Category: Announcements

Fit for Finals!

Post author By Jennifer De La Rosa
Post date May 2, 2016

Finals. When we hear that word we all think of the sleep deprivation, binging on unhealthy food or not eating at all and the anxiety of whether or not we will pass. It is easy during finals season to forget about our well being by doing all these things, and don’t feel guilty because I know I am guilty of doing these things too. However, I have learned some helpful tips that help me remain confident in my studies all while maintaining a healthy well being

First there are many ways to get energy into your body without having to drink those high energy drinks or sugary snacks. For one you could take a 30 minutes study break to go for a run or go to the gym. Think I’m talking mumbo jumbo? Well “Dr. John Ratey, author of “Spark – The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain” says that “exercise improves your brain in the short term by raising your focus for two to three hours afterwards. If you have a presentation or speaking engagement try to work out beforehand; you’ll be at your peak when you have to perform” Thus after a quick 30 minute workout you will be ready to focus even longer on your studies but also with a fresh pair of eyes. Try this tip and you could be like this…

Then you have the junk food cravings or the not eating at all. If you are craving sweets, an alternative is dark chocolate.”Dark chocolate energizes by providing an excellent source of iron and magnesium. Make sure it’s at least 70 per cent dark chocolate” and your good to go, I mean that shouldn’t be bad, the more chocolate the better! If you don’t like sweets another food people take for granted are eggs. Eggs are high in iron and protein to give you sustainable energy throughout the day. “Choline is a type of B-vitamin that is found in eggs that is required for brain function and energy production.” Lastly, do not forget when you end up eating and throughout the day, to be drinking water. One special quality water has is keeping the muscles energized which will not only help you take that little 30 minute break we talked about but also focus when you go to study. After trying this tip you will be saying…

Lastly, lets talk about sleep deprivation. Most people during finals like to pull all nighters, or go to bed at like 3 am and wake up early the next day. Personally, my body shuts down so I go to bed like a grandma. I am not saying you can’t stay up till 1 but I am saying your body needs that 8 hours of sleep. I recommend skipping the nap you planned to take and use that time to study so you can go to bed earlier that night. Sleeping will help you maintain the information you studied. If you stay up all night, you eventually just look like this and don’t retain any information. If you don’t try these tips during your final you could end up like this…

I hope these tips are helpful. I know they are harder to do than say, but atleast adding one of these changes to your finals routine will help you immensely. The Mason Recreation team and I wish you the best of luck on your finals and hope to see you at the facilities!

Written By: Akyra Glaze

Announcements

Patriot Pack Out

Post author By Jennifer De La Rosa
Post date April 28, 2016

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.

AFC Announcements Facilities RAC Skyline

Summer Facility Hours

Post author By Jennifer De La Rosa
Post date April 28, 2016

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

AFC: (May 12th – July 31^st)

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

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

RAC: (May 12th – July 31^st)

Monday-Sunday – 12p-8p

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

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

Monday-Friday – 6a-9p

Saturday – 8a-7p

Sunday – 9a-9p

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

Skyline: (May 7^th – August 24^th)

Saturday, May 7^th – 11a-9p

Sunday, May 8^th – 11a-9p

Monday, May 9^th – 9a-9p

Tuesday, May 10^th – 9a-9p

Wednesday, May 11^th – 9a-6p

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

AFC Announcements Aquatics

AFC Spa is now OPEN

Post author By Jennifer De La Rosa
Post date April 20, 2016

Announcements Fitness

Beach Body Workouts

Post author By Jennifer De La Rosa
Post date April 19, 2016

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Tags Announcements, Beach Body, fitness, Top 10, Workouts

Announcements Fitness

Take Me Out To The Ball Game

Post author By Jennifer De La Rosa
Post date April 19, 2016

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

Tags Announcements, Baseball, fitness

Announcements

The 2016 Mason Golf Tournament

Post author By Jennifer De La Rosa
Post date April 12, 2016

Attention, Patriots! Join us for the 2016 Mason Open Golf Tournament on April 29th at Penderbrook Golf Club. The cost is only $65 a person and that price includes 18 holes of golf, boxed lunch, buffet style dinner, entry into three on-course challenges (such as the longest drive contest), and entry into our raffle at the end of the day. If that alone isn’t enough to convince you, then hear this. Mason students can get 50% off the registration price! That means you get everything mentioned above for only $32.50! You’ll be hard pressed to find a golf course around the area that lets you play for $32.50, let alone one that also offers lunch, dinner, and prizes.

*Prizes from the 2015 Mason Golf Tournament*

The best part about this tournament is that all skill levels are encouraged to come play. No experience is necessary to be a part of the 2016 Mason Golf Tournament. All that IS required is that you come out with a good attitude looking to have some fun (which you will).

The important thing is that you sign up! The sooner the better, too! Registration closes on April 20th.

Take it from someone who has experience playing golf. There are few ways to spend a Saturday in the Spring that are better than playing in a golf tournament with friends. Especially when you are just out there to have fun. If you don’t agree, then take it from someone who has played golf but isn’t very good. The Mason Golf Tournament is well worth the cost and holds some of the best memories spent with Mason Recreation.

By: Dan Ward

Tags Announcements, Golf

AFC: (May 12th – July 31st)

RAC: (May 12th – July 31st)

Skyline: (May 7th – August 24th)

AFC: (May 12th – July 31^st)

RAC: (May 12th – July 31^st)

Skyline: (May 7^th – August 24^th)