Lack of weights discourage male gym users
By Matt Ehalt
Posted: 3/6/08, 12:51 AM EST Section: News
Free weights are of "100 percent" importance to freshman George Bova's workouts at Archbold Fitness Center. But if he tried to visit the Marshall Square Mall (MSQ) Fitness Center to replicate that workout, he would be out of luck.
The MSQ Fitness Center, which has been successful in averaging approximately 1,500 students per week in its second semester on campus, does not offer any free weights, said Joseph Lore, director of the Department of Recreation Services.
Free weights include equipment like barbells and dumbbells.
This has led to a shortage of men at the gym and a primarily female audience, staff members of the MSQ Fitness Center said.
"There's definitely more girls than guys, but I think the girls like it that way," said freshman Kiona Scherrer, who has been working at the MSQ Fitness Center for two semesters.
"There are a lot of guys that come in and ask why we don't have free weights," Scherrer said. "I would say during my shift, which is usually two to three hours, I see one or two guys compared to a lot of girls. It's been consistent like this for both semesters."
The exclusion of free weights was one of several options that Lore faced when ordering the machinery for the new fitness center last spring.
Options included ordering free weights, weight machines or a combination of both.
With only 3,900 square feet to work with, Lore decided to order only the weight machines due to the space constraints.
"My goal was to provide a machine that worked every muscle group so you don't need to duplicate," Lore said.
At Archbold Fitness Center is more than two and a half times larger than the MSQ Fitness Center. The entire back wall is filled with a mirror and free weights in the form of dumbbells ranging from five pounds to more than 100 pounds.
In addition to dumbbells, space is needed to put in different types of machines that use weight plates to work areas such as the chest, shoulders and the legs along with barbells.
The MSQ Fitness Center, which has been successful in averaging approximately 1,500 students per week in its second semester on campus, does not offer any free weights, said Joseph Lore, director of the Department of Recreation Services.
Free weights include equipment like barbells and dumbbells.
This has led to a shortage of men at the gym and a primarily female audience, staff members of the MSQ Fitness Center said.
"There's definitely more girls than guys, but I think the girls like it that way," said freshman Kiona Scherrer, who has been working at the MSQ Fitness Center for two semesters.
"There are a lot of guys that come in and ask why we don't have free weights," Scherrer said. "I would say during my shift, which is usually two to three hours, I see one or two guys compared to a lot of girls. It's been consistent like this for both semesters."
The exclusion of free weights was one of several options that Lore faced when ordering the machinery for the new fitness center last spring.
Options included ordering free weights, weight machines or a combination of both.
With only 3,900 square feet to work with, Lore decided to order only the weight machines due to the space constraints.
"My goal was to provide a machine that worked every muscle group so you don't need to duplicate," Lore said.
At Archbold Fitness Center is more than two and a half times larger than the MSQ Fitness Center. The entire back wall is filled with a mirror and free weights in the form of dumbbells ranging from five pounds to more than 100 pounds.
In addition to dumbbells, space is needed to put in different types of machines that use weight plates to work areas such as the chest, shoulders and the legs along with barbells.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 4
Josh S
posted 3/06/08 @ 7:20 AM EST
Syracuse has one of the crappiest gyms I have ever seen. My friend's gyms at other universities kick SU's butt (even where the tuition/fees are 1/2 that of SU). (Continued…)
Kaylen Thorpe
posted 3/06/08 @ 7:51 AM EST
Sorry, our football and basketball teams are more important. THEY deserve a brand new, multi-million dollar workout facility. Clearly their health is much more important than our own. (Continued…)
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