Meredith Herald
Volume XI, Issue 15
January 18, 1995
Raleigh, North Carolina
New fitness center designed for women's needs
by Clarky Lucas
Meredithstudents are working out
their bodies as well as their minds
now that the new fitness center has
opened.
The new facility is located at the
rear ofthe Weatherspoon Gymnasium.
Not only does it house a fitness center,
but it provides an improved dance
studio and six offices.
“The departmental goal is to pro
vide a safe environment where women
feel comfortable to exercise,” said Dr.
Cindy Dross.
Determining what the needs of
the student body are and howto fulfill
them prompted the exploration of
types of equipment to be featured in
the center.
We wanted machines that fitted
and adjusted to women’s bodies,
worked smoothly, and require low
maintenance, said Dross.
Dy going to different places to try
fitness equipment, members of the
physical education department de
cided that Cybex equipment was the
best on the market for what Meredith
needed.
Construction of the building be
gan around the spring semester of
1994 and ended during the Christmas
holiday
break. Al
though the
facility has
opened,
there are still
plans for ad-
ditio n al
decorating
by hanging
cloth kites
from the ceil
ing and plac
ing female
anatomical
charts on the
wall, said
Dross.
“It has
great equip
ment. It’s
beautiful and
I look for
ward to
working
out,” said
Kelly Pergerson, junior.
The dance studio is not yet com
plete because the floor is not entirely
down.
So far students have been pouring
into the orientation sessions which
photo by Jan Seate/Laura Ross
Fitness center promotes sound minds and bodies.
are re
quired
for all
those
who
want to
use the
fitness
center.
Students
are in
structed
on how
to use
the car
diovas
cular and
weight
equip
ment.
“We
e X -
pected a
lot of par
ticipa
tion be
cause we have had to orientate all of
thestudents. Next year we’ll only have
to worry about orientating the fresh
men,” said Dross.
The facility is open only to Meredith
students, faculty and staff. To be admit
ted, a student must bring a camcard
and a towel.
The center is open Mon.-Thurs. 8
a.m.-9p.m., Fri. 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Sat. 1-
5 p.m. and Sun 1-4 p.m. There is a limit
to 25 people allowed in the fitness
center at one time.
Decause the fitness center is so
new, there will be gradual changes in
the way it is being run such as students
no longer being able to reserve cardio
vascular equipment, said Dross.
A supervisor will usually be present
in the center during lunch hours and
sometimes during the evenings. A
guard will also be present at the center
while the pool is open.
Orientation sessions this week wiU
take place Jan. 18, 3-4 p.m. and 4:30-
5:30 pm., Jan. 19, 3:45- 4:45 pm. and
5:15-6:15 p.m. and Jan. 20,12-1 p.m.
“Many students cannot afford to
join a spa and want to work out. We
wanted a facility students could be
proud of, and we encourage them to
come, “ said Dross.
Strength training is being empha
sized for everyone, not just the ath
letes, said Dross. It helps to maintain
bone density, stabilizes joints, and cre
ates more muscle mass so that more
calories are burned. Dross said.
Staying in shape has many healthy alternatives
by Arinn Dixon
0. K.. SO it’s New Year’s Resolution
time. Can you believe it’s here already?
And I will put money on the assump
tion that losing weight is included in
the resolutions of about four-fifths of
the Meredith population.
Can we help it? No, it’s what fe
males do. Since I am a female and I
know wlut you guys are going through,
I took it upon myself to gather some
information about getting started on
the weight loss kick. I have broken
down my findings into three catego
ries.
1. The Club - Fitness centers are
popping up all over Raleigli and the
newest fad is to join. These places have
weight machines, treadmills,
stairmasters, stationary bikes, free
weights and anything else you can
think of. They also have a little added
bonus: these amazingly well-propor
tioned foreign men that will willingly
become your “personal trainer. ” Mind
you, I haven’t seen any female per
sonal trainers. It must take that iron
pumping skill that we women just
don’t possess. Anyway, there are a
few clubs that are very popular in
Raleigh.
a. YMCA on Hillsborough St. -
The Y has only year-long member
ships. Their student rate is $100 to
join and $24 for every month after
ward. You may think this is really
see FITNESS page seven
photo by Jan Seate/Laura Ross
Meredith students can avoid the high costs of fitness by biking or walking on the
Meredith mile.