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An Introduction to UREC – It’s More Than a Place to Sweat

  • Oct 11, 2016
  • 5 min read

UREC prides itself on the fact that the facility is so much more than a gym. This past weekend, UREC celebrated its 20-year anniversary. When it opened its doors in 1996, UREC’s mission was the same as it is today: “to promote and advance healthy lifestyles through educational programs, participation opportunities, and support services.” Their motto being, “Motivating Madison into Motion!”

UREC’s Values:

  • Academic Quality: We are dedicated to exemplary learning experiences because they are the essence of our mission.

  • Community: We thrive when we collaborate, respect and serve others, and appreciate our interconnectedness.

  • Diversity: We strive to be an inclusive community that values the richness of all individuals and perspectives.

  • Excellence: We seek to be innovative and to perform at the highest levels.

  • Integrity: We pursue ethical reasoning because it is essential to meaningful citizenship.

  • Student Focus: We provide experiences that challenge and support students.

20 years ago, the director of UREC, Eric Nickel said, “The best thing about the recreation center is the opportunity to offer students to really learn about what it means to them to get a balance in their life and to put wellness into their day-to-day activities. We have an opportunity to teach students about healthy lifestyle habits and to provide them with new opportunities that they hadn’t been exposed to before that will really make an impact on their lives when they leave here.” (https://www.facebook.com/JMU.UREC/videos)

UREC is more than a place to sweat. UREC offers cooking classes, adventure trips, group exercise classes, meditation space, and more! In this article, I’ll explore all the different areas of UREC, the kinds of programs they offer, how you can get involved, and even how you can apply if you’re interested in working there.

This is my fourth semester working at UREC. I’m a Marketing Specialist and a Member Services Assistant. I’ve come to find my very best friends, my professional mentors, and my career path through UREC; it’s become my home here at JMU. I hope I can encourage some of you to try new things and explore all UREC has to offer!

Adventure Center

The Adventure Center is one of the best parts of the UREC expansion. It has a 360-degree free standing rock wall and a bouldering wall around the perimeter. No climbing experience is necessary, the Adventure Assistants will be happy to show you the ropes!

Additionally, the Adventure Center is where you can rent out any equipment you may need to plan your own trip. You can rent everything you need for a camping weekend - sleeping bags, tents, lanterns, hiking boots, and more. You can also rent out stand-up paddleboards, kayaks, and bikes. Anything you need to plan your own adventure, they have you covered! Renting out adventure equipment often requires the student to put down a safety deposit, but if the equipment is returned on time and damage free, that deposit is refunded.

The adventure program also offers weekly trips that students can sign up for. These trips can range from hikes in the Blue Ridge Mountains, a yoga class in George Washington Forrest, or even white water rafting in West Virginia. The majority of these trips are free but some require a small fee to cover food and equipment.

UREC Adventure encourages all participants to take full advantage of our beautiful surroundings here in the Shenandoah Valley!

Wellness Center

The Wellness Center is another new aspect of the expansion. The Wellness Center is where you can visit an athletic trainer for an injury, meet with a personal trainer or nutritionist, or even get a massage.

The accessibility of an athletic trainer is a game changer – you can walk in whenever they’re open, and get a professional opinion on your injury along with recovery remedies, all free of cost!

If you’re looking to learn more about what you can do to lead a healthier lifestyle, get a fitness and nutrition assessment with a personal trainer. They’ll set you up with personal training regiment, a nutrition plan, and will even set up 1-on-1 sessions.

Massages are another great feature of the wellness center. You can pay for a 30, 45, 60, or 90-minute massage to decompress and recuperate.

Group Exercise

If you need a way to switch up your workout routine, taking a Group Exercise class is the way to do it! Classes range from Zumba, boxing, various levels of yoga, barre, body sculpt, and cycling. The Group Ex staff offers 100+ classes a week, catering to different interests and fitness levels.

Classes open up for registration the day before the class at 6:30 AM online at urecregister.jmu.edu. You can also register at the Welcome Center at UREC. If you need to cancel your class, call or go to the Welcome Center 30 minutes before the class starts. Check out the weekly schedule here: https://www.jmu.edu/recreation/group-exercise/schedule.shtml

Fitness

The Fitness Center is the main attraction of UREC. With hundreds of cardio machines, plenty of weight lifting machines for everyone, squat racks, and more, this is where you’ll work up a sweat. When planning for the expansion, UREC wanted to make sure they had enough equipment for everyone, and I think they’ve managed to do that. Before the addition opened last January, I would have to wait 30 minutes to get on a treadmill; that’s no longer an issue! There are busier times than others, but you’ll always be able to fit in a great workout at the Fitness Center.

Recreation

UREC’s recreation department encompasses all the pick-up-and-play activities – basketball, volleyball, table tennis, badminton, etc. Recreation Assistants and managers are dedicated to making sure you’re having fun!

Intramurals

Intramural sports are a great way to get involved! I play on a flag football team this season and my Wednesday night games are always a highlight of my week. There are plenty of options during every intramural season so get some friends together and make a team. Go to https://jmu.edu/recreation/intramural-sports/index.shtml for more info!

Sport Clubs

Sport Clubs are a more competitive level of sports than intramurals. These teams are tryout based and compete with schools all over the country. Visit http://www.jmu.edu/recreation/sport-clubs/ for more info!

The Pools

Dive in and enjoy UREC's two pools - the lap pool is more geared towards exercise while the new pool is for recreational purposes. And just to clarify some of the rumors, UREC does not have a lazy river, it's a fitness channel - you're supposed to swim against the current. Try out the sauna as well for a great way to detox!

UREC Café

When UREC was designing the expansion, they listened to student feedback. And the students have spoken! We wanted a place to eat within UREC. UREC Café offers smoothies, rice bowls, sandwiches, salads, and more. There’s even a Starbucks so you can grab a coffee after your morning workout… or in the middle of the afternoon… or at night. I won’t judge, coffee is needed at any time of the day.

Special Events

UREC hosts special events all the time! One in particular is Nightmare at UREC. This year will be the first time that this event will be hosted in the new addition and I can assure you, it’s going to be a crazy night! Nightmare at UREC is coming up – Thursday, Oct. 27, 9 PM – 1 AM. Stay tuned for a special post dedicated to this spooky event.

I hope I gave you some insight into all UREC has to offer. As your health and wellness blogger, you’ll surely be hearing more about this amazing facility soon.

Peace, Love, and UREC


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