A little something for everyone
CU students and affiliates who are looking for a one-stop shop for athletics should look no further than the CU Rec Center.
The CU-Boulder Rec Center is accessible free of cost for full-paying CU students with their Buff OneCards. Full paying students have the opportunity to bring up to three guests per day to the Rec Center for a fee of five dollars for each person.
The Bear Creek Recreation Center is an extension of the CU-Boulder Rec Center and is also accessible free of charge with a Buff OneCard. The Bear Creek center also has an on-site tanning salon. Tans start at three dollars per session when you buy 20 tans.
“A lot of kids don’t know they are paying for (Rec Center access). It is included in their tuition, so they should take advantage and use it,” said JD Kodadek, CU-Boulder Rec Center facilities supervisor.
The center offers free daily sports equipment rentals for items such as medicine balls, ‘wallyball’ sets and swim goggles. Other recreational gear is available for a nominal fee include camping necessities, team sports equipment and winter sports gear.
In addition to providing students with state-of the art fitness equipment and rentals, the Rec Center offers specialized classes for students through the Instruction Program. The most popular activity classes this semester are Yoga, Pilates, “CycleBurn” and aerobics.
“I like the Spin (CycleBurn) classes,” said Lauren Rhoades, 19, a sophomore English major.
Junior Rebecca Baldwin, a 20-year-old Spanish major, has not taken any classes yet but comes to swim and bike.
Unfortunately, some classes have a tendency to get crowded so there are limits on the number of students in the class.
“We had to set a limit for the 5 p.m. Pilates class and turn some (students) down,” Kodadek said.
For those who want to explore the CU-Boulder Rec Center’s new offerings, private yoga instruction is now available along with two new instructional classes. The ‘Chisel’ strength and conditioning class is just one new option for Rec Center members. This 45-minute class is offered in the evening on Tuesday and Thursday for 35 dollars per semester. Another option, Fitness Playground, combines cardio with strength activities in its Monday and Wednesday classes.
The Bear Creek Rec Center also has two new class offerings. The Power Pilates complete body workout is a Monday and Wednesday hour-long class that improves strength and flexibility. Another new class called Cardio Sculpt is held on Saturday in the early evening and combines aerobics with strength and conditioning.
Not interested in classes? Intramural and club sports are also popular with CU students.
“Intramurals are a big deal here,” said Kodadek. “The most popular ones are flag football, inner tube water polo, and dodgeball (in the spring).”
For a more intensive experience, try one of 35 club sports, including club snowboarding, Ultimate Frisbee, and synchronized skating.
Kodadek’s advice to students, no matter their interests, is to “come in and have fun.” A complete list of Collegiate Sports Clubs, club meeting times, class offerings and other Rec Center information is available in the Fall 2008 Recreation Services Guide.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Elise Puritz at elizabeth.puritz@colorado.edu.
