Keeping fit: Make room for the weights

I live a life where the words creatine, whey and amino acids are part of the daily vernacular. 

I’m a lifter or at least, like to think of myself as such. Call me a bro-lifter a type of “science” that involves hitting the gym as hard as possible, and then following it up with a big greasy cheeseburger. Chalk it up to a metabolism the speed of a Formula One racecar. 

Other than my inability to say “no” to a nice slice of pizza, I consider myself pretty dedicated to the gym. Upon my arrival at Wichita State in fall 2014, the first thing I did was ask, “So what’s the gym look like?” 

Now, full disclosure I am by no means “huge.” Beyond that, the last time I saw a solid six-pack was at the local grocery store.

Still, I take my gym seriously, so I was a little underwhelmed by the recent renovations made to the weight room. Any and all types of fitness for on-campus Shockers reside inside the Heskett Center, located in the northeast region of the main campus. This building seems quite large from the outside, and that holds true on the inside.

The Heskett Center is filled with rooms designed for dance, racquetball, Zumba and so much more. It even includes an indoor, fully functional track with three basketball courts in the center. Yet, the weight room is relegated to one small portion of this sprawling complex.

To be honest, I have seen hotels with larger weight rooms than what the Heskett Center offers. My community college in Texas offered just as much space with a lot smaller enrollment to deal with. This already makes this gym crowded, but tack on classes in the weight room, that limits the times the non-class-goer can work out, and you find yourself in a proverbial sardine can.

According to the International Health, Racquet, and Sportsclub Association, there has been a significant increase in gym memberships in the past decade, with 50.2 million people having a membership in 2012 compared to 41.3 million in 2005. The fitness industry is booming, and while I want to restate that I know there are multiple ways to get fit, weights are a big part of that for me. 

In recent months, I found myself going to the nearest YMCA to get my fitness kick. There, I find more space, more weights and thus more focus on the task at hand. I cannot imagine I am the only one. 

But I should not have to search around for a gym that works, not while I’m in college, not while this “free” facility is being paid for through my tuition. The gym should be able to accommodate all and do it well. 

Changes need to be made, and the lasting effects from them could benefit the university in other areas. For example, if the Heskett Center is made more appealing and accessible to lovers of working out such as myself, they may find themselves spending more time on campus and taking advantage of other things the university has to offer.

Fitness is a booming industry in America, and its trajectory is only heading upwards. WSU should continue to make moves to accommodate that momentum.