Two UAlbany Students Reveal Their Fitness Secrets
Finding out what fellow students are doing to keep fit
Lauren Kennedy
Issue date: 11/23/09 Section: Health
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Fortunately students do consider staying fit as a top priority. Even though time is not on the side of the UAlbany student, they manage to create enough space to fit in some hardcore fitness routines.
Lindsay Koffler
"You have to make sure you're eating correctly and being as consistent as you can in the gym in order to stay healthy" said Lindsay Koffler a senior at UAlbany and Planet Fitness member. She believes that working out can help contribute to overall better performance in school, work, and relationships.
"I try to get to the gym four days a week." Koffler said she starts out with 40 minutes of cardio, varying between the treadmill, elliptical, and the arc trainer.
After that she will either do arm exercises, which can include free weights or the specifically targeted arm machines incorporated in the 30 minute circuit workout, or she will focus on her legs and include squats, the inner/outer thigh machine, and some specifically targeted leg machines.
Once Koffler has completed that portion of her workout she moves on to her ab routine. "I never miss an ab workout, even when I don't make it to the gym I have a mat at home where I do crunches." She said her abdominal workout changes frequently in order to constantly challenge her muscles. She said she uses a stability ball, weights, and performs standard crunches.
Koffler also mentions that she follows Fitness and Shape magazine along with following blogs such as That's Fit for beneficial and new suggestions.
Favorite Fitness Alternative: Taking Walks, she said its cost efficient and refreshing.
Favorite iPod song: "Meet Me Halfway" by the Black Eyed Peas
Nick Cruz
"I try to workout five days a week." Said Nick Cruz a senior at UAlbany and a member to Golds Gym. I normally focus primarily on one body part a day. Cruz said he will target his chest, shoulders, back, arms, or legs on varying days.
After he decides which muscle group he is going to focus on he then chooses five different exercises to perform, three different times, with repetitions of 12-15. "When I focus on my back I might do deadlifts, upright rows, shrugs, lateral raises, one-arm weight rows."
Cruz said he makes sure to stay focused while working out, "it is important not to get distracted because it will just slow down the process in getting the results you want."
After performing his target exercises Cruz incorporates his abdominals. He said he always does a quick ab routine because they are the only muscle that can be worked out everyday. Cruz said he does a lot of curl-ups and reverse crunches and usually accompanies them with either weights or a medicine ball to intensify the movement. His ab routine is normally no more than 10-15 minutes and then he moves on to the last part of his workout. Cardio.
His cardio routine consists of running a quick mile or two on the treadmill, staying on the elliptical for a short period of time, or riding the bike for a ten-minute session. Cruz said he doesn't do a lot of cardio at the gym because he is constantly doing it elsewhere. Basketball, rugby, baseball, you name it and Cruz participates in it. "I have always been involved with sports, its competitive, it keeps my mind off things, and brings all the boys together."
Favorite Fitness Alternative: Rugby
Favorite iPod song: "Show Me Love Remix" keeps Cruz motivated during his workouts.