Category: Announcements

Tips To Make Going To The Gym A Habit

You’ve been trying to go to the gym every day of the week for months now. You are going strong for 4 days, but then you don’t make it to the gym for the next week. Not as pathetic as you think. Believe it or not, going to the gym regularly is often a goal for most people. Having the gym be a part of everyday life can be challenging, since making changes to normal behavior is not an easy task. Any type of lifestyle change (eating habits, smoking, shopping habits etc.) is hard, and even that much harder as a college student.

I personally have struggled with making the gym a part of my daily routine. My schedule is extremely hectic these days, as I am dealing with a constant state of tiredness due to my commitments. Wanting to be social with my peers also can get in the way of going to the gym. It’s not easy, but I am trying to make the gym a part of my daily life, like doing my homework or making my bed, simply something I HAVE to do.

Sometimes we are so off-put within our own fitness routines that we simply don’t know how to get back on track. I understand how hard it is to regularize going to the gym, so I have compiled a list of tips to help make going to the gym a habit.

1. Make a Schedule

For me, creating a schedule is probably the most valuable tip on the list. Making a schedule of your life and time available to go to the gym allows you to have designated times for going to the gym and keeps you on track. Think of the schedule as a daily to do list. Putting a workout on your to-do list helps you stay focused and motivated to get it done.

2. Start off Easy

With any major lifestyle change, I think starting off easy is key to staying motivated while getting used to your new schedule. You don’t want to tire yourself out before being able to create a habit of going to the gym. You try to start off by going two or three times a week, and increase as you see fit. I would suggest that you don’t try to quickly move into a lifestyle you are not used to. Any change takes time. Be patient with yourself!

3. Find a Workout Partner

Finding a workout partner may be the motivation you need in order to stick to your gym routine. Having someone there that expects you to push yourself and will motivate you to keep going can help you make that lifestyle change. Having a workout partner is not for everyone (personally, not my thing), but it can definitely be beneficial to those who need that extra push!

4. Buy Nice Workout Clothes

I know this is something that definitely helped me! I love buying clothes, so buying fashionable workout gear helps motivate me to go, because I want to wear the clothes I have purchased. This tip also is not for everyone, but if that helps, go out and treat yourself!

5. Add Classes Into Your Workout

I think a common reason as to why people may not be satisfied with their current workout is because they become bored with their own fitness schedules. I get bored very easily, and if something is not stimulating to me, I am more than likely not going to continue with it. If you find yourself with an underwhelming workout routine, try to attend some workout classes. Maybe go with friends and see if that helps make going to the gym more interesting.

6.) Focus On Going To The Gym First, Goals Second

Something that I have personally struggled with is lack of results discouraging me from going to the gym. The “I have not seen change, so why go?” mentality is dangerous and can prevent you from going to the gym long enough to even see results. In order to combat this, I try to be realistic with my goals, whether they are mental or physical, but more importantly, I tell myself “just go!” Actually making it to the gym is an accomplishment in itself.

By: Destany Martin

Why You Should Take The Exercise Class You’ve Been Avoiding

The entire year you have checked the weekly schedule of exercise classes. You go to the gym wanting to try out something different since you’re bored by the same routine of your usual elliptical workout. On your way out, you look through the glass window at the Kickboxing class your roommate has been raving about that you have been too intimidated to try. You are intimidated that the class will be too intense, you will be heavily winded in 10 minutes, and everyone will see how out of shape you are.

Sound familiar? Good news is, your feelings of doubt are completely normal and typical for someone trying something new. Regardless of how normal the feelings are, you should not let your fear prevent you from trying something you may actually come to enjoy.

I completely understand and connect with these feelings of fear. After a lot of personal motivational speeches and indecisiveness, I decided to take the Cardio Kickboxing class offered at the Aquatic and Fitness Center. I arrived and was immediately intimidated by my instructor’s nearly perfect physique. The class was quite small, which I expected, but this did not make it any less terrifying. The class begun and, like I anticipated, I was quickly winded and sweating. While my journey with “gym fear” had come a long way since realizing that the payoff received from exercise and pushing your physical limits is worth more than anyone seeing you look awkward or struggling to finish a set of squats, I was a little self-conscious about my heavy breathing and my not-so-attractive expressions being made while trying to keep up with the rest of the class. However, nearly halfway through the class, I realized what I had overcome just by showing up and felt proud that I made the decision to try something new.

