Help gym-goers help themselves
February 13, 2023
Hundreds of students move in and out of the Gregory Gym weight room every day. There are endless rows of equipment, machinery and heavy weights. But when it comes to finding the right time to work out, let alone figuring out how to workout, the gym can easily become overwhelming for any newcomer. However, that hesitation shouldn’t prevent students from taking active steps towards promoting their physical and mental well-being.
Recreational Sports should create orientation sessions for students to learn about using Gregory Gym’s machinery and equipment, proper technique and overall gym etiquette.
Research has repeatedly proven that exercising inside or outside of a weight room can benefit both physical and mental health. However, students can’t reap those benefits if they are discouraged by intimidating machines they don’t understand or know how to use safely.
An optional orientation program would allow students to tour the gym facilities, receive preliminary explanations of equipment and technique and learn how to interact with others in a weight room space. Implementing such a program would improve the overall student experience and help students begin their fitness journey on the right foot.
Advertising junior Zachary Lee, who has worked out at the Gregory Gym weight room for a year-and-a-half, has witnessed the need for an orientation session firsthand.
“There’s a lot of people that I’ve seen that don’t have the best form and don’t really know how to use a lot of the machines,” Lee said. “I feel awkward because I feel like it’s not my place to help correct them. I feel like mentally and physically, (an orientation) would definitely help a lot of people.”
In addition to helping newcomers understand the equipment and dynamics of a gym, an orientation could prevent serious student injuries and property damages. In 2021, exercise and exercise equipment were responsible for 409,224 injuries in the United States alone. If RecSports took active steps to ensure all gym-goers understood the purpose of the equipment and how to protect themselves, the UT community would greatly benefit.
Randall Ford, director of communications and development for RecSports, explained the potential positives of an orientation program for both students and RecSports.
“Students learn it’s a healthy habit,” Ford said. “Then, for RecSports, if you’re going in to informally work out, you may be introduced to any of our other programs.”
Ford mentioned that RecSports previously offered a semblance of weight room orientations and stationed personal trainers within the training area, but the resources went unutilized. However, with the fitness industry at an all time high participation rate, similar programs should be reinstituted to accommodate student needs and protect their safety and well-being.
With the great number of opportunities that RecSports offers UT students and staff to enhance their lifestyles, helping newcomers find their footing amongst the crowd should be a top priority. Everyone deserves the chance to better themselves, and an orientation would be the perfect place to start.
