ARC set to debut new equipment, accommodations
The ARC will debut its new group of spin bikes in conjunction with the start of the fall semester. Photo by Haley Sweetland, digital media major from Volant.
July 26, 2016
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - The start of a new school year can be compared to the start of a new calendar year. It's a time for fresh starts - including a healthier lifestyle.
To help Slippery Rock University students achieve their goals of burning fat and building muscle, the Aebersold Student Recreation Center is updating its exercise equipment.
After 10 years of loving use and wear, the ARC is retiring all 16 of its former stationary bikes to make room for 21 modern and efficient spin bikes by Stages.
The bikes, known for their alterable features and accommodating fit, provide riders with a realistic ride experience pulled from topographical information stored in the bike's computer. The bikes allow for effortless and easy adjustments, increases and decreases of tension and provide riders with simulated sensations of climbing and descent.
"They're very new and sleek bikes with a component of comfort and smooth riding," said Brian Mortimer, coordinator of wellness at the ARC.
The bikes will debut in the fall and will primarily be used for the ARC's well-known spinning program.
More intense than a stationary bike workout, spinning sessions involve high-intensity music and an instructor barking out instructions as riders change up body position, pedal speed and resistance during a 30-75 minute class that can burn upwards of 600 calories.
Spinning classes have overtaken fitness and cardio training as a social alternative to traditional biking and aerobics. Also true to the fitness philosophy of change, spinning relies on continuous spurts of variation. From gearing uphill to downhill, from freewheeling one moment to bursts of speed the next, a rider is forced to mentally focus and physically flex, all while awaiting cues from an instructor.
This high-energy riding has attracted eager enthusiasts to the ARC, particularly time-crunched students looking for innovative ways to intensify and enliven their exercise regime while also spending time with friends.
"Exercising with a group of people in a smaller format can be very fun and social as well as energizing and challenging," said Mortimer. "Spinning allows accountability between partners and it is an extremely motivating way to establish your aerobic program."
In addition to the new bikes, the ARC will also be opening a new family changing room for the benefit of participants in the adaptive physical activity programs.
The improved facility will provide more space for families and those with special needs and their assistors. The rooms are furnished with restrooms and full showers to ensure the accommodation of all users.
The new space will provide users with the ability to comfortably meet their individual needs in a more private facility than before," said Mortimer.
MEDIA CONTACT: Maizee Zaccone | 724.738.2091 | mxz1016@sru.edu