Students can expect new exercise equipment in the Aduddell Fitness Center.
The center will acquire five new pieces of equipment, including new eco-friendly treadmills, weight machines and adjustable stair climbers, said Josh Hall, assistant director of student life.
“We’re really excited about this,” Hall said. “We have replacement plans for our aging machines. As the warranties start to go up, we know it’s time to start replacing them with new ones, and that’s the point we’re at right now.”
Hall said the equipment should arrive within a month or two, but the exact date is still uncertain. The new machines will be paid for through the center’s budget.
Griffen Birdsong, design and production sophomore, said new equipment will be beneficial for students and possibly motivate them to go to the fitness center more often.
“I usually work out off campus,” Birdsong said. “The way it’s laid out right now just feels cramped and crowded. Everyone is trying to use the exact same machines at the same time, when there are mostly only one or two of each. I walk in sometimes and just feel really intimidated.”
Birdsong said he especially looks forward to the eco-friendly aspect of some of the equipment.
“I’m all about saving the planet,” Birdsong said. “I think it’s really great for OCU to consider and acknowledge eco-friendliness when buying new equipment.”
Hannah Gundermann, dance freshman, said she hopes the new equipment will help make the center a better environment for students and faculty.
“I go to the gym around four to five times a week, and it’s frustrating because I don’t have a lot of time to stand around waiting for people to stop using the equipment I need,” Gundermann said.
Gundermann said the current layout makes it nearly impossible to go to the center with workout partners.
“I pretty much can’t work out with my friends because we all want to use the same stuff all at the same time, so I think new equipment will really help out with that,” Gundermann said.
Gundermann said she is pleased with the idea of new additions and eco-friendly equipment, but she hopes center officials will set aside money for a larger variety of machines and, eventually, a new facility all together.
“I personally just don’t think there’s enough room to accommodate the amount of students in the gym,” Gundermann said. “Our student population is made up of so many performers and athletes. Proportionally, I feel like we have a lot more people needing to use the gym than the amount of machines available. So, this is definitely a step in the right direction, but hopefully one day we get something bigger.”
The Aduddell Fitness Center is located next to the Oklahoma United Methodist Hall housing office. It is free to all students, faculty and staff. The fitness center’s spring hours are 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdays and 1-10 p.m. Sundays.
Leave a Reply