Will Oliver

Fighting the holiday weight fluctuation that often accompanies the turkeys and pies, the SDSU Wellness Center is introducing a variety of fitness programs for students and faculty to get in shape.

Aside from the featured programs, the HPER also offers fitness evaluations, personal programming and group training programs, ranging from pilates to spinning and kickboxing.

“We have land aerobics, water aerobics and a spinning class,” said Interim Wellness Coordinator Amanda Gerlach.

Yoga, pilates, kickboxing, step aerobics and ball pilates are all offered at the Wellness Center to students and faculty with Cardio Cards. Cardio Cards can be purchased in the Wellness Office or at the service desk at the HPER for $20 a month or $70 a semester. This allows cardholders to partake in the many fitness classes offered at the HPER.

Spinning-the most popular class at the Wellness Center-incorporates concentrated bursts of exertion in intervals, and is what Gerlach said is the most challenging workout offered by the HPER.

“Intense,” said senior Katie Larson, summing up the spinning class in one word. An avid spinning class participant, Larson attends three times a week.

“I go because they push you to work really hard,” said Larson, a consumer affairs major. “They play music that gets you really going, too.”

Although it can be a hellacious workout, anyone can join, said Larson.

“You go as hard as you want to ? they have newcomers coming all the time.”

Gerlach said students “have the opportunity to set up personal programming.”

She said that every student is entitled to two free personal-programming sessions each year.

“We sit down and talk about what their exercise routine is like at the time and decide what they want to work on, when they can go through it, and meet again next semester to see progress,” said Gerlach.

Students can also set up appointments for free personal fitness evaluations in which both their body fat and cardiovascular health are tested.

“We’ve had quite a few [test takers],” said the interim wellness coordinator. “But not a lot of students are aware of it.”

For $5, students and faculty can sign up for the “Fight the Fat” program, which monitors fitness levels between Nov. 14 and Jan. 16.

“It’s a 10-week motivational program to lose weight over the holidays,” said Gerlach.

She said participants of the two-month program take pre- and post-training measurements and are offered educational classes to discuss healthy nutrition and the Tri-Fit program. They also receive weekly e-mails regarding exercise and nutrition tips, and recipes. Throughout the “Fight the Fat” course, cardio workouts like spinning, yoga and aerobics will be offered once every two weeks free of charge.

More than 30 people have already signed up for “Fight the Fat.” Students and faculty can sign up individually, or as teams. Prizes will be awarded based on percentage of body weight lost and inches lost.

For information regarding any of the programs, testing or class schedules at the Wellness Center, students and faculty can either call Gerlach at 688-5386, or stop into Wellness Center HPER room 119 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.