¡± Downing said.

Social interaction and the variety of programming are major factors in the increased student participation at the HRC.

¡°In the summer evenings, everyone came here because that is where they can see people,¡± Downing said. ¡°It¡¯s become the campus hangout.¡±

Downing said the HRC saw over 100,000 student participations in a period of 10 months after Aug. 30, 2006. ¡°The HRC was designed for a campus of 7,000 ¨C 8,000,¡± he said. ¡°Students here are extremely fortunate.¡±

Downing has also worked at the Indiana University Health, Physical Education & Recreation Center, one of two IU student recreational facilities. He estimates roughly one million student participations yearly between the two Bloomington student recreation centers.

Student fitness participation at Butler continues to increase. ¡°We¡¯ve seen an increase by a long shot,¡± Adrian Shepard, assistant director of recreation (fitness) said. ¡°Group fitness classes shattered last year¡¯s record of attendance.¡±

The group fitness classes are most popular among students right now, which includes classes such as aerobics. Mind and body classes, like Pilates, have been so popular that they have had to turn students away. Shepard said another class may have to be added.

Group fitness classes fall under the category of personal fitness which students are attracted to most. With choices such as elliptical use, running on the track or swimming laps in the pool, students can do virtually whatever they want.

Shepard has also worked with student recreation at Notre Dame and various gyms and clubs for eight years. He said the numbers of students participating in student recreation at Notre Dame and at Butler are comparable. Notre Dame student recreation saw roughly 1,100 students daily of the 8,000 that make up the campus. The Butler University HRC sees an average of 900 out of 4,000 daily.

¡°Butler students in general have a very positive attitude [toward fitness],¡± Shepard said. ¡°[They¡¯re] very pro-fitness, pro-activity. I think they realize there¡¯s an obesity issue.¡±

According to the Centers for Disease Control, epidemiologists have reported an increase over the past few years in disorders related to obesity, occurring most often among those in their teens and early 20¡¯s.

Exposure to fitness options during college encourages a decrease in obesity, as students are more apt to change their lifestyle habits.

But does this increase in student fitness go beyond re-modeled campus recreation facilities? Jon Little does not think so.

Little, an employee of the Athletic Annex fitness apparel store in Indianapolis, said that they got a few college students in the store daily.

¡°I don¡¯t think fitness among college students is increasing at all,¡± Little said. ¡°Most of the people I went to school with work out rarely or not at all.¡±

Students still make up the market that fitness companies are gearing toward.

¡°Modern technology integration is really increasing,¡± Little said. ¡°Nike is now putting iPod compartments in their running shoes. They¡¯re definitely reaching out to the younger market, and they really dominate it.¡±

The younger crowd is definitely attracted to the technological side of things. Many fitness companies such as Nike are trying to make physical fitness just as appealing to students as cell phones and iPod¡¯s have become.

Although he said he feels college students are not increasing their fitness, Little does feel that an athletic store makes a difference in attracting them to recreation.

Matt Ebersole, owner of the Athletic Annex, agrees. He said that students are attracted to fitness if athletic stores give personable service and have a good reputation. Reliability is the key.

¡°Too many choices can be overwhelming and intimidating,¡± he said. ¡°If students have confidence in what they¡¯re buying, they will use it and come back.¡±

Ebersole said that he feels fitness among college students is a trend that is increasing and that college curriculum is a major contributing factor.

¡°Students definitely seem more health conscious today,¡± he said, "and athletic competition has increased over the last 20 years. There is more knowledge about lifestyle issues now.¡±

Many colleges, Butler included, are incorporating at least one semester of fitness requirement for graduation eligibility, and although it is one more class for students to add to crowded schedules, many of them are becoming increasingly fit to the task.