By Taylor Thompson
Today’s college student’s living on-campus are proven to be more fit by just walking around campus and can increase their overall health.
Physical fitness depends on several factors which can be altered by being active. The on-campus experience of university and college can encourage this by constructing multiple buildings for classes within walking or biking distance. Compared to when students are back home, being on-campus requires more movement.
According to a physiotherapist, Carol Maher, “Walking at a moderate pace (5 km/hour) can largely achieve these benefits, especially if it’s done in continuous bouts (say, 10 minutes or more at a time)”. Its effectiveness is heightened when incorporated with higher intensity, including a faster speed or going up an incline, as well as workouts that test one’s stamina, stability, and strength.
It may not be the best for fitness goals like building muscle mass or furthering endurance, but it may serve as a base for more focused, rigorous exercise. Nevertheless, for students that don’t have as much time to focus on their fitness journey, moving around campus will help.
“As a nursing major, I do not have a whole lot of energy or time to squeeze in a consistent workout, but I opt to walk and take the lengthier paths in between classes, from place to place on school grounds, which allows me to be somewhat active,” said Ashlee Dixon, a senior in college.
The suggested number of steps that individuals should get in a day is 10,000 steps. As shown by the 2011 study, adults may have a step count ranging from 4,000 and 18,000 steps daily, and 10,000 steps daily is ideal for active and healthy adults. This step count contributes to the amount of moderate exercise one gets, which can be achieved by walking around a college campus. Students are required to walk the campus, however, even those who don’t attend that college take advantage of the ground space it has to offer for walking, running, and biking.
A sophomore in university, Anthony Elwood, said, “I wear my Apple Watch daily and it shows that I definitely get at least 10,000 steps by just going to and from class. Seeing how doing a regular, everyday task can get me to that level of activity is kind of awesome. It’s a bit satisfying to see my results on my watch as well, honestly, so it encourages me to take longer routes when choosing how to move around campus”.
With that said, users who track the steps, time, and energy they spent walking frequently beat their records and put in more effort to meet their objectives every day. Fitness trackers like Fitbits, Apple Watches, and Misfit Flashes can be tools to wear when moving around college grounds.
Taking the stairs in between buildings’ floors rather than the elevators can be helpful as well. You use the leg, abdominal, back, and arm muscles climbing the staircase. The stairs can promote gaining leg strength while maintaining good health in your bones, muscles, and joints. It can result in increased flexibility too because it calls for movement in the joints.
This type of conditioning for students boosts overall health and fitness. Jade Lewis, a recent college graduate, said, “When I was an undergrad, I chose to take the steps all of the time! At least when I could. At first, I would be so winded, but after a while, I think my body got used to it!”
Trying to be more fit for college students doesn’t need to be time-consuming or complicated but using the campus environment to your advantage can make a difference.