The Fitness Center is a big hit among new and returning students looking to relieve their stress with some physical activity.
The center, which for some time featured a pool and occupied a small space, was remodeled in the Spring of 2022. The space now has two floors of equipment, with room for free weights and machine-assisted movements on the first floor and standard bike, elliptical, and treadmill machines on the second floor to target cardio training.
The Fitness Center is open Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and with slightly reduced hours on Fridays, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. There are no open hours during the weekends, and it will be closed after the academic term ends.
According to Bill Kegler, Fitness Center Director, the peak time that may make your wait time longer is Monday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Any up-and-coming “gym bros” might notice that other members often use benches, but Kegler says that anyone can take benches from the squat racks as long as they are not in use. However, for the cable crossover machines, gym users will have to wait their turn as only three machines can be used for that movement. Therefore, the best choice is to plan a flexible workout routine with substitute exercises, such as dumbbell chest fly.
As an additional use, the gym is also available to students when not in use by the basketball, volleyball or other athletics teams. Madison College also uses the Fitness Center for academic coursework on health and fitness topics to teach students about the theories behind exercise science.
For long-term inventory maintenance and remodeling planning, the Center has plans to collect user data via observations of equipment usage during certain times of day and member interest surveys.
The Fitness Center offers a wide range of opportunities for students to engage in physical movement to enhance their overall personal health. As a frequent gym-goer, Director Kegler emphasizes the health benefits physical training can bring everyone. “I want to see more people work on their health, whether physical or mental, so they can be successful in their student endeavors, work endeavors, or whether they’re interested,” Kegler said.