Staying active this winter with indoor activities

The weather outside may soon be frightful, but there are still plenty of indoor activities around OHIO’s Athens campus to keep you active this winter.

“All of our facilities are still active over the winter break, except the golf and tennis center,” Larrissa Becker, director of operations and engagement for Campus Recreation, said. 

“Students can come to the Ping Center and use the facilities here, like the cardio equipment or the weightlifting equipment. Also we have the group fitness and F45 classes available,” Becker said. “They will be reduced during winter break but they still will be available, so if students are looking for structured activities they can still do that in the Charles Ping Recreation Center. We also have things like open swim at the Aquatic Center and recreation skate at the Bird Arena ice rink.”

The first few weeks of fall and spring semesters are often the busiest at the Ping Center.

“I think students are just excited to be back and back in their routine,” she said. 

Once the new semester begins, the intramural sports program will return and students can sign up for activities such as basketball, indoor soccer, indoor volleyball, floor hockey, and more. Registration is open Jan. 4-20. A second spring session is offered in March and April with more outdoor sports, and registration will begin at the end of February.

Outdoor pursuits will also return in the spring, and adventure trips are returning this year after being discontinued last year because of COVID. Campus Recreation expects to hire more student employees in the spring to focus on students’ financial wellness and to help maintain the increased activities being offered. 

It’s important to create consistency in your schedule to remain active and healthy.

“I think routine is healthy for students and they need us to help keep that pattern. I think a lot of students are also probably battling seasonal affective disorder and coming back to that pattern and having late-night programming helps to get students out and participating in that community,” Becker said.

If you’re having trouble taking that first step off the couch, it’s important to know that you are not alone and it will get easier because of support from others in the activities.

“I think groups like F45 and group fitness, as well as intramural sports, there’s consistency and commitment. You sign up and you’re committing to a group or activity and it becomes part of your natural routine,” Becker said. “Also I think with F45 they’ve created this community of students that rely on each other and they have their own Instagram account and ways to stay connected. They tag each other in their workouts and when they’re going to work out or sign up for classes.”

For more information about upcoming activities, visit the Campus Recreation webpage and follow them on Twitter @OHIOCampusRec.