For new students or even current students, it can be very intimidating and overwhelming to start going to the gym or just know what the gym offers. There’s no right or wrong way to start or continue your health and fitness journey. As a University of Connecticut Recreation Center student employee and patron, I’m here to break down what the UConn Student Rec Center has to offer and how you can customize your experience!
The Uconn rec app
A lot of things I’ll mention in this article can be found or referenced on the UConn Rec app. The app puts a lot of information in one place for your convenience, it’s a great resource to have and can reroute you to the UConn Recreation website if it doesn’t contain the answers you might need. It also makes things easier when you sign up for classes and events, and purchase a guest pass. Just head to your appstore, type in UConn Rec and it should be the first option! For current students, you can sign in with your NetID information, for others you will have to create an account with a non-UConn email and password. If you didn’t know, using the Rec is included in student tuition and fees, so as a student you automatically have a membership attached to your student ID. There are also multiple types of memberships outside of the traditional student route depending on circumstances that you can explore. All of the things I’m going to talk about are fully accessible to members, while guests who purchase a one-day guest pass cannot attend classes, check out equipment, use the Climbing Center, or check out towels.
Purchasing a guest pass
This process can be tricky to figure out if you’ve never done it before, and as an employee of the Rec, I’ve had to help out a lot of people with this so I want to put the process in writing to hopefully simplify it and make it more efficient for those who might want to bring family and friends to work out. On that note, I will also mention that everyone who enters the Rec has to be 18+.
To purchase a guest pass, here are the steps: First, download the UConn Recreation app. While that is downloading, head to the UConn Recreation website, under the “UConn Recreation” heading, and then under “Member Services” you will click on the link that says “Guest Passes.” Scroll down and click on the yellow “Purchase Guest Pass” button. Guest passes are $15 and are card-only. Only non-members are allowed to buy the guest pass so you will have to click “Sign Up” to create an account with UConn Rec that you can link to the app for future guest pass purchases and the barcode needed to scan into the building. From there, you create your account with a non-UConn email and whatever password you desire, although I recommend that it’s easy to remember.
Once you create the account it should take you to the purchase stage where you will enter your card information. It will give you a confirmation of purchase, however, that is not enough to get in. You then have to go to the UConn Rec app that you downloaded previously, and in the bottom right-hand corner click “Redeem 1-Day Guest Pass” and it will ask you to log in. You will log in as a guest and enter the email and password you used to create your account. It will then generate a barcode that the front desk worker can scan. You also have to show your ID at the desk when you purchase a guest pass. If you followed all of these steps correctly, you should be good to go!
Fitness classes
For a long time, I was too intimidated to work out at the gym because I didn’t want people to judge me. I felt like I had no idea what I was doing, but I also knew I wanted to be more active. I’ve always been an athlete so to just suddenly not be doing anything was difficult. I have always found it easier to push myself during a workout when someone was telling me exactly what to do. I finally found my confidence by convincing one of my friends to go to a yoga class with me. I just needed that initial push to start the process so I would stop worrying about the unknown. This helped me figure out how to sign up for a class through the app. Having my friend with me when we scanned into the Rec and headed to the Mind Body Studio was very reassuring and gave me the confidence I needed. In all honesty, that yoga class was challenging, but I felt super proud of myself after.
That experience spurred me on and since then, I always sign up for as many fitness classes as I can. I recommend trying the different types! I had never done spin before but once I tried it I really liked it. There are so many good class options for whatever type of workout you want to do. Some of my favorites are ABC (45 min) which stands for Abs, Booty, Core, and Total Body Strength. I like that they have some shorter classes that I can fit into my busy schedule, but trust me, they still make you work hard! All of the fitness instructors are super encouraging. They explain things well and will always give modifications to give you the best experience possible. Just getting to that first class gave me the confidence to try many different classes that I would’ve never tried before. This literally got my feet in the door and since I’ve even branched out to using the cardio equipment upstairs!
Gym Layout
When you walk into the gym, especially for the first time, it might be a little overwhelming and you might not be sure where to go. Here is a breakdown of the UConn Rec layout. When you walk through the main entrance, Mango Smoothie is on your right and the front offices are on your left. If you have any questions about membership, lost and found, and/or tours, those offices are very helpful. Straight ahead is the front desk where you will scan your student ID card to get into the gym.
The workout area to the right as soon as you walk in is what we call “Zone 1.” Zone 1 is the only area with squat racks. It also has other selectorized machines, cable machines, a couple of cardio machines, and free weights. Zone 2 is the area across from the locker rooms, right next to the Climbing Center. Zone 2 has more selectorized and cable machines as well as more free weights. The Climbing Center entrance is right next to the ramp leading down into Zone 2. As I mentioned, across from Zone 2 are the locker rooms as well as the Equipment Check desk.
The locker rooms have bathrooms, showers, and lockers that you can rent annually. Locker rentals occur through the website before the start of every semester and they sell out quickly! However, it is important to note that the smaller lockers that are in each zone are free day-use lockers so you are more than welcome to put your stuff in those. The hallway in between the locker rooms is the Universal/Gender Neutral Hallway which has more bathrooms and showers. This hallway also leads straight to the entrance to the pool. The Equipment Check desk is where you scan your student ID to check out all types of equipment, from pickle-ball paddles to a hairdryer.
Up the main staircase on your left is Zone 3 which boasts the majority of the cardio equipment, an area with more selectorized machines, and an open stretching area. Past the second-floor desk are the fitness class studios and the Zone 4 turf area. The Mind Body Studio is right by the desk and is usually where most yoga, barre, and pilates classes are. Zone 4 is just to the right of Mind Body and has turf flooring and more specialized equipment. Across from Zone 4 are studios A and B which host a majority of the other fitness classes like Dance Fit and Total Body Strength. If you go down past studio B you will land at the Functional Training studio which hosts fitness classes like TRX and stretching. Across from Functional is the spin studio where all spin classes take place.
