Listen Here
Oilers take advantage of the rec center fitness classes to stay active and fit
By Brooke DeSnyder, DeSnyderB@Findlay.edu
From spin to Pilates to kickboxing to stretch and tone, Oilers have many opportunities to increase their fitness by taking advantage of one or more of UF’s recreational center fitness classes.
UF’s recreational center offers 20 class sections throughout the week with most ranging anywhere from two to 30 students, alums and staff participating. Classes are offered throughout the week at various times and free to Findlay students, alums and faculty. They’re an opportunity to meet physical health goals, while interacting and meeting new people.
For some students, these classes provide direction for how to work out; others find community in them. Pre-Vet student Cat Csuti attends a fitness class offered since the fall of 2021. She encourages others to attend.
“We are kind of like a big family,” Csuti said. “We are not judgmental; and I feel like if other people were exposed to that and really got a good grasp of how open and non-judgmental people are in the classes, I feel like they would join.”
This positive environment kept Csuti coming back to the class week after week, attending multiple days a week. The class became a place to get a good work out in, while being surrounded by peers who also wanted to work out and socialize.
Amy Sager is the Pilates instructor and is also a Findlay alum who provides an upbeat, positive environment for students.
“My classes average 15 students or up to 30 plus at a time,” Sager said. “I’ve had freshman up to grad students come to my classes. I’ve had people of all different majors as well.”
With that many people attending her classes, Sager decided to add two more Pilates classes a week this semester. She went from doing Tuesday and Thursday classes fall semester, to offering Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday classes.
Oilers can expect different workouts for each class. Sager tends to focus on her students’ needs when it comes to structuring her class each night.
“I would say I really follow the mood of the class,” Sager said. “There are days where my students come in and you can tell that they have had a stressful school week; those are days I know I need to focus on a lot of stretching, a lot of breath work, maybe a little less cardio. Start of the new year, I felt it was strong, so we did a lot of core, aerobic and cardio. I do always have a list in my head of work outs I want to hit in a class, but depending on the mood, I do them a little differently.”
While students and staff run the classes, to be an instructor, they first must approach Bryan Golding, director of recreational services at the University of Findlay.
“Really, we will have students come to us with ideas about an exercise class or they’ve been taking a class, and they are interested in teaching their own,” Golding said. “If the schedule is open, we’ll hire them in for classes.”
However, being certified and having experience in the fitness class is required.
“We do require certification, but we will reimburse them for those certifications,” Golding said.
If someone is passionate about instructing, they can talk to Golding, be certified for free and hired at the recreational center.
