Fitness for All
Students at the University of New England get active with Cardio Club.
By Fallon Forbush, senior, Otterbein University
College is a time to grow —figuratively speaking. Yet students often end up filling out in other ways. At the University of New England (UNE) in Biddeford, Maine, students are fighting the battle of the bulge with Cardio Club, an extracurricular group offering free fitness classes taught by students for students.
“Cardio Club’s overall goal is to promote an active lifestyle in whatever way that means to you,” says graduate student and instructor Samantha Martin. “If that means dance, then take Zumba, Hip Hop, or ballet. If you prefer releasing anger and punching bags, go to kickboxing. If it’s relaxation you want, go to yoga.”
Cassie Ring, who is the faculty advisor for the group and a certified group exercise instructor through the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America and a certified personal trainer through the American College of Sports Medicine, notices weight concerns among many students. “We have a lot coming in with goals of weight loss and gaining muscle,” she says.
Students at all levels of fitness are getting on board. “Depending on the class, there’s quite the mix,” Martin says. “For a lot of participants, if it weren’t for this group, they probably wouldn’t be exercising.”
Students Become Instructors
In addition to offering classes, Cardio Club trains students to become instructors. A seasoned martial artist with nine years of training, Martin began her involvement with the group as a freshman studying applied exercise science. After taking a few classes, she moved up to instructing kickboxing and received her Cardio Club certification.
“I had a certification through Cardio Club before I was certified as a personal trainer through my major,” she says. “It is a nice gateway for those who want to become a professional [fitness trainer].”
Stuart Carruthers, a senior medical biology major, started attending Cardio Club his freshman year and “got hooked.” Now he teaches a yoga class. “The majority of students who come to my classes are people who have never experienced yoga before,” Carruthers says. “The Cardio Club helped pay for some certification, so I’m certified as a yoga teacher now. I plan on using it as a side career.”
For those who are intimidated by exercise, Ring has this advice: “The first step is getting here. Everyone has specific goals, so no matter what it is, there’s always something you can do.”
FALLON FORBUSH IS A SENIOR PUBLIC RELATIONS MAJOR, MINORING IN JOURNALISM WRITING, POLITICAL SCIENCE, AND SPEECH COMMUNICATION AT OTTERBEIN UNIVERSITY IN WESTERVILLE, OHIO.
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To learn more about Cardio Club, CLICK HERE.