“Gym fear” is more common than you think. Even the most advanced gym goers are not experts at everything and would feel insecure under certain circumstances. There are some things about group classes that dedicated gym goers have to come to terms with. First being, you will mess up. Everyone in the class is going to be awkward at some

*It doesn’t matter how fast you move or how you look. What matters is that you are there working.*

point, so embrace it. Also, those people you think are watching you, are actually looking at themselves. They aretrying to keep up just like you, and are not concerned with how often you come to the gym. Additionally, there is a chance that this class may not be all that you expected. Not saying that it should be easy, rather, you just might notlike exercising in a group. However, not going to the class at all will hinder you from discovering what your preferences are. Not only that, but once you have attended your first class, it will be easier for you to step out of your comfort zone and try new things in the gym that you can then add into your fitness schedule. Lastly, I know the instructor is usually a super fit person who seems to do everything with ease; however, don’t let this make you feel insecure. The instructor is there to help you and is not going to judge if you cannot do everything, need a break, or want to ask questions.

Ultimately, your fitness journey is your own and that is important to remember while attending fitness classes. You should make the most out of the classes because it is something that you are doing for your benefit. Though it may be a personal challenge for you to be working out in a group setting, know that everyone is struggling. Feel the fear and do it anyway! Pick a class (classes are posted every week at recreation.gmu.edu) that you find to be the most appealing, and go! There is nothing to lose and an experience to gain.

By: Destany Martin

We Make Time For What We Want

Around this time of the year, it may seem like you have no free time. Your assignments are piling up and you have various tests to study for. Your busy schedule is hectic, and any free time you have is used on resting by lying in your bed watching an episode or two of your current favorite show (maybe I am speaking from experience here). However, your fitness regimen has completely fallen off track and you have not been going to the gym as much as you should.

Sometimes life gets overloaded and some things get cut out of your schedule. That’s normal. I know from experience that school can be exhausting, mentally and physically. Often times, working out is the last thing I want to do. After writing papers, studying for exams, going to work, and trying to meet my professors for their office hours, the last thing I want to do is go to the gym. Instead, I spend this time in my dorm, catching up on social media and celebrity news. However, I could be spending this time doing physical activity.

This does not mean on your most exhausting days taking a boot camp class at the AFC will help you. It definitely will not. However, University of Georgia researchers found that inactive individuals who complained of being tired and fatigued could decrease their fatigue by as much as 65% and actually increase their energy by 20% if they get active. So instead of grabbing the latest sports energy drinks, or filling up on insane amounts of caffeine, try taking a trip to the gym.

As the busiest time of the year rolls around, fitting a workout into your already busy schedule may be hard, but it is possible! The fact of the matter is, we make time for what we want, and if you really want to go to the gym, you will be there. So map out your schedule, organize your time, and see where you can fit workouts in your schedule. It may make you feel more refreshed than you think.

By: Destany Martin

Mason Club Sports

Post competition

March 13-19

Baseball: The Baseball team traveled to Plant City, FL to compete in the NCBA Spring Training Showcase Tournament. GMU went 3-2 on the week, beating Carnegie Mellon University (15-6), University of Kentucky (17-7), and Northern Illinois University (11-0). Their only losses came against Edinboro University (7-8) and Cleveland St. University (3-7). Throughout the week, everyone performed at a high level. Patrick Charney had a .538 batting average with 7 hits and 6 RBI in 5 games. Kyle King had a .500 batting average with 6 hits and 5 RBI in 4 games. As a team, GMU scored 53 runs during the competition. On the mound, Adam Easter pitched 5.1 shutout innings and struck out 16 of the 18 batters he faced, picking up the win against Carnegie Mellon.

The Baseball team’s week continued as they traveled to Fruitland, MD to compete in a conference doubleheader against Salisbury University. After such a long week, the Patriots struggled against the tough competition, just barely losing the first game 1-2 and the second 5-11.

Equestrian: The Equestrian club traveled to Goucher College to compete in the UMBC IHSA Show against teams including American University, George Washington University, Georgetown University, Goucher College, and Johns Hopkins. George Mason finished third overall in the event. Individual results were as follows:

Kaitlin Hurley- 4th novice flat; 3rd novice fences

Amanda Malloy- 5th novice flat

Codie Gibson- 3rd walk, trot

Katherine Velle- 2nd Intermediate flat

Megan Hagarty- 2nd open flat; 6th open fences

Theresa Litzinger- 3rd Advanced walk, trot, canter

Kirsten Van Nortwick- 1st Intermediate flat

Nicole Ochsenknecht- 5th Advanced walk, trot, canter

Elizabeth Dorrian- 6th open flat

Sarah White- 4th walk, trot

Men’s Rugby: The Men’s Rugby team traveled to Miami, FL to participate in official practices and scrimmages against the Miami Rugby team. GMU received instruction and practice for drill techniques, individual roles, and plays for the whole team. The two teams scrimmaged, unscored, to help Mason work on defense techniques and game play scenarios.

