To better meet the holistic well-being of students and utilize rec center space, Towson University Campus Recreation recently made several facility changes. These included a new recovery area with massage chairs and individual workout pods that are replacing the old American Ninja Warrior course.
Katie White, the associate director of Programming and Assessment, said the facility first opened in January of 2018. After five years of observing usage trends, traffic patterns and the direction of the fitness industry, the updates enable Campus Recreation to continue meeting the needs of the student body.
Gabrielle Guynan, the assistant director of Fitness, said there were undefined and underutilized spaces while other areas seemed to be overcrowded, so one major goal was to spread out usage. “
White added additionally, with being a facility in the center of campus, they wanted to create more spaces that encouraged relaxation and social engagement, addressing the wellness of each student from a holistic view and not just physical.
The new lounge space creates an opportunity to destress with some mindfulness activities, and students can leave feeling refreshed. Throughout the facility they also added a sand garden, tumbling towers, coloring, origami, board games and other activities.
Details on New Features
Members can currently reserve massage chair appointments in 30-minute increments. White said the mind/body studio and stretching areas are more tucked away in the facility. This can possibly give off the assumption the place is intense or only for very serious exercisers. They wanted to express recovery is essential, and it’s OK to take a recovery day and focus on mental well-being.
“We added a recovery zone outfitted with massage chairs and percussive therapy tools,” said White. “We are supporting the holistic well-being of our students and offering something that doesn’t require fitness or sports knowledge to enjoy the benefits.”
The workout bays invite at-home-gym users, fitness app users and prefer-my-own-space users back into the building. White said the COVID-19 pandemic created a huge userbase with fitness apps. They wanted to create a space that facilitated the use of those apps while still providing a space of their own to complete workouts.
“There has also been a noticeable increase in participants creating their own workout circuits using multiple pieces of equipment,” said White. “One person might have a box, a kettlebell and two sets of dumbbells corralled next to them for the next 35 minutes, making them inaccessible to other users. The bays permit and encourage those types of workouts. You don’t have to worry about your kettlebell walking away while completing a different exercise in the circuit.”
White said the layout of the bays creates a distinctive programming opportunity for Orange Theory or F45-type workouts complete with strength, agility and cardio elements. Also, Guynan has already launched a group fitness class that incorporates the bays.
Future Developments and Hopes
In the near future, White said they will also be installing a secondary pin-loaded weight training area. The second floor used to be mostly cardio equipment next to the functional floor. With additional weight training options upstairs, some of the congestion will vanish on the lower level where primary weight training equipment is located.
“Students, faculty and other members will see updates to the functional floor on the mezzanine, including more individualized workout spaces, functional fitness equipment featuring monkey bars and ninja grips, and additional free weights,” said White. “The new equipment and updated layouts will provide spaces for students to be creative in their workout experience.”
Moving forward, White said her department’s goal is to invite all students to come and improve their holistic wellness experience. “We hope some of these new additions will bring in students who think Campus Recreation is not the right place for them,” she said. “The recovery zone, and Relax and Stay Awhile activities just amplify our mission — that Campus Recreation is here to address the whole student, and their well-being is our top priority.”
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