Mason Recreation

Author: Jennifer De La Rosa

Patriot Pack Out

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We are seeking assistance in two specific ways:

 

Donate Your Items –Collection bins will be available May 4th-16th in all of our residential communities. Collection bins can be found at all three 24-hr Neighborhood Desks (Piedmont/Tidewater, Eisenhower and Whitetop Halls) to provide convenient access to all faculty, staff and students.

 

Form a Volunteer Collection Team – Teams are comprised of 4-8 members of students, staff and/or faculty. Teams will collect goods from all of the donation sites and will be accompanied by staff from Mason Recycling & Waste Management. Collection routes begin at 9:30am and 1:00pm during most weekdays and typically last 1.5-2 hours.

 

Team Captains can sign up for their preferred day/time at:

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0a4eaca72aabf58-patriot1.

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Summer Facility Hours

 

As the semester is coming to an end, the recreation facilities will have the following operating hours:

AFC: (May 12th – July 31st)

Monday-Friday – 6a-9p

Saturday – 8a-7p

Sunday – 9a-9p

**Pools will close 30 minutes before the facility

The AFC will close at 4p on Monday, May 30th in observation of Memorial Day and will close at 12p on Monday, July 4th in observation of Independence Day.

The AFC will be closed for annual maintenance from August 1st-August 14th.  Please visit the RAC during this time to continue your workouts.

 

RAC: (May 12th – July 31st)

Monday-Sunday – 12p-8p

The RAC will be closed Monday, May 30th in observation of Memorial Day and on Monday, July 4th in observation of Independence Day.

The RAC will have the following hours during the AFC’s scheduled Maintenance (August 1st-14th):

Monday-Friday – 6a-9p

Saturday – 8a-7p

Sunday – 9a-9p

The RAC will resume summers hours on Monday, August 15th thru Tuesday, August 23rd.  August 24th-August 27th the RAC will be open 9a-9p and will resume normal operating hours on Sunday, August 28th.

 

Skyline: (May 7th – August 24th)

Saturday, May 7th – 11a-9p

Sunday, May 8th – 11a-9p

Monday, May 9th – 9a-9p

Tuesday, May 10th – 9a-9p

Wednesday, May 11th – 9a-6p

Skyline will be closed May 12th-August 24th.

AFC Spa is now OPEN

Spa OPEN

The AFC is excited to announce that after 4.5 weeks we have re-opened the spa!  We do have a little more clean up to perform around the affected area on the pool deck, so we ask that patrons use caution around the designated areas.

 

We thank you again for your patience.

Beach Body Workouts

10. Running

Alright, men. It’s that time of the year! It’s Spring Time and that means it’s time to get those beach bodies ready! That means chest workouts. That means working those shoulders and arms. That means getting yourself a six pack (and I don’t mean of beer).

We all want to look our best during the warm days of summer, so here are 10 things you need to start doing in order to be #BeachBodyReady.

10. Running
10. Run

It’s that exercise we all know and few of us enjoy. While the mere thought of running can turn people away, we can’t deny the benefits it has to help you get #BeachBodyReady. Running will help improve your cardiovascular system so that you can workout longer. Running also helps build muscles in the legs and core, so really it’s like working out three parts of the body in one!

9. Workout Your Arms
9. Workout Your Arms

People wear tank tops and cutoffs for a reason. Muscular arms are a feature of a proper Beach Body. And When we say to workout your arms, we mean from fingertip through the shoulder. Forearms, biceps, triceps, and shoulders. Do multiple variations of the bicep curl by switching grips, changing weights, and changing the direction you curl up. Find a machine or grab some dumbbells for tricep extensions, or find a chair or bench and do as many dips as you can. For shoulders, shoulder flys and shoulder press are two of our favorites, but there are multiple exercises you can do.

 

bench press
8. Exercise Those Pecs

When you are walking on the beach with your shirt off, you’re going to want a defined chest. The bench press and the push-up are the most well-known ways to work out your chest. The RAC, AFC, and Skyline all have multiple machines that work out your chest and plenty of free weights. Remember to always to have a spotter when increasing your weight on the bench press.

 

7. Eat Right
7. Eat Right

There’s a difference between dieting and eating right. We prefer you eat right as opposed to eating less. Your muscles need protein, but your stomach doesn’t need that extra fat you’re trying to cut. Beans, nuts, and cheese are all packed with protein and are a good substitute to a fatty meat product. Be sure to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, too. A Beach Body should be muscular and lean, not only big all the way around.

6. AB/Core Workouts
6. AB/Core Workouts

The classic thought of being #BeachBodyReady is when you have a six-pack of abs. If you are going for the ultimate Beach Body that satisfies all critical areas, then you are going to have to work those abs. And I mean work them. It doesn’t have to be a daunting process, though. Add them into your other workouts in between sets or while you’re taking a break. Pretty soon you’ll get an entire ab workout in without even realizing it. From sit-ups to crunches, to leg raises, to planks, to Russian twists and more, get that six-pack ready for summer.

