Football stadium ideal place for students to get in shape

By ERIKA LINDQUIST

It’s convenient. It’s free. And it’s one heck of a workout.

Utilizing the Fresno State football stadium as a platform for cardiovascular activity has become quite a trend.

“I run up one staircase and down the next,” said Jennifer Reimer, a business and music major, who said she goes to the stadium three to four times a week, depending on her schedule.

Reimer began exercising at the stadium last summer when a friend invited her to go. “My friend enjoys working out at the stadium to prepare for hiking,” she said.

Reimer said she was shocked at how many people were there. “People were working out with family, friends or by themselves. It’s kind of a community activity.”

Because of a strong history of cardiovascular problems in her family, Reimer said she makes it a point to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
“I stay motivated because my health and body are very important to me,” she said.

“Physical activity is extremely important for prevention of many diseases out there,” said Mark Baldis, a Fresno State kinesiology professor. Obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and cancer can be prevented by exercising, he said.

“A little is good and more is better” when it comes to physical activity, Baldis said. Baldis said students need to know that some of the diseases they see in their parents and other older adults are a result of physical inactivity and poor eating habits.

“You need to begin now to prevent” these diseases, he said.

But “it doesn’t need to be strenuous activity to benefit health,” Baldis said. Little things such as walking from the parking lot, mowing the lawn and riding your bike to school can help.

There are also other ways to work out at the stadium.

“You can run around the field or on the outer side, and you can do situps on the benches,” Reimer said. She sometimes does situps and pushups after she’s done with the stairs.

“It takes me 45 to 50 minutes to do the whole stadium,” she said. “It’s no more time consuming than going to the gym, and it’s free.”

Jason Dobbins, 24, an exercise science major, started working out at the stadium two years ago as something different to do.

“I like to change (workouts) up a bit,” he said. “I drove by a couple of times and I noticed the gate was open.” The stadium has “everything in one place,” he said, because he can run the track that goes around the stadium and run the stairs.

He goes three times a week during the summer and tries to do the stairs every other week.

“I can do half the stadium steps, but that’s about it. My legs don’t move after that,” he said.

Dobbins has also done running there with a jogging class he is currently taking, but he prefers to work out by himself. “It’s just easier” because you don’t have to worry about others and slow down to their pace, he said.

Dobbins is easily motivated because he enjoys running. “I feel good afterwards,” he said.

There are some downfalls to working out at the stadium, though.

“One bad thing during the summer is it’s so hot that you have to go either really early or in the evening,” Reimer said.

Baldis also said a more strenuous workout means a higher risk for injury. “You need to start slow and progress up to it. If you haven’t exercised before, start with walking,” he said.

The stadium is always locked up at night but is available early in the morning and throughout the day. Just about anyone has access to it. But the stadium is locked during football season, said Mike Rupcich, director of facilities.

Athletes also use the stadium for practice and exercise. Rupcich said coaches have the keys and are usually there fairly early.

So far, Rupcich said there have been no major problems with having people use the stadium as a workout spot.

Rupcich is not too worried either because “there’s always work being done, like landscaping and other things,” so there’s always people inside that are on the lookout. “We also have patrol go around,” he said.

Campus police check up on the facility from time to time to make sure everything’s OK.

If students want some advice, Baldis said, “the best exercise in the world is the exercise you will do.”