Don’t take the word “gym” so serious, freshmen. You don’t have to sacrifice much time to read, or to be exhibited at the National Museum of Muscle, nor do you have time to be as fit as the Californian Governor. Just give up one or two hours a week that you’d probably spend sleeping at the library.

Located on the first floor of the McCormack building, the Beacon Fitness Center is now popular enough to draw 300 people a day, according to Chris Fitzgerald, general manager of the Beacon Fitness Center. The fitness center is open diligently from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday through Thursday, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends. The fitness center boasts seven treadmills, eight stationary bikes, three elliptical trainers, fourteen of nautilus equipments, four free weight section, two racket ball courts, and an Aerobics room and an exercise-testing lab.

Funded in part by the athletics fee that we students pay, the equipment is supposed to be easy enough to handle for most of us. Beginners can start with some weight-lifting as light as five pounds and treadmill trots as slow as one mile per hour. And for the body-building fanatics, the gym has dumb-bells heavy enough to make you crawl back for more.

If you are reluctant to frolic with iron, the center offers popular yoga classes, operated by the Wellness Center and are held twice a week. The classes are easy enough to attend, just sign up and show up on time, sleepy-head.

To be a member of this facility is quite easy, all you need is a valid student ID with a current sticker and, if this is your first time, you have to fill out a form with your medical history and emergency contact information.

After going through this process, freshman Alexa White enjoyed her first work-out at UMB. “I come here to lose weight and to tone up. I like this facility because the equipment is new and has good variety. But I don’t like a locker room,” Alexa said.

None would doubt that its outdated locker rooms, both for male and female, give you negative impression. Fitzgerald said renovating the locker rooms was a priority of the center, though any specific date has not been set so far.

Senior Pierre Carl, a frequent visitor to the fitness center, raised another complaint. “I think they close so early on weekend at four o’clock. Some people study and work here on Saturday and Sunday. After finishing, this gym is already closed.”

Fitzgerald is committed to have more new-comers among those who are not in great shape and actually need more exercise than the seasoned fitness veterans. “We want to get those people involved. Fortunately, our yoga class is popular, but yoga is not a goal. I think we need to get more people motivated. For example, running on a treadmill for half an hour is not fun. We need to do what to motivate people to come here,” he commented.

For more information, visit the Beacon Fitness Center directly, or visit the website at http://www.athletics.umb.edu/beacon/index.htm