Ski & Snowboard: The Ski & Snowboard club competed in their first Nationals event at the USCSA Nationals in Mt. Bachelor, OR. The team fought hard through the conditions with over three feet of snow in the first two days, high winds, and bad visibility. John Friedersdorf finished 22nd overall in GS (Giant Slalom) and 55th in Boardercross. Nicholas Miller finished 39th overall in GS, 44th in Slopestyle, qualified 19th in Boardercross, and finished 30th in men’s snowboard. Jackson Robic, riding with two hurt ankles, finished 77th in Boardercross and GS on an extremely rough and tough course. Lydia Bartnick finished 19th overall in GS, qualified 20th in Boardercross, and finished 20th in women’s snowboard. Kirsten Hahn finished 26th overall in GS women’s snowboard. Caroline Fudala faced her fears of the terrain park, competing in the women’s freeski finals.

Trap & Skeet: The Trap and Skeet team competed in the Snow Goose Classic at Schrader’s Outdoors in Henderson, MD against Washington College and Naval Academy. In the Sporting Clays event, Derek Vacco placed first, Sam Hoskinson placed second, Alex DiLorenzo placed third, and Stephanie Treme placed fourth.

Men’s Ultimate: The Men’s Ultimate team also traveled to Tallahassee, FL to compete in the men’s side of the Tally Classic tournament. GMU held seed getting 18th place with close games against high seed teams. Jacob Shade was named MVP for great defense, generating good turnovers and a few layout blocks while being a strong cutter to get the flow going. Mason’s wins came against North Florida (11-6), ECU (12-6), and Georgia Gwinnett (15-4). They fell to University of Tennessee Chattanooga (9-11), Alabama Huntsville (9-11), UCF (7-11), Georgia Tech (6-11), and Emory (9-14).

Women’s Ultimate: The Women’s Ultimate team traveled to Tallahassee, FL to compete in the Tally Classic tournament. GMU went 5-2 for the weekend, only barely getting beaten by two nationally ranked teams. They dominated in each of their wins, beating University of Florida B (13-0), Georgia St. (13-5), North Georgia (13-4), Tennessee (15-2), and LSU (11-2). Florida State and Kennesaw State (1st seed) won 10-13 and 11-15, respectively; however, Kennesaw State’s coach recognized Mason as having the best Spirit of the Game of any team that they had played that weekend. The team is slowly moving up in the national rankings and are excited for their next tournament in April.

Underwater Hockey: Underwater Hockey traveled to Orlando, FL to compete in the Atlantic Coast Championships. Although they did not have any wins during the competition, two of Mason’s players received MVP awards. The team as a whole received participation awards. Their results were as follows: Orlando (1-9), UF (2-6), Team Sexy (0-9), Orlando (0-5), Toronto (1-9).

Facility Spring Break Hours

The University will be on Spring Break from March 11-19 and during this time all Recreation Facilities will have adjusted hours. Please see below:

AFC:

Monday-Friday – 6a-9p

Saturday – 8a-7p

Sunday – 9a-9p

RAC:

Saturday, March 11^th-Saturday, March 18^th – 12p-8p daily

Sunday, March 19^th – 9a-11p

Skyline:

Friday, March 10^th – 9a-9p

Saturday, March 11^th-Saturday, March 18^th – CLOSED

Sunday, March 19^th – 3p-midnight

10 of the BEST FITNESS APPS RIGHT NOW

We are always on our phones. I mean, think about it, we are ALWAYS on our phones. You’re probably even on your phone right now. Whether that is scrolling through Instagram, or trying to catch up on sports news, something is always grabbing our attention on our phones. If nearly everything is integrated into the World Wide Web these days, it’s only certain that there are millions of ways that your phone can lead you to a healthier lifestyle (as weird as that may sound.) Here are 10 GREAT apps that can help you stay fit.

