Photo courtesy of Samantha Azan.
UTampa offers free student-led classes, personal training, and themed workout cycling classes that promote health, community, and engagement wellness.
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By Carla Morales
TAMPA, Fla. — The University of Tampa (UTampa) is considered a very fit university with a 130,000 square foot fitness center located in the heart of the campus.
According to Tampa Bay 28, Tampa is within the top 20 cities in the United States for health and fitness, a standard reflection at UTampa through its campus facilities in attempts to keep the city as fit as possible.
Along with the multitude of treadmills, arm machines, leg machines, stairmasters, and much more that the fitness center has to offer, there are also six exercise rooms where there are student-led cycling and regular workout classes almost daily.
UTampa offers students the opportunity to pay affordable prices to obtain an on-campus personal trainer, providing individualized workout plans and guidance that help students reach their fitness goals more effectively.
These student-run classes include sculpt, yoga, stretch, abs and arms, abs and glutes, barre, and many more options that are offered six days a week, with each having a different duration. They are free to all students who attend the university, and it can be considered people’s favorite “perk” of the university.
As these classes are student-led, the energy is always high, and students are able to connect with their peers in a motivating and supportive environment while staying active and improving their overall health.
Among the many classes students get to choose from, the most popular is abs and glutes, led by student Emma Lavigne. This class is held every Thursday from 6:00-6:45 p.m. in Fit Studio 101.
This class consists of around five minutes of stretching to prepare the body before the intense workout, twenty minutes of glute exercises with resistance bands, twenty minutes of multiple different rounds of ab exercises, and five minutes of stretching and breathing to conclude the class.
The abs and glutes class provides a balanced, high-energy workout class that often leaves students feeling challenged and accomplished.
To better understand the positive impact this class has on university students, a student who regularly attends shares her experience.
“I think the instructor does a great job with her workout, and I like that she lets us go at our own pace during the workout,” Eleni Mylonas, a freshman nursing major, said. “I think the school does a good job at offering a variety of different options for students.”
Along with the abs and glutes class, another classic workout class that is popular on campus is the cycling class.
The cycling class is offered every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday at different times, and they are 30 to 45 minutes long.
Many students enjoy that the cycling classes provided on campus sometimes have special themed classes on the weekends.
For example, during Super Bowl weekend, there was a Bad Bunny-themed cycling class as he was the halftime performer.
The different themed classes occasionally provide the exercise experience more engaging and provide students with something unique to look forward to beyond their chaotic weekly schedule.
UTampa’s fitness center and its wide range of free, student-led classes play a significant role in promoting healthy habits for all students. From high-intensity workouts like abs and glutes to upbeat cycling classes, students are given accessible opportunities to stay active at all hours.