Places to ride the bike and pump the iron

The dreaded “Freshman 15.”

As much as students might complain about the on-campus food,… The dreaded “Freshman 15.”

As much as students might complain about the on-campus food, they find ways to stuff it into their mouths ? especially in their first semester. This is inevitable, but the 15 extra pounds are not.

Pitt has several fitness centers and gyms available for students’ use. Whether swimming up at Trees Hall or sitting on a bicycle in the Litchfield Towers gym, students have a vast array of choices to help them maintain fitness.

Most freshmen on campus live in the Towers and, conveniently, there is a fitness center on the bottom floor of Tower A. It is open 24 hours a day, and only students living in the Towers can use the facility. The Towers gym has strength training and cardiovascular equipment.

Other workout facilities are located in Sutherland Hall, the Petersen Events Center, Trees Hall, Lothrop Hall, Bellefield Hall and the Schenley Quadrangle’s Amos Hall. All students can use the facilities in the Pete, Trees and Bellefield.

To get into any of the fitness centers, a student needs to show his or her Pitt ID.

Many of the gyms offer the same amenities, including treadmills, bikes and weights. Bellefield also has facilities for power lifting. In Trees, students can also use various areas to play sports, including basketball and racquetball, with their friends.

If working out indoors doesn’t excite you, there is always the back of the Cathedral of Learning’s lawn. On a nice day, students often play Frisbee, football and other sports there. A walk or run on the trails in nearby Schenley Park might also do the trick for a student who wants to exercise outdoors.