1. Nike Training Club

This is my holy grail. This app has customizable fitness programs and workouts that are designed by professional trainers and athletes. My friends and I will hook my phone up to speakers and will play music and the Nike Training Club app will come in and out of the music to guide us through our workout (The interface is really aesthetically pleasing too.)

2. Couch to 5K

I am always amazed in the gym at people who seem to run so effortlessly. I am talking about the people who run for 45 minutes straight and still can bounce off of the treadmill with energy. C25K (“Couch to 5K”) is for those who want to run but really do not know where to start. The app is an eight-week program designed to ease you into becoming a runner. After eight-weeks of completing the program, you should be ready to hit a 5k race.

3. Strava Running and Cycling

This app is really valuable because it caters to runners as well as cyclists. It tracks calories, elevation, distance, and more in an easy-to-navigate interface.

4. Spotify Running

Spotify Running is definitely for those like me who need music will exercising and have to have the right songs on my playlist to stay motivated. What makes this app cool is that it picks songs for you to listen to, based on your pace, and chooses a song that will match it.

5. Yoga Wake Up

This app is for all of the yoga-lovers out there. It’s different and unique in the sense that it has 10-minute yoga sessions designed to be done right after you wake up. They offer different sequences, and the sequences offer different objectives to help you start your day off right.

6. Daily Yoga

Daily Yoga is another yoga app, but it’s not for your wake-up needs. This app offers over 50 classes through different videos. Additionally, the app offers a library of over 500 different yoga poses.

7. Yonder

This is not of much use to me (not an outdoorsy person), but could be beneficial to someone who enjoys outdoor adventures. By putting in your location, you are able see suggestions for your outdoor fitness needs, such as, hiking, biking, and kayaking.

8. StrongerLifts 5×5

This is a great app for the lifters out there. This app will manage your reps, and rest time. No need to try to keep up with your exercise in your head, or lugging around a pencil and paper in the gym.

9. Zombies, RUN

This is one of the most interesting and exciting apps on the list. Zombies, RUN is a very popular app that integrates a zombie apocalypse into your workout. The more you run, the closer you are to carrying out your missions and keeping humans safe. The app is free to download and will make running a lot more interesting than your usual routine.

10. Blogilates

As someone who reads blogs A LOT, I find Blogilates to be very interesting. So, for my fellow bloggers out there, this app follows Cassey Ho and her YouTube videos, as well as a forum and online workout calendar. Apps like this make me feel like my fitness journey is a shared experience and I have a personal connection with someone who can guide me.

Why Does Everyone Listen to Music at the Gym?

When I go to the gym, I have to have my headphones with me. Even if it is brutally cold outside, I will make the walk to get my headphones from my dorm. Without my music, I just don’t feel as motivated. I have tried to watch YouTube videos, or catch up on Grey’s Anatomy or Scandal, but NOTHING seems to motivate me to run a little further like having my favorite songs blaring (at a volume way too high) out of my headphones. Well, it turns out music has a much larger impact on our workouts than I anticipated.

While research has consistently supported the idea that music acts as a distraction to physical exertion, a 2009 study found that when the tempo increases in a song, you are more likely to push yourself and work out harder. As one could assume, and studies have found, music with higher tempos are the way to go during your workout. However, too fast of a tempo is not good. For those who do not prefer to fluctuate their energy during their workout (if you like interval training this probably will not apply to you), music can help you stay on pace.

Additionally, there are songs or genres of music that help us “get our minds right”, that meaning they help us focus on the task we are doing and put us in the mind frame of working out. Often times these songs have memories tied to them, and sometimes these memories can generate motivational power for us to thrive off of during our workout.

Most importantly, music makes us happy. We often listen to songs that will make us feel the way we would like to feel. It can help us feel happy, motivated, or self-aware. It can serve as a means of reflection or an escape from what is currently going on in our lives. Thus, when we listen to music during our workout, it is easier to remove any negative emotions from our minds and power through our workout. You combine the mood effects of music and the inevitable good vibes we get from exercising, and you will leave your workout feeling great!

Finally, music makes us want to move! Researchers have found that music with “high-groove” qualities help our brains get excited and induces movement. So no matter how much you hated going to the gym that day, those tunes will help you get it done.

So, why does everyone listen to music at the gym? Because it helps. Music can help us in many areas of our life, but it is very valuable when we are at the gym and trying to get through a workout we have spent all day avoiding. The next time you go to the gym, make a playlist of your favorite songs and turn it all the way up! I surely will.