Anyone can be an athlete with kinesiology classes

By Katrina Garcia
The Collegian

GARRETT SPOONER LIKES to take a break from his busy schedule to indulge in a game of Ultimate Frisbee.

After all, Spooner, a senior liberal studies major graduating this spring, is getting graded on it. He’s enrolled in a jogging class, a kinesiology course offered right here at Fresno State.

Ultimate Frisbee — does it sound too good to be true? Maybe if he said he was taking a bowling class you’d feel better. Or archery.

“I have the easiest schedule,” Spooner said. “I love it. We get to bowl for 50 minutes.”

A wide variety of courses that seem like throwbacks to your physical education classes from high school are available to students, from swimming to tennis to aerobics. But there are some that may not have made it into your high-school curriculum, such as hip-hop dancing, assault avoidance and basic massage.

Bowling instructor Luke Lichtenwaldt said that with five different classes every day Monday through Thursday, bowling is one of the most popular kinesiology activity courses offered at Fresno State. Strength training is also a well-sought out class among students.

With a one-time fee of $25, Lichtenwaldt said, “It’s fun and it’s the best economic deal because you get to bowl for free. It’s a good step away from the classroom.”

Lichtenwaldt, who has also taught golf, softball and strength training classes, added that students do not need to be bowling sharks to pass the class, either. All they have to do is show up, as most of a student’s grade is based on attendance.

“Just because you don’t shoot a 200 doesn’t mean you’re not going to get a good grade,” Lichtenwaldt said.

However, Spooner said his archery class requires a little more skill. For the final, students take a written test where they must know the parts of a bow and arrow and the safety rules. The final also includes a skills test where students must shoot a bow and arrow at certain distances from the target.

That’s something Spooner thinks could someday come in handy— perhaps when he goes camping?
“I’ve heard of people hunting with a bow and arrow,” Spooner said. “If I could figure out how to do it, I would.”

While shooting a bow and arrow could be the equivalent of a weapon of mass destruction for some, others may want to take a kinesiology class to meet new people. Jerry Moreno, a fourth-year video production major, has enjoyed taking eight different activity courses in an effort to learn new skills every semester.

Moreno enrolled in three kinesiology classes — bowling, golf and tennis — during his first semester at Fresno State because he needed three extra units to receive financial aid. Since then, he’s taken a different kinesiology class each semester; this spring, it’s table tennis — or ping-pong, whichever sounds more college-like.

“It’s a nice break from your regular routine,” Moreno said.

But if students are looking to break into a sweat, a cakewalk class may not be for them. Moreno said fencing and Taekwondo were two classes that offered the best workout.

Moreno said while he took Taekwondo to learn the skill, he found it was a great way to get into shape. And since fencing students learn how to be quick on their feet, Moreno said the class provides a good workout for legs, adding, “If you haven’t established a workout routine, it’ll put you in better shape for sure.”

As for students just looking to add new contacts in their cell phones, Moreno said enrolling in activity courses where students are placed on teams makes for an ideal setting to meet someone new.

“The best ones for meeting people are bowling and billiards,” Moreno said. “In swing dancing, you meet a lot of people too.”

But what about for those sports-lovin’ guys looking for that someone special? Are those necessarily good places for them to find a date?

“If you want to meet girls, take a dance class,” Moreno advised. “That way, you have something to do when you want to go out.”

Something besides watching the game, that is.

Many kinesiology classes are held in the South Gym. From pilates to yoga classes, students can take time out to relax during their busy schedules. Oftentimes, the stress of other courses can take a toll on students, so a class like kickboxing is good for venting out emotions— and for self-contemplation, too.

“One of the biggest things I’d like students to get out of the class is a sense of pride and confidence,” kickboxing instructor William Cho said. “Through the sweat, I’d like them to go to a place they’ve never been before. I want them to think, ‘I can do this even though I’ve never tried it before.’ I want them to learn something more about themselves.”

“It isn’t an easy class by any means,” Cho continued. “It’s a huge amount of energy expenditure in a short period of time. If you put a lot into it, you’ll gain a lot. If your stamina goes up, you should still push yourself to where you’re gasping for breath.”

Sukhdeep Kang, a sophomore psychology major, has taken kickboxing twice and would recommend the class to everyone, even someone who doesn’t have a regular workout routine. While she agreed that kickboxing requires a lot of stamina, students can build it up throughout the course.

“The first few days I liked it, but it was really hard,” Kang said. “You learn new stuff in here every day. It’s never boring.”

For anyone enrolled in a kinesiology activity course, how could it possibly be boring?

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