Have you ever heard of the freshman 15? That daunting, infant-sized mass of weight that the average freshman is predicted to gain?
Good news. The freshman 15 is actually a myth. Studies have shown this alliterative theory to be an exaggeration.
However, putting on extra pounds during the first semester at college is common. With unlimited meal plans, busy schedules and the absence of your high school athletic coach screaming in your face to "drop and give me 20" when you slack off at practice, it's easy to watch your workout schedule slip and your heavy eating habits tip the scales.
But if you haven't noticed already, UF has a barrage of fitness opportunities. It's hard to walk around campus without passing at least one of its four indoor gymnasiums, 25 outdoor complexes or an intramural sports team practicing anywhere it can find an open spot.
A great place to join that majority and start your college workout schedule is the recently renovated Southwest Recreation Center, located at the corner of Hull Road and Bledsoe Drive, across from the Curtis M. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. Since last year's expansion, the gym now boasts a 15,000-square-foot split-level cardio room, a 14,000-square-foot conditioning room and an indoor track, among other facilities.
Offering a less intimidating atmosphere, the Student Recreation & Fitness Center, building 265 on Fletcher Drive, has courts for racquetball, basketball, volleyball and squash. It has two group fitness rooms and a conditioning room.
The Student Rec Center also has an eight-lane, Olympic-sized pool open for all Gator 1 Card holders at designated times, as does the O'Connell Center. Hours of operation are posted online at recsports.ufl.edu/aquatics.
Don't like to work out alone? Perhaps group fitness will get you going. Between Southwest Rec and the Student Rec Center, there are more than 125 group fitness classes per week. These include both indoor and outdoor training. The full schedule of group fitness classes is available at the RecSports website.
Intramural sports teams are also a great way to fill the hole left by daily after-school team practice, whether it was football or cheerleading. The teams range from high-intensity sports like Ultimate Frisbee and flag football to low-intensity teams like bowling and cornhole, a popular tailgating game turned competitive. Some intramural teams can be co-ed.
The full schedule of intramural sports and the link to register is online at recsports.ufl.edu/intramural-sports. For the ambitious, there's also a link to apply to be a team captain.
According to GatorWell Health Promotion Services, as little as 10 minutes of physical activity improves productivity. So start your college career the right way, and take advantage of the million-dollar fitness facilities available to you to improve your health, your habits and your overall experience as a Florida Gator.
