Different Ways to Stay Active in Berkeley
Staying active as a college student is very important, but it is not always easy to do. It is easy to overload our schedules with academics and other responsibilities, making little time for ourselves. However, physical activity can help you stay healthy both physically and mentally and it should be something we do our best to make time for. It is important to find forms of movement you enjoy that work well for you and your body. Forcing yourself to do exercises you don’t enjoy may make it difficult for you to exercise regularly. Here are some different resources you can explore to find what works best for you!
Recreational Sports Facility (RSF)
The first resource you may turn to is the Recreational Sports Facility (RSF). As students, we get free access to the RSF. RSF has a variety of exercise equipment including cardio machines, weight rooms, pools, racquetball courts, basketball courts, and many more! RSF also hosts a variety of group exercise classes including pilates, cycle, Zumba, yoga, HIIT, barre, and more.
Memorial Stadium Fitness Stadium
Unknown to many students, UC Berkeley has a second, smaller gym students can access. The Memorial Stadium Fitness Center is located on the west side of memorial stadium between gates 2 and 5. The facility has cardio machines, free weights, and Cybex strength training machines. Many of their machines have “total access” design concepts that make them more accessible for folks with limited mobility.
Golden Bear Recreation and Pool
The Golden Bear Recreation and Pool offers a pool, tennis courts, track, and softball field. It is located behind the Clark Kerr dorm.
UC Aquatic Center at the Berkeley Marina
The UC Aquatic Center is located on the Berkeley Marina. On Fridays and weekends they offer kayak and stand-up paddle board rental which students can access for free. In order to access, students must make an online reservation, which can be made up to 5 days in advance. The rentals are limited to 2.5 hours and must show a copy of their reservation upon arrival.
Running
Another great form of physical activity is running. Berkeley is a great place to start running due to the presence of trails, tracks, and inclined streets. Running can definitely be an intimidating form of exercise initially, but it doesn’t have to be. Many people go into running with the idea that they have to be able to run a specific distance within a designated time. That is not true. It matters more how much distance you travel. You can tell yourself, “today I want to run for 15 minutes” and you should focus on maintaining your pace for those 15 minutes to ensure you can run for the entire time. As you keep running, your body will go greater distances in those 15 minutes. So then you can increase your running time to 20 minutes and so forth. Running is a great activity because it doesn’t require you to wait for a machine to open up at the gym or for you to have to take the bus. You can simply go outside and just run. Having an app, like Strava or Nike Run Club, to track your progress can help you stay motivated. Having a good playlist or podcast to listen to while you run will also help!