Every avid gym goer knows what awaits them in the weeks after New Year’s. Their local gym will be inundated with people who are determined to follow through on the resolution to work out more this year. For a few weeks, every machine, bench and treadmill will be taken until inevitably, determinations fade, most newcomers disappear and the gym goes back more or less to what it was like previously.
Nowadays at Davis, it seems like every day is the day after New Year’s. The gym tends to be the most crowded from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. during the weekdays. Regulars of Davis know the infamous sign that reads “line for treadmills starts here.”
Villanovans are super busy between classes and extracurriculars, so that time frame becomes the most ideal time slot for students to squeeze a workout in.
Unfortunately, this means that working out during the day means almost definitely waiting for a machine.
“I like to go late since I don’t want to be standing around for machines,” junior Tommy Cruz said. “But whenever I go to Davis during the day, it’s usually not a great experience.”
Part of the problem is that the gym hours at Villanova are constraining at points, so students are forced into smaller time slots which leads to overcrowding.
For example, Farley and Stanford gyms don’t open before 11 a.m., which stops many students from being able to work out before classes begin. Starting times notwithstanding, these two gyms also close at 6 p.m. starting Friday and extending into the weekend.
However, despite some of the problems with Davis overcrowding, Villanova generally does a pretty good job with providing a quality gym experience for students, especially comparatively. Students of other, much larger universities report having to literally stand in line to use many of the machines in the gym during rush hour.
In contrast, Villanova has gyms dispersed effectively throughout campus (one for each sub campus: Stanford on South Campus, Canon and McGuinn in the Commons, Davis Center on Main Campus and Farley on West Campus). The gyms have a good selection of machines for lifting and plenty of ellipticals and treadmills for cardio, as well as providing diverse workout session experiences.
That said, Davis, being the biggest gym on campus, could stand to be expanded to accommodate the influx of students. Gyms are quite necessary for many people on campus. For those like me, who are not athletes on campus (aside from occasional intramural games), the gym is a great way to be active and fit. By extending gym hours and possibly adding existing and new machines, Villanova can create an even better experience for its students.
