The Recreation Center is challenging students to diversify their fitness in the upcoming Spartan Challenge in Big Bear Oct. 29.
The races include the Spartan Beast, which consists of running 12-14 miles with 30-35 obstacles and the Spartan Sprint, that features 20-23 obstacles over 3-5 miles of running.
Students can sign up through spartan.com, which includes the time and details of each race.
Aaron Logerstedt, junior exercise science major, leads the bi-weekly class Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:30-5:30 p.m. Students can sign up for the training at the Recreation Center.
As a participant himself, Logerstedt said he wanted to make training available for others who want to push themselves in an entirely different form of fitness.
“We want to give everyone a different way to workout their bodies,” said Logerstedt. “You can be a power lifter and do the Spartan Challenge and realize how weak you are in certain areas.”
Through the class, participants are encouraged to engage in holistic training that will produce well-rounded healthy students.
“I want to give people an opportunity once or twice a week to get a glimpse of what the race is like and what type of conditioning or physical expectations it’s going to have on your body during the race,” Logerstedt said.
For those attending the training each week, many said they have found the classes pushing their physical limits.
The workouts are challenging students, but do so in a way that still play to everyone’s individual strengths and allows them to build up endurance.
“My regular routine includes a lot of cardio, mostly running, and so this training has helped me learn different workouts that focus on strength, training specific areas of the body,” said Vanessa Mojica, senior sociology major and participant in the upcoming Spartan Challenge.
Logerstedt said the training for the race models the Recreation Center’s motto for this year to “diversify your fitness.”
Since it is the first year CBU is offering the class and participation in the Spartan Challenge, the goal is to explore workouts tailored to each student’s level of fitness based on his or her individual levels of intensity.
Those participating in the training enjoy the ability to push themselves while simultaneously progressing at their own pace for the upcoming race.
Through classes and events like the Spartan Challenge, students are encouraged to try new workouts and classes that do not normally fit into their workout routine.
“With the high-intensity interval training there is never a session that I don’t feel like I am being pushed, especially since, depending on the exercise, you can do them at your own pace, which really allows yourself to find the point where you can’t even do one more rep,” said Ocean Lee, junior software engineering major and future Spartan participant.
For students looking to explore a different area of fitness and who are interested in participating in the Spartan Race, this training could be the ideal fit to “diversify your fitness.”
“We are telling people not to be afraid to try something new, whether that means coming to the Rec Center as a beginner or telling experienced people to switch it up in order to be well-rounded and holistically well,” Logerstedt said.