If you go up one more flight of stairs to the left of Mind Body, you will be led to the third floor which has a variety of multi-purpose courts. It has three racquetball courts that can also be used for wallyball. There are four wood basketball courts, the first of which is used exclusively for badminton. Those nets are set up 24/7. There are two multi-purpose courts that we call the “MAC” courts. One is usually set up for volleyball and the other has two pickle-ball nets and one badminton net set up. A couple of times during the week the MAC court setup might change for different programs like drop-in soccer and/or volleyball. The wood courts will also be reserved by Competitive Sports for club and intramural basketball and volleyball, so keep those schedules in mind if you’re planning on shooting some hoops. Overlooking all of these courts is the fourth-floor indoor track. The track has three lanes and the direction switches pretty much daily. Six laps equals one mile, it’s all windows up there so you can enjoy a nice view of campus while you walk (or run if you’re motivated unlike me).
Intramurals/Club Sports
The Competitive Sports department in the Rec is in charge of organizing club and intramural sports. Club sports will have a separate process for registration and tryouts. Some tryouts will be hosted at the Rec. Intramural sports are more casual and are super fun! I’ve participated in intramural volleyball and flag football so far and I’ve really enjoyed the experiences. I played sports all through high school so I was missing that feeling of being active and playing on a team. I got to meet a lot of new people and be competitive again. The Rec website has the calendar of intramural sports offered for each semester by month. They have a lot of fun options like laser tag and even Canoe Battleship! If you’re looking for that more competitive level with travel and regular practices, Competitive Sports also lists the tryout schedules for each sport, and at the beginning of each fall semester, they host the Club Sports fair where you can talk to the players and get a feel for the schedule. Depending on the sport, practices and/or intramural games could be held at the Rec Center or another athletic facility/location.
Climbing Center
The Climbing Center boasts an indoor climbing space spanning 5,000 sq. ft, reaching up to 58 ft. Climbing routes are regularly updated to challenge climbers. In order to access the Climbing Center all patrons must complete a 15-minute basic climbing orientation. To access Top Rope equipment and the high walls, patrons must go through further Top Rope and Lead orientations which take two to three hours respectively. They also offer climbing equipment like shoes, helmets, and harnesses for free! All levels of experience are welcome. The Climbing Center also hosts fun events like bouldering competitions and documentary nights! Note that the hours for the Climbing Center are a little different from the rest of the building.
Aquatic Center
Important announcement before we get right into it, the most recent update as of the Fall 2024 semester, the Aquatic Center is currently closed until further notice for maintenance. But I still want you to know what it has to offer when it opens back up! The Aquatic Center features two swimming pools. As described on the website, “There are two pools: an eight-lane, 25-yard lap fitness/competition pool and a recreation pool with shallow play areas, swim lanes, and vortex of moving water.” The Aquatic Center hosts club swim team practices and offers swim lessons. Also note that the hours of the Aquatic Center are different as well, it is usually open for a morning and evening session with a break in the middle. This is a great place to splash around with friends and maybe play a game of mermaids!
Adventure Center
The Adventure Center is a really cool part of the Rec that allows patrons to check out all sorts of things like camping equipment, bike rentals, backpacks, skis, snowshoes, etc. But some of their most exciting programs include outdoor trips! They have day trips, weekend trips, and overnight trips. This fall semester they had day and night hikes, paddleboarding, kayaking, mountain biking, and rock climbing. They even held a 7-day Thanksgiving Break Grand Canyon Adventure trip! Most of the day trips do not cost anything, but if you are interested in the longer trips I would suggest taking a look at some of the prices from past semesters. You can find a calendar of the Adventure Center trips on the UConn Recreation website. To visit the Adventure Center, it has its’ own separate entrance. You cannot access it from inside the Rec. From outside you will see the entrance to the left of the climbing center. The doors are located right next to the Whetten Graduate Center and the Dodd Center parking lot.
Student Employment
As a student, I know it can be stressful to think about getting a job on campus and being able to keep up with academics and a social life. I wanted to work at the Rec because I felt that it was a central hub for the students where I could meet a lot of people. Before I transferred to UConn, I worked at the gym at my last school, and I really valued the connections I made and enjoyed the flexibility, so I wanted to continue that here in Storrs. I started as a Facility Attendant, then became an Operations Assistant, and am now a Student Manager in the Operations department. I’ve had opportunities for growth and the availability is very customizable, they really work with your schedule to let you put the best foot forward. I have stayed in the Operations department but there are so many opportunities throughout the building, from the front offices as an Admin Assistant to an Adventure Center bike mechanic. All of my coworkers have different majors and plans for the future and it’s such a positive community to be a part of. They are always looking for more student workers, so be sure to check the website, UConn Rec app, and UConn Rec social media pages regularly.
Let’s get those gains girlies
Now that you know every single little detail about the Rec, I hope you find the confidence to start or continue your wellness journey. The UConn Student Recreation Center has so many options for you to create your own personal regimen and just get involved. Do not compare your journey to others! Everyone’s path looks different. The Rec welcomes everybody, whether you are a gym regular or have never stepped foot in one. What’s most important is that you make an effort to stay physically active so that your mind and body can stay healthy and take some of the stress away from college life. Know that a lot of the thoughts you might be thinking are reflected in everyone else, including myself. I still have doubts, but I feel so much better mentally and physically when I push myself out of my comfort zone to challenge myself in a new fitness class or even just attempt 20 minutes on the Stairmaster. New Year’s Resolutions are coming up, let’s get that momentum going and live our best lives. There’s no better time than now!