5. Other Forms of Cardio
5. Other Forms of Cardio

The first thing on this list was run. That is important (otherwise it wouldn’t be on this list) but it is not the only form of cardio you should be doing in order to be #BeachBodyReady. Running only works so many muscles and if we are being honest with ourselves, you won’t want to only run to get your cardio. Add on to your exercise list things like jumping jacks, plyometrics, or even play a game like basketball. You’ll get your heart rate up and your lungs working as if you were running, but you’ll also work other parts of the body as well.

4. Get Your Friends to Join
4. Get Your Friends to Join You

Why be the only one that is getting #BeachBodyReady? Get your friends to join you so that you all can be ready for the summer. Not only will it be a fun way for all of you to hang out, but you’ll work harder, too. Having your friends around will cause you to challenge each other to work harder and serve as a reminder or motivator to finish the task at hand. Working out is often easier, more fun, and yields more results when it is done with friends.

3. Stay Motivated and Determined
3. Stay Motivated and Determined

This potentially goes hand in hand with getting your friends to join you. Striving toward your workout goals isn’t always easy. You need to find a way to continually stay motivated. Whether it be through motivational video, a motivational speaker, a reminder you set for yourself every day, or your friends motivating you, you’ll have to find that motivation day in and day out. If getting #BeachBodyReady were easy, everyone would do it.

2. Challenge Yourself
2. Challenge Yourself

While it helps to have a friend or a motivator by your side, it all comes down to you in the end. No matter how motivated you are or how much support you have, you still have to challenge yourself. A highly motivated person can do a workout that they are used to doing. The key is to challenge yourself with more weight, more reps, and harder workouts throughout the process of getting #BeachBodyReady.

1. Rest
1. Rest

Rest is often forgotten by those who work out to build muscle mass. Your muscles need rest in order to heal and rebuild. Take a break now and then. Make sure to get enough rest every night. Even the king of the jungle needs his sleep! Sleeping is just as important as exercising. Just don’t let the sleep stop you from working out!

 

We all want to feel confident with our shirts off. Follow these 10 steps and you will be, too.

Are you ready to get #BeachBodyReady?!?!

http://www.menshealth.co.uk/building-muscle/abs-workout/the-ultimate-beach-body-workout-498575

http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/lose-weight/bikini-season/get-your-best-beach-body-ever-in-21-days/

By: Dan Ward

Take Me Out To The Ball Game

Take Me Out To The Ball Game

It’s that time of the year again. Opening Day has come and gone and a brand new season of MLB Baseball is here. The 162 game season is by far the longest of the four main sports in America. In order to fit all the games in, teams play basically every single day. If you are a big sports fan like me, you try to watch as many games as possible. This is sometimes a problem because baseball games usually take about three hours. How can I go to school, the gym, and watch baseball every day?

The solution is simple. Do you remember the NCAA March Madness Workout Challenge? Well, something similar can be done while watching baseball games.

Between every half inning, there are commercials while the teams switch positions and the pitcher warms up. This is at least two minutes of nothing happening. You can maximize this time by simply doing 10 push-ups and 10 sit-ups. That’s it. Get your workout in and watch as much baseball as you want by simply doing 10 push-ups and 10 sit-ups every half inning. Seems easy doesn’t it? Well, that’s because it is. It doesn’t take a lot to do 1 set of 10 pushups and 1 set of 10 sit ups. However, when you think about it, you’re not only doing one set. If you do this every half inning, you’ll end up doing 18 sets of push-ups and sit-ups. That’s 180 reps of each! That will put a strain on your muscles from the sheer numbers.

If 10 ends up being too difficult, start with 5 until you can work your way up. The key is to be diligent and do the exercises every half inning. It may not feel like much, but if you do it consistently and every time you watch a baseball game, you will see the results sooner than you think.

By: Dan Ward

April on Mary’s Rock

The few, the happy few

The few, the happy few
The few, the happy few at the road. 

Despite the treacherous winds that would keep a typical college student under the covers and indoors, four adventurous souls went and tackled Mary’s Rock summit in Shenandoah National Park on the opening weekend of the month. Even with the chilling winds the students hiked on up the peak with smiles on their faces enjoying the open air and wildlife. Once reaching the summit they decided to climb around on the rocks before heading back down to the Byrd’s Nest shelter located right off the trail to eat lunch. Although the summit was windy and cold-ish, the view and company made it a perfect day to go hiking.

Snow clings to the shade
Snow clings to the shade
another from the top of marys rock
View from the top.
The Byrd's Nest
The Byrd’s Nest

MasonLIFE Group Tackles Stony Man

The group doing their best elephant impressions on the summit

The group doing their best elephant impressions on the summit
The group doing their best elephant impressions on the summit

On a chilly and partly overcast day in Shenandoah National Park, eight MasonLIFE Students had a great hike at Stony Man Mountain. The Stony Man loop was a perfect amount of challenge and fun for the students. This loop includes walking around the mountain, three beautiful outlooks, and then hiking upward to reach the summit. Standing at the first vista and looking up to see where we would eventually end was pretty cool. Once we did reach the summit, the sun was fully peeking out, giving us an amazing view of the valley below.

On the Trail
Along the trail