Courtesy improves workout experience

I love the CRC. It's probably my favorite place to be on campus (aside from the student publications office helping to edit this wonderful newspaper-cough). When I'm there, I'm having fun. For just a little while my problems melt away and I completely forget about whatever project I have due next week.

The benefits don't stop when I leave either. After working out, I feel better all day and sleep better at night. Given all of these benefits, I'm surprised more people don't visit the CRC.

Some form of regular exercise really does make the doldrums of this school more bearable. I know, I've been here forever and I'm qualified to make that statement.

What I am here to do this week is offer CRC-goers, and even potential CRC-goers, a little advice on how to make the best out of their time at this amazing facility.

First of all, regardless of your personal activity preference, odds are there is something at the CRC you can really get into. Weights, aerobic machines, basketball, racquetball, swimming, table tennis, water slide, hot tub, yoga-the list goes on.

Personally, I'm usually down on the bottom floor either lifting weights or spending time on the cardio machines. I have spent enough time down there to develop a nice little list of general annoyances and things that people are doing wrong in general. While trying to be as constructive as possible, I will address a few of those.

Water bottle: everybody who goes to the CRC should bring one. The reasons are two-fold. The first is the most obvious-you make fewer trips to the water fountain and waste less time walking to and from the water fountain (and that's not the real reason you went to the CRC is it?).

The second is probably more important and less obvious-you drink more water if you have a bottle. The more convenient the water is to drink, the more you will drink when you're thirsty. You also don't have to worry about that huge sweaty guy waiting in line right behind you. Also, when you are filling your bottle up and you see a long line has developed behind you, use the water bottle filler to the far right of the fountains. Yes, it's the funny looking thing that nobody uses, but it's there to fill up bottles with.

Next suggestion is to let people work in with whatever machine you are using. Now I know none of you do this, but I have seen people who, once they have completed a set on a machine, will continue to sit on the machine and rest. This is not such a problem if you're only doing two sets.However, if you are doing six sets, odds are you are being very rude to someone else who wants to use it. Get up, move around and if someone is eying the machine you are using, offer them the opportunity to work in with you. This is just being courteous. They should not have to ask.

My last suggestion is probably the most important. It is to have a plan and don't get distracted. You should know what you are doing in the gym before you go that day. You should also know what you will be doing a week, even a month from now in the gym.

Make a plan, set goals and then go about achieving those goals. If you have no goals, how do you measure your success? You don't.

As for distractions, they can be as insignificant as a weekend party or as significant as a research project. Either way, avoid the ones you can and work around the one's you can't.

Staring at the girl in the pink spandex on the elliptical? Avoidable distraction. Spending too much time on that history paper you weren't very prepared for? That's unavoidable, but you can work around it.

Allot 45 minutes a couple days a week to take some downtime and go work out. Everyone needs breaks from their work. You might as well make it something productive. "I don't have time" most often means "I don't want to find time."

While this list of suggestions is in no way comprehensive, it should set you off on the right track and help you avoid annoying your fellow CRC goers. We have an amazing resource in the CRC and should all try to take advantage of it when we can.