Students Find Ways to Stay in Shape Despite Cold

Chris Vannini

When students signed up to come to Michigan State University, they signed up for the cold winters that are famous around the Midwest.  While most students will curl up with their blankets on the futons and turn up the heat, there are some students who won’t let the cold weather slow them down.  Fitness is a big priority for many MSU students and they continue to exercise despite the foul weather.

Freshman Will Ryan uses IM West to stay in shape.
“I work out three to four times per week,” Ryan said.

He is not discouraged by the cold weather mentioning, “it’s not that long of a walk from where I live.”

Ryan works out with his friends who live in different halls. He primarily works on his upper body and says that his goals are to get stronger and look better.

Most people wouldn’t think about swimming as a way to exercise in the winter, but general business major Brent Wilson proves them wrong.  Wilson goes to IM West to swim laps in the indoor pool.  Since most people don’t think about swimming, the pool is relatively empty.

“The locker rooms are usually busy but there aren’t many people in the pool,” Wilson said. “I’ve had my own lane to swim in every time.”

Even coming out into the cold doesn’t affect him.

“Swim season was in the winter in high school so I’m used to being cold after I swim,” he said. Wilson says he works out “so I don’t get a beer belly.”

Some halls have places to exercise, such as Holden Hall, which has a weight room and a fitness room.  One student takes advantage of the proximity to the weight room.  He works out in Holden instead of IM West because he doesn’t want to walk there in the cold.  Even though it’s cold, this student doesn’t slow down. He works out twice a day for six days a week.  He believes that if there were fitness rooms in every complex, many more students would work out because the cold discourages them from exercising.

Freshman Jackie Covert uses the fitness room in Holden Hall to work out as well.
“I usually run and do abs and butt.” Covert said. She added that she runs outside if it’s warm enough, but has been going to the fitness room more often.  “I run for about a 30 minutes. I think it’s about three miles.”

Covert said that the fitness room gets the job done, but it could be better.

“The room is nice but some of the stuff is broken. They need to take better care of it.”
Covert developed a love for exercising in high school.

“I ran cross country and played soccer for my high school.”  She works out because it makes her feel better. “I dread doing it but I feel much better about myself when I’m done.”

Even with the cold weather, students have found different ways to exercise.  Although these Spartans won’t look like the soldiers from 300, they still don’t let the cold weather prevent them from exercising and staying in shape.