Fit OWU

What Is It?

FITOWU is a movement-based wellness program available to current/retired OWU faculty, staff, significant others, and accompanying family and friends within the campus community. FITOWU has recently been recognized by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) as qualifying for the ExeRxcise is Medicine™ designation, as the program’s promotion of physical activity has helped promote the health and wellbeing of participants for over 14 years.

The goal of FITOWU is to provide many fitness programming options throughout the academic year at the minimal charge of $30.00/semester. Yoga classes are also available. Resistance training options that meet during the noon hour on M-W-F are: Gentle/Senior training, Intro/Transitional training, and Advanced Training . We also offer Small Group/Personal Training with dedicated times throughout the week. A description of each fitness option is below. Directions for getting started are at the bottom of this page.

Overall Program Goals

Provide access to opportunities to achieve the following goals in a positive and supportive social environment using appropriate programming that meets client needs and abilities with the guidance of a knowledgeable and mentored student fitness leader.

1. Improve body composition
   1. Increase lean body mass (muscle)
   2. Decrease fat mass
   3. Improve or maintain bone density
2. Decrease risk or help manage risk of chronic disease (i.e., diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, and other diseases related to overweight and obesity),
3. Improve posture and resistance to injury from unexpected movements
4. Improve neuromuscular function to improve stable and dynamic balance
5. Decrease muscle imbalances due to repetitive activities or a more sedentary lifestyle for future injury prevention and long-term quality of life performing activities of daily living.
6. Support exercise or physical activity adherence
   1. Create fun, challenging, and engaging workout environments
   2. Create programming that allows all regular attendees to see results

Programs

Noon Fitness

What Is It?

Noon fitness is an efficient and effective way to make gains toward the above goals using a variety of training modalities.

Assessment

All classes begin and end with assessment. The purpose of this is to allow:

1. Students the opportunity to deliver, analyze, and program based on data.
2. Student accountability for self-assessing appropriate programming.
3. Increased client awareness about their current state of movement wellbeing and the impact of our programming.

When

Noon exercise sessions will continue throughout the semester on days when classes are in session every M-W-F on the basketball court upstairs in Edwards Gymnasium. The Gentle/Senior group will meet down in the Exercise Lab of Simpson Querrey Fitness Center.

Time

Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from Noon-1 p.m.

Note: We start promptly but you are welcome whenever you can get there.

Type of Exercise

All classes consist of a warm-up, followed by core exercises, balance, appropriate reactive power, and a full-body strength-resistance program. Cardiovascular exercise is built into the program in ~3-5 minute bursts using either ladders, exercise steps, or indoor cardio equipment.

Exercise Equipment

Body weight, stability balls, weights, resistance tubing, kettlebells, medicine balls and occasionally TRX are embedded in the program throughout the semester. Exercise ladders, exercise steps, exercise walking, and spin-based exercise biking are used to create cardiovascular.

What to Wear

Comfortable active wear clothing is appropriate. Indoor active wear shoes that are stable and in good condition like cross-trainers, court shoes, or running shoes.

How Do We Account for Differing Abilities or Fitness Levels?

You have the option of choosing between 3 different groups during the noon fitness.

Description of Groups Available for Noon Fitness

Gentle/Senior

Programming for this group will include a range of standing or sitting exercises with balance, posture, control, and appropriate strength as the primary focus. The nature of movements/equipment used can vary from standing body weight exercises, dumbbell or medicine ball work, to exercise bands. We also have access to TRX bands, bikes, steps of varying height, and walking agility pattern work. Progressions or changes in the amount of work completed during the sessions will be progressive but gentler across the semester.

Intro/Transitional

This group is intended to provide safe but challenging exercise opportunities for people who are brand new or returning after a long break to a regular fitness/exercise class. It would also be appropriate to those of you recovering from an injury or currently experiencing some limited movement. The nature of movement in this class will be specific to the needs of the clients. It may include standing or mat based bodyweight exercises, dumbbell, med ball or exercise ball work and exercise bands. We also have access to TRX bands, spin bikes, steps of varying height, and walking or running agility pattern work. Progressions or changes in the amount of work completed during the sessions will be progressive but specific to the needs of the clients.

Advanced

These groups are for people who have been exercising regularly, have used most of the fitness modalities described above and want to progressively and sequentially challenge current fitness levels. This group will probably follow a more aggressive linear programming pattern initially but will also include small bursts of high intensity training throughout most sessions. In general this group will progress through 3-4 phases of training each semester – Corrective and posture training, Stabilization training, Early strength training which includes higher intensity work, and High intensity variable training which includes multiple modes of exercise and varying intensities across every session.

Yoga Class

Yoga will be offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays from Noon-1 p.m. in the Edwards Gym. Classes will be led by the HHK Yoga instructor: Emily Hanafin. The cost is $75 per seven-week module. This cost is separate from the FitOWU cost of $30 if you wish to participate in both. Please email Emily @eihanafi@owu.edu if interested.

Personal/Small Group Classes

Most classes will use a training routine similar to the noon fitness. These workouts will take place in the HHK exercise lab in Simpson Querrey Fitness Center (across from room # 124). We will begin delivering these sessions after week two of each semester. Please email us to let us know you are interested in one of these options. These are only available time slots, where if filled, we will hold a class. If we have no responses interested at 8 a.m. for example, then there will not be a class at that time.

*Note: If none of these times meet your needs, there is the possibility of arranging one-on-one training with a trainer if we can negotiate time that works for both you and the trainer. We have some flexibility.

Who are the FitOWU fitness trainers?

OWU students, HHK majors, knowledgeable of fitness training theory and practices will be the group leaders. Students will often work in pairs alternating training responsibilities but will usually stay with one specific group for the duration of the semester. The students are doing this as an HHK course and may not be as smooth or as clear at the beginning; but they will get better. The students will be supported and assessed throughout the semester to improve their practical understanding of fitness training theory and good practices.

How to Start

If you want to join any of the FITOWU classes or personal/small group training:

1. Complete the PAR-Q (Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire) to be sure you are prepared and understand the risks of exercise. Please bring a copy to your first class. More information about the PAR-Q. 
2. As part of the ExerRcise Is Medicine™ program, and increasing awareness of cardiovascular health, we ask that you take a moment to complete this short, yet comprehensive, Heart-Disease-Risk-Calculator.
3. Complete the OWU Fitness Facilities Waiver (PDF, complete every semester)...and the Ohio Workers Compensation Waiver (PDF, complete every academic year) if you are an OWU employee...and bring both to the FitOWU supervisor or course instructor.
4. If you are new to FitOWU, please email Dr. Andrew Busch (FitOWU supervisor and Health and Human Kinetics faculty member) indicating which program(s) you would like to join.
5. When classes begin, please bring a $30 check (made out to “FitOWU”) or cash to class and give it to the course instructor, or to Andrew Busch.

We are excited to get started. See you soon!

If you have any other questions or concerns, call (740-368-3864) or email Dr. Andrew Busch (FitOWU supervisor and Health and Human Kinetics faculty member). Thanks and hope to see you with us this semester.