College and University recreation facilities can offer different challenges than those of other markets. The student and staff population at a college often includes a wide variety of fitness levels and interests, and while paid memberships are usually less prevalent (or completely non-existent), it is still important for facility managers to do their best in meeting the needs of the school’s fitness community. Precor recently took a look at this problem, and were able to determine 4 major factors that play a large part in determining a top-notch recreation center. Below are those four factors, as well as our personal experience with how they play out in this market.
1. A Variety of Equipment
From the article, “College is a great time for students to branch out and discover the kinds of fitness they’re into.”
College students typically fall into the demographic of early-adopters, or those that are willing to try out a new fitness trend. While it may be impractical to fill your rec center with the ever-evolving “latest & greatest”, it is important to offer a large variety of equipment and programs to accommodate the different fitness interests and abilities often found in a college setting. At SUNY Cortland’s new student rec center, we were able to offer them everything from your typical Cardio floor, to a team cycling studio, to a functional fitness area dedicated to group HIIT training.
2. A Space to Connect
From the article, “Having room for group exercise classes is perfect for getting students involved in fitness, and a way for them to meet others. This allows you to appeal to a much broader range of students, versus solely having fitness equipment.”
In our experience, space dedicated to group exercise classes can have a very positive effect on a University rec center. We’ve found that one of the best ways to promote friendly competition and collaboration within a rec facility is with IFH Expresso Bikes. These virtual reality bikes allow riders to race head-to-head with a friend, or even set a time and send a recording of this ride (their Ghost) to a friend as a challenge. With Expresso’s monthly contests, groups of students can also work together to compete against other universities across the country. While there are many other collaborative programs and products available in our product portfolio, we’ve found Expresso bikes to be one of the absolute best at engaging and connecting a facility’s fitness community.
