Profile Essay
On the 13th of September about 6 o’clock in the afternoon, it is time to start my powerlifting workout routine. Walking up to the recreation building I feel anxious and back at my comfort place. This old familiar feeling comes to me as I enter the glass doors; hearing the music playing and the sight of people working out on the wide variety of machines and free weights. As I was told by David Hollinger, the Assistant Director of the Rec Center, “the facility has benefited BGSU and the students by being the place to go to relieve stress, awesome for freshman networking, great to go and be social, and likes how it makes people feel healthier mentally and physically.’
People usually go to the rec after a long day of classes if they are bored, or if they just fill they should go workout. They just walk from their dorms to the rec center; I do the same, but because I live in Kriescher building I am really close and can enjoy the little walk before I go to workout. I start my routine workout by stretching out and getting a platform ready to bench; then when I am finished stretching and setting up; I tell my spotter (my roommate) that I am ready to start.
I lay down on the bench and hear the chattering of the people around me, people’s music from their earbuds, music in the background, and weight hitting the floor. I adjust my hands on the bar and do my benching exercise.
After working out for about an hour, so I went upstairs to the cardio workouts above to observe the lifters below. I then asked to myself, “why is the weight part of the rec located on this particular side of the rec. I got my answer and more when I asked David Hollinger (assistant director); he told me back in the day there was only light weight dumbbells, no bar bell bench, there was no free weight, there were 4 different places people could go, but each place only had a particular type of exercise equipment. So people had to walk from place to place getting their workouts done. Specifically, where the weight room is now, of course is not where it has always been; the people at the rec center thought it best that the weights be put up front so it could be shown to the students the activity. People that ran wanted that activity to be show cased. That part of the room actually use to be half basketball courts, but they was not in very much use, so they decided to centralize and show the high activity by putting the weight room there instead.
When I was observing the weight room; at first, it was not so interesting; then some time went by and all kinds of people started coming in to workout. Some seemed to be really into lifting doing each exercise with as much weight as they could; grunting when they finally put the weight up they wanted. Then the people that workout mildly; lifting enough to feel their muscles being worked out and break a good sweat. Finally the people that go in for an easy workout; people that go in to do a little workout, stretch muscles, and to so some cardio workouts. This was very interesting at the end of my observation to see all the different people, different workouts, and different techniques.
Then I asked David what the main intent for the weight room and if it was put up for a sports group or just students in general and he said, “Athletes do not use that weight room, they use the weight room at the Stroh Center. The rec centers are for members and for drop-in use. Then the question came to me about how they acquired the equipment, he told me that there is a minimum budget for the weight room, but they plan to get new equipment periodically. It is what they can get out of operating budget.
Observing the staff, I see them answering questions that the lifters ask, showing people around, and watching the lifters. I also see personal trainers helping and encouraging the people working out to keep going. People are talking to each other about what they want to do next.
Asking David, “what got you started here at the rec center and the highest level of education you have to have to work as an assistant director?” He answered, “I started as an under graduate and his major was sports management; parents thought he should get a college job and he thought it would be interesting work. For his work you need a masters degree and for the program.
In conclusion, for this observation and interview I have learned about the rec center and people that go to the rec. I learned how people workout and act in the gym. I learned a lot and enjoy the report and doing this essay.
