Crush your fitness, not your GPA: Workout classes fuel students – The Baylor Lariat

By Emily Schoch | Staff Writer

Fitness often gets put on the back burner, but FitWell classes at the McLane Student Life Center, make it more convenient for Baylor students, staff and faculty to get a quick workout in.

According to the Campus Recreation website, students can purchase a FitPass for $50 and faculty and staff can for $60. A FitPass unlocks access to FitWell classes all semester.

Keijha Oliver, graduate assistant of Baylor fitness programs said working out is crucial for brain activity. While many students see working out as time out of their day, Oliver said that it’s time to change that mindset. Getting in a workout not only is good for your body, but it serves as a way to relieve stress, heighten energy levels and improve brain function.

“Wellness is a lot of different things,” Oliver said. “[It’s] physical, mental, spiritual and emotional. A lot of times when college students get stressed, the first thing that goes is fitness.”

Studying all day in a library is one way to help your grades, but working out consistently is actually a good way to stimulate brain activity and perform better academically.

Oliver said it’s common to stop going to the gym and working out once school gets overwhelming, but it’s actually one of the best ways to help yourself focus on schoolwork and perform well.

“I heard someone say [that] you’ll never regret working out. I’ve tried to disprove that, but I think [it’s] true,” Oliver said. Exercise looks different for different people, Oliver said.

FitWell has a plethora of different classes that range from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., allowing students to fit a workout into their schedule.

“We have F45, which [is] functional fitness for 45 minutes,” Oliver said. “Monday, Wednesday and Friday are more cardio days, and Tuesday [and] Thursday [are] more strength days.”

F45 is one of the most popular classes that FitWell provides. Students can go at the time that best fits into their schedule without taking away from school.

The SLC also offers many yoga classes, from yoga flow to yoga-lates, according to Oliver. There’s an opportunity for all students to find something they enjoy.

“And then we also have bar toning and pilates, which is a lot of muscular endurance and [you use] the muscles that you don’t think you need to use,” Oliver said.

FitWell even provides a step aerobics and a hip-hop cardio class. Both classes seek to provide a fun environment for participants to get a workout. Additionally, there are cycling classes, ranging from interval mountain biking to Soul Cycle.

“And last, we have a bear cycle. It’s [in] a black light room, so it glows in the dark, which is really fun,” Oliver said. “You’ll get a little bit of everything.”

Rosemount, Minn. sophomore Taylor Hoefer said she utilizes the FitWell classes at the SLC often. According to Hoefer, the classes are convenient because she can stop by the SLC for an hour during a break in her day, rather than going to a gym off campus.

“F45 is the best because they have such creative and fun exercises,” Hoefer said. “[It] makes me feel better, sleep better and work better. Plus, it’s a great opportunity to meet new people and grow a community.”