Rec Your Stress: 9 Ways to Enjoy the UO Rec Center

Dealing with the stresses of a college lifestyle can be exhausting and depressing. It’s important for students to find healthy ways to release their stress, which is where the UO Rec Center comes in handy. The Rec Center is full of opportunities for all kinds of exercise, but it can be intimidating to enter a gym environment for the first time. The center is split into the Uptown, Midtown, Oldtown, and Downtown districts, which are divided over the center’s three floors. Additionally, the center provides expansive outdoor facilities for those pursuing outdoor and field sports. With these boundless opportunities in mind, I’ve come up with 9 different ways you can use the Rec Center to burn away your stress.

for all of the above at the Midtown equipment desk. If Eugene’s reputation as Track Town, USA appeals to you, you’d likely be interested in the many running and cardio options available at the Rec. If so, you’ll find a home in the Uptown district on the top floor. Equipped with stationary bikes, treadmills, ellipticals, rowing machines, and an indoor running track above the Midtown courts, the entire top floor is a dream for someone looking to do some cardio. If you’re looking to run outside, the Center offers an outdoor track surrounding the southern tennis courts.

Written by Beck Parsons

Photography by Sydney Chen

on the middle floor, provides a variety of punching and Muay Thai bags, as well as two-speed bags, a doubleend bag, and a wrecking ball bag. A great boxing or kickboxing workout is my favorite way to burn stress and build confidence, so I’d highly recommend coming in. Gloves and hand wraps, which are required, are available for purchase in the Rec Center’s Duck Store. It can be intimidating to enter this kind of atmosphere for the first time, but patrons of the boxing studio are extremely welcoming and always happy to share their knowledge with people of any experience level.

It’s worth mentioning that getting started or catching up with any of the activities offered at the Rec can be a difficult task. The center offers group and individual lessons across a number of fields. Personal trainers can assist you in private studios, and the Rec offers classes in cycling, Crossfit, F45, and yoga, among others.

Speaking of yoga, the Rec provides a number of lowenergy ways to relax and destress. If deadlift sounds too literal or if you’re just not feeling like going for a run, you’re encouraged to attend one of the Rec’s many yoga or meditation sessions. Additionally, the brand new Zen Zone in Oldtown offers massage chairs for patrons to relax in. A quiet atmosphere and clean clothes are required.

Weightlifting is perhaps the most obvious way one can exercise, and the Rec Center is equipped with seven different strength spaces. These spaces provide access to free weights, Olympic platforms, and more than 500 lifting machines. The lifting areas take up the majority of the mid-level Fitness Alley, Fitness Block, and Midtown Fitness sections. The Fitness Block, located near the center’s north entrance, offers women’s hours from 1:00 to 3:30 PM on weekdays for female-identifying patrons. Any patrons looking for additional lifting opportunities can venture outside to the South Fitness Playground where heavy tires and pull-up bars let you experience the elements. Another option upstairs is the Fitness Deck, where turf flooring, medicine balls, pull-up bars, and free weights allow for a customizable Crossfit experience.

Us Ducks are famous for our sports abilities, and the Rec Center provides a place for patrons to grow their skill sets and have fun. The Rec’s 23 courts and gymnasiums, along with four outdoor turf fields, allow students to play basketball, volleyball, racket sports, field sports, and more. Additionally, the Rec freely rents sports equipment

If you’re looking to avoid land altogether, head downstairs to the Downtown district, home of the UO’s lap and rec pools, as well as an eight-person hot tub. The lap pool offers 12 25-yard lanes and offers reservations online. The rec pool offers three lanes, with water basketball and volleyball offered during open rec hours. The pools, all visible from the Midtown Fitness section, are carefully cleaned and kept above 80°F at all times, with the hot tub kept above 100°F. Those looking to use the rec pools are encouraged to come on Saturday afternoons when Family Swim and Open Rec sessions are offered and inflatables, toys, and 1-meter diving boards are available.

Completing the triathlon, the Rec Center offers a number of exercises for pedal-heads. In addition to the numerous stationary bike machines spread throughout the facilities, patrons can sign up for spin classes in the cycling studio, which is found directly to the right of the entry turnstiles. Patrons must first register for a Group X membership, which allows for unlimited access to Rec classes.

If you’re looking to chalk up and gain some altitude, the Rec Center’s Rock District offers twin bouldering and climbing walls, allowing you to choose between roped and ropeless climbing. All participants must sign waivers and pass skill checks ensuring that they can climb, belay, and lead climb safely. The Rec is committed to maintaining the Rock District’s reputation for safety.

I’m biased, but stressed-out gym patrons should head to my personal favorite room at the Rec Center. The boxing studio, found across from the Oldtown courts

No matter how you exercise, the UO Rec Center has something for you. Whether you’re running, climbing, swimming, or lifting, taking a trip to the Rec is a great way to stay healthy and burn stress. If you’re interested in learning more, visit the Rec website at www.rec.uoregon.edu.