Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Leisure Skills

One of my newfound favorite ways to stay active at Clemson is by participating in leisure skills classes. This semester I signed up for my first leisure skill ever, Top Rope (rock climbing). It takes place at the Rock Wall in Fike Recreation Center. I have enjoyed it very much because it is a relaxed class that lets everyone go at their own pace. It is a great opportunity for me to try an activity that I had never tried before and improve my skills each week.



My leisure skill class also offers a great break in the week from my other classes. I look forward to it as a time to relax and have fun, while still getting exercise. I also got a little taste of what Tennis class is like when one of my friends called me and asked me to play with him when there was an uneven number of students in class. Tennis class is also very relaxed and fun, yet it offers an opportunity to always have people to play with, work on your skills with, and learn from.

Some of my friends have taken classes such as scuba, bowling, soccer, yoga, meditation & relaxation, and golf. I have heard great things about each of these classes. After my experience this semester, I have decided that I am going to take one leisure skill per semester for my remaining time at Clemson, as long as my schedule allows it.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Fike

While I love Clemson because there are many options for activities around campus, the one part of Clemson recreational life that I cannot stand is Fike Recreation Center. There are many great things to do at Fike; however, it is far too small for a university with over 15,000 undergraduates. I try to workout almost everyday, but there are days when my schedule doesn't allow me to go until 4 o'clock in the afternoon. At this time, both the weights and cardio equipment are packed with students. It is hard to get into a rhythm, while constantly waiting for machines, dumbbells, or even just open space. I often have to improvise my workout, and, therefore, I cannot keep track of my progress as easily.

Fike Recreation Center - Clemson University
Clemson was ranked the #1 Jock School in the nation when I applied to school. However, out of the three other schools that I applied to (University of Maryland College Park, Virginia Tech, and University of South Carolina) Clemson's recreation center was by far the least impressive. USC has over three times as many weight stations as Fike.

I believe that Clemson should build another similar sized gym on the Horseshoe-side of campus to help split the traffic between the two. I cannot see a way in which Fike can be improved significantly from what it is now because the building was not designed to be a gym for 15,000 very active students. Weight machines and cardio equipment are already crammed into awkward places, and the only way to add more would be to eliminate a basketball court or fitness classroom, both of which are already overcrowded as well.

I know this will never happen while I am here, but as Clemson looks to grow as a top public university, it needs to make sure that it's campus life facilities can handle the growth. In the mean time, I will be very tempted to get a membership to Gold's Gym as soon as I move off campus.

Monday, February 6, 2012

Welcome!


Welcome to The Stone Thrower. This is my blog on exercise, especially what Clemson University has to offer for its recreational student-athletes. I am excited to share my experiences and opinions on various athletic activities available for students to partake in both on and off campus. 

When I applied to Clemson, it was ranked as the #1 Jock School by the Princeton Review. As an active person and three-sport athlete in high school (Water Polo, Swimming, and Baseball), I was attracted to a school where the culture of the student body had a great focus on sports. When I enrolled, I found the ranking to be very accurate. On a sunny day in Clemson, there are always students running around Perimeter Road, tossing a football on Bowman field, or playing volleyball in front of Fike. While I am only a sophomore, I have already broadened my horizons to discover new recreational activities here at Clemson that I would never have the opportunity to do in my hometown in Maryland.