#campusrecreation

Happy New Year ‘Noles! With the new semester starting rather quickly, new and different adventures are calling our names waiting for us to try them out. Here is a list we’ve compiled of fun activities you can try with your roommates, best buds, or significant other! Whether you’ve taken these ventures already or need something new to try, take this blog post as your push to go out and #FindWhatMovesYou.

Group Fitness Class

At Campus Rec, we offer over 60 Group Fitness classes a week! Take your buddy and try a new class that you’ve never done before. Go ahead and download the FSU Rec App, check our daily schedule of classes and register 25 hours before the class of your choosing. From spinning to yoga, pilates to F45, there’s so many different options for you and your besties to try!

Adventure on new Trails

Cascades Park. Lafayette. Stadium Drive. St. Marks. Lake Ella. Apalachicola. Lake Jackson. All these options are great places to take a brisk walk with your loved ones. Walking outside, on a trail through the trees, is a great way to get your exercise in while also enjoying the great outdoors. What's great about hiking through these trails in the Spring is how beautiful the weather is!

Challenge Course at the Rez

The Rez is the perfect place to be this Spring. As mentioned before, the weather is impeccable during the months of January to March (keep in mind: April showers!). Take time out of your busy schedule to complete the Challenge Course as a way to build your relationships with your besties. The Challenge Course was built to create better bonds with the people you complete it with, so go out to the Rez and lead yourselves to victory, together!

Watch a movie at the SLC

This task should be on everybody's graduation bucket list! If you have never seen a movie at the SLC, you are truly missing out. The SLC shows multiple movies every month for free, all you have to do is snag a spot before the showing times. Check the times for the SLC movies on their website (union.fsu.edu/movies) and call up your significant other or roommates for a good time!

Late Night Swim

The Leach Center pool is open until 9:45 p.m. on normal weekday hours. Jump, dive, and swim your way through spring semester with a late night pool session. Once your done with your free swim, jacuzzis, steam room, and sauna will be waiting for you in the Spa area next to the 16-lane pool. We’ll see you there!

It’s 2019 and I’m still struggling to understand why people are still unfamiliar with the benefits of staying active. Do they not understand the importance of exercise or do they just not care? I exercise every day. If there is a day where I know I (sadly) won’t have time to fit a sweat session in my schedule, I’ll still find a way to get moving. But that’s me- I know how I benefit from exercise. Do you?

Let’s jump right into it. Exercise, or really any form of physical activity, instantly improves your overall health. Aside from the long-term health benefits such as improving your risk of developing diseases like type II diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease, it also has immediate perks. After a short 30 minute session, you are lowering blood cholesterol level, building stronger bones, muscles and joints, and fueling your body with more energy. Inturn, you’ll end your day in a better mood, feel more relaxed and sleep better. Ultimately incorporating regular physical activity into your daily schedule will enhance your life immensely.

In addition to the benefits listed above, the main reason I work out is for a clear and healthy state of mind. I notice during my breaks from the gym that my brain and mind get foggy. There is no other way to describe it other than my head being in the clouds. When I exercise, whether it’s in the morning or at night, I automatically feel an elevation in my mood. I tend to have mood swings often which is such a struggle within itself. Working out doesn’t fix those mood swings altogether, but it really helps me stay calm and aware.

Creating a healthy state of mind through exercise is attainable. Exercising gives you the distraction you need when it comes to you daily life. You’ll be able to block out those negative thoughts and lift your mood. This happens because exercise reduces your body’s cortisol level while increasing the number of endorphins released in your brain. Cortisol is the natural hormone that is linked to stress, so reducing those levels gives us that relaxing state while endorphins are the natural mood-boosting chemicals that will keep you elevated and happy. Introducing exercise to your weekly schedule will keep your body from building up resistance and keep positivity flowing through your mind and body.

Sore muscles are, well, a pain! The worst part is that you know they’re coming, post-workout, as you tread home from the gym. A main causes of muscle soreness can be vigorously exercising, but there are other reasons to this discomfort as well. Aside from the basics of treatment and prevention, such as warming up and cooling down, here are few ways you can repair your tender muscles. Practice these treatments within your daily exercise routine to prevent any aches and unpleasantness in your muscles.

Dynamic Stretching Dynamic stretching is a form of active movement that is about taking your body through ranges of motion rather than holding a stretch in place. This method is used to better prepare you for your workout or sporting activity because it increases blood and oxygen flow to your muscles, tendons, and ligaments. It’s important to stretch before a serious workout to reduce your risk of injury and increase your overall performance. A good dynamic warm-up should consist of a light aerobic routine incorporating major muscle groups such as squats, lunges, front kicks and back pulls.

Warm up with Cardio The whole idea of warming up is to get your heart and body warm from ultimate results. If dynamic stretching isn’t your thing, cardiovascular exercises are another great way to warm up your body, such as sprints on the treadmill or a lengthy run on the track. Cardio provides your muscles with a mild but useful stretch, which is as beneficial as a dynamic stretching routine. If you’re a bit confused on the difference between dynamic stretching and cardio exercise, think of dynamic stretching as more of a HIIT routine and cardio as a walk, jog, run, or row.

Stay Hydrated I actually sound like a broken record because I always incorporate the phrase “drink water” in all my articles, but SERIOUSLY- DRINK WATER. Staying hydrated before, during, and after your workout is important because it will prevent cramping and decrease inflammation (and muscle soreness) throughout your entire body. Think about it this way- by drinking water, you’re replenishing your body with the water it lost during exercise.

Epsom Salt Bath Soaking in a warm bath can help relax muscles and loosen stiff joints. A bonus is adding epsom salt to your warmed up tub to loosen up and unwind. Epsom salt is comprised of the minerals magnesium and sulfate and is a natural exfoliant and anti-inflammation remedy. Along with treating sore muscles as it soaks into your body through your skin, it also can be used to treat dry skin, small wounds and even to fight illness.