Five Gyms Near Campus That You Should Check Out

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Staying away from the freshman 15 is hard enough without the added stress of trying to get a good workout in the confinement of your dorm room. Luckily, this university has a variety of spots on or near campus to help you maximize your space and boost your workout regimine. These five gyms give students the opportunity to try new exercises, with options such as group workouts and outdoor facilities, as well as standard weight and cardio machinery and fitness rooms for those who want to stick to their usual routines. Read on to find out what students love about each of these workout facilities.

Geary F. Eppley Recreation Center

4128 Valley Drive, behind North Campus Diner

What does it offer?: As the main recreation center on campus, Geary F. Eppley Recreation Center offers the largest variety of options for working out. Yes, the gym offers the standard cardio and weight training machines as well as open spaces to practice personal routines, however, this is just the center’s basic services. Eppley provides several free play activities including basketball, racquetball and squash, swimming and badminton, in addition to personal courts that students can reserve. Additionally, Eppley offers a variety of group fitness classes, spanning mind-body classes, land and cycling classes. Some of these include BodyPump, Zumba and TRX Workout, among many others. These classes are included in student fees and in all paid RecWell memberships, and during the fall and spring semester, there are over 50 of these classes per week. However, as it is not located in a 24-hour access apartment building, make sure to check the times and alerts of when Eppley is open.

Why students love it: Jack Quint, an Eppley employee and senior business management major, said that Eppley brings a lot of value to campus. “As a student, I think that Eppley definitely offers the widest range of services for students on campus,” Quint said. The fitness department offers a variety of classes, has a ton of equipment, as well as pools and basketball courts, he added. “From an employee perspective, it’s been really great working there so far...everyone is very friendly and welcoming. It’s cool to work for a department that works to help students live a more active lifestyle.”

Ritchie Coliseum

7675 Baltimore Ave., next to Fraternity Row

What does it offer?: Ritchie offers a convenient fitness space for those who live on the south end of campus. On the first floor there’s a basketball court, room for free play activities and club sports programming. Many tournaments, competitions and special events are hosted in Ritchie. Where most students find themselves, however, is the basement of the building where a cardio and weight room is located, as well as rooms for group fitness classes.

Ritchie, compared to Eppley, does not have the same state-of-the-art equipment and facilities, however it is a perfect place to break a sweat if you’re looking for a standard workout. Be sure to check alerts on the RecWell website, as Ritchie commonly hosts events and the hours for the gym are subject to change.

Why students love it: Jordan Cummins, a junior elementary education major, said she goes to Richie because it’s convenient. “I go to Ritchie to get my mind off of school and stress, it’s nice that there’s a gym close enough for me to do that. They have a variety of different machines that I like such as the treadmill, elliptical and stairmaster. I like how there’s space to do abs and small arm workouts on the same floor as the cardio stuff instead of two floors below, like they have in Eppley,” she said. Cummins added that Ritchie offers other benefits that most gyms don’t. “Ritchie extended their hours this year which has been nice so I’ve been able to go a few times at night. Behind Ritchie also has free parking after 4 p.m. which is super convenient,” Cummins said.

Terrapin Row

4300 Hartwick Road., across from South Campus Commons

What does it offer?: The 24-hour athletic center at Terrapin Row Building #1 offers a wide variety of state-of-the-art cardio and weight machinery for residents who live in the building. There are multiple of the same types of machines so that students can exercise at the same time without fighting over the last treadmill in the room. Additionally, TRow offers outdoor facilities for those looking for a change in scenery. Overlooking the gym is a courtyard, which consists of a workout station and a pool for those interested in aquatic activities.

Why students love it: “I was there the first year Terrapin Row opened to the students, so the gym was extremely clean and well taken care of. Being able to run while looking at the pool and courtyard was awesome,” said Jake Samson, a senior supply chain management major. “I felt like the weight section was a little bit tight compared to Landmark, as there wasn’t as much space to move around, but overall [I] definitely liked TRow’s experience better.”

Landmark College Park

4500 College Ave., next to Target Express on Route 1

What does it offer?: Similar to Terrapin Row, Landmark College Park’s 24-hour gym has lots of options to help residents get a great workout in. The facility provides multiple treadmills, ellipticals, stairmasters and weight machines and free weights. Additionally, attached to the fitness center is an open training room for students to use for ab workouts, free weights, HIIT training and other personal workouts. The gym also has medicine balls, kettlebells, resistance bands and floor mats available for students to use.

Why students love it: “The Landmark gym really does have something for everybody. There is a variety of cardio machines, strength training machines and different weights to make everyone’s gym experience as convenient as possible,” said Ava Kaplan, a senior hearing and speech sciences major. “I really enjoy the fact that the gym also has a large space for training whatever you want to do on that particular day. It provides some privacy and it is also nice that there is a mirror in the room to see how your form is.”

The Varsity

8150 Baltimore Ave., across the street from Town Hall

What does it offer?: The Varsity’s athletic center is unique in that it spans two floors. Instead of having one large fitness room, this fitness center spreads out its machinery so that its residents can have a larger area to exercise in. Like most apartment gyms, there are multiple cardio and weight machines for students to use 24 hours a day, all overlooking Route 1.

Why students love it: “The gym was right down the hall which was so convenient so I loved that,” said senior psychology major Layna Fromkin. “There were two floors, one for cardio machines and one for weight training, which was nice because neither would get too crowded since they were separated. For cardio, there were multiples of every machine, and in my experience I never had to wait to use any of them, which was super convenient. I think all of the weight machines I needed were always there and I never really felt like there was something I wanted to use that the gym didn’t have. It was also great because it wasn’t on the lobby level floor and you need a key to get into the gym, so you couldn’t get up to use the gym unless you lived in the building.”