If you’re a new student at the university, you may have discovered that only a short walk separates you from indulging in fried delicacies and pizza slices galore on campus.
Despite the daunting pressure of balancing school, work and play, there are plenty of opportunities on campus and within the Oxford area to combat the frightening “freshman 15.”
Located right here on campus is the Turner Center, Ole Miss’ recreation facility.
With a newly installed rubber floor, the third floor fitness center has an improved cleanliness, sound and aesthetic. The Turner Center also includes basketball courts, an indoor track, an Olympic-sized swimming pool and several rooms for group fitness classes.
The center has also revamped their group fitness schedule this year with a host of new classes. Entrance to these classes requires a FitSticker, which can be purchased for $20 a semester.
“Some of our instructors are very creative and have added classes such as Booty Bootcamp, Clubbin’ Cardio, and we’re even doing a heated yoga class,” fitness coordinator Andy Karch said. “We now also have an outdoor fitness class. Rebel Bootcamp is at the intramural fields and uses less traditional equipment such as sleds, sandbags, agility ladders, medicine balls, kettlebells, battle ropes and a whole lot more.”
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- Junior Sarah Newman deadlifts at Rebel Boot Camp, a fitness program hosted by the Turner Center, on Thursday at the Intramural Fields. (Photo by: Marlee Crawford)
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- Junior Gracie Darland helps Senior Ashley Williams at Rebel Boot Camp, a fitness program hosted by the Turner Center, on Thursday at the Intramural Fields. (Photo by: Marlee Crawford)
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- Junior Sarah Newman participates in Rebel Boot Camp, a fitness program hosted by the Turner Center, on Thursday at the Intramural Fields. (Photo by: Marlee Crawford)
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- Junior Kate Wilson participates in Rebel Boot Camp, a fitness program hosted by the Turner Center, on Thursday at the Intramural Fields. (Photo by: Marlee Crawford)
The center holds job fairs at the beginning of each semester for students interested in employment. Individuals looking to become certified must enter a semester-long group fitness shadow program, where they are paired with a veteran instructor and slowly learn to teach a group fitness class on their own.
Students like senior integrated marketing communications major Kendrick Pittman have learned the importance of leading a healthy, balanced lifestyle while in college.
Pittman is currently employed as a personal trainer at Anytime Fitness on Jackson Avenue, while also attending the National Academy of Sports Medicine to obtain his national certification.
Pittman trains individuals by helping them create a personalized fitness program titled with their last name, each letter spelling out what becomes a motivational acronym to push them through workouts. Customized programs include exercises targeted towards the fitness goals individuals wish to achieve.
“I like to motivate people and to see people succeed. I feed off that,” he said. “It’s not the freshman 15. It’s 25 or 30. It’s very important that you keep your body in shape, and you have to eat right. I feel like it has a major effect on what happens in the classroom.”
There are also off-campus opportunities to stay in shape, like Oxford Crossfit, which provides a program scaled to meet your skill level. Workouts can last anywhere from 5 to 45 minutes, including a mix of strength, body weight, basic gymnastics, cardio and endurance training.
Membership at Oxford Crossfit is $86 per month as an individual and $120 for a family.
“We try to keep it low for everybody,” owner Brady Williamson said. “We’ve got law enforcement, military and of course, students.”
But for those new to Crossfit, Williamson insists the hardest part is walking in the door.
“Don’t overthink it,” he said. “You’ll see everybody, regardless of athletic ability, going through the same type of movements and struggling. You got to have the mentality to push through and enjoy the benefits afterwards.”
