Five sports teams, four benches, three working treadmills, two squeaking squat racks and a partridge in a pear tree. The University of Dallas’ gym is nothing short of terrible. For a gym built for a small university, we definitely capitalized on the “small” part of it.
While budget may be an issue, there are still ways our gym can be improved so that gym-goers can work out without waiting five minutes just to use a bench press.
While our gym has its benefits, such as the array of free weights and the semi-average cardio machines, its problems outweigh its perks.
With only one cable machine despite UD’s rather large population of gym rats, our lack of accessible gym equipment is agonizing.
“The gym could use more spacing, a larger area for calisthenics, and earlier hours for early classes,” says junior Peter Crisman, who works out five to six times a week.
And he’s not alone. Many students have voiced frustration over the gym’s lack of space. Whether it be the crowds of basketball and baseball players doing training at any given time or the morning “growth mindset” crowd, the UD gym barely has enough machines to accommodate peak hours.
If you want to get a good slot of time to work out by yourself, you’re open to various flexible options! You can either wake up at the crack of dawn and go at 7 in the morning–the life of the suffering souls who take 8 a.m. classes–or you could readjust your entire social schedule and fit in a quick leg day before 10 p.m.
One of the biggest downsides of UD’s gym is its hours and the lack of flexibility for students with earlier or later schedules.
“The gym could definitely use earlier hours for those of us with early classes,” Crisman added.
While there is some consideration for student workers, UD could always install scanners that open the doors when shown a student ID.
When it is open, the UD gym is open to everyone, which poses issues from a space perspective.
“We should have a separate gym for athletes,” suggests Max Greco, a sophomore business major, who works out four times a week.
While that might not be financially feasible, it wouldn’t hurt to at least give warnings of the times that student-athletes train, so gym-goers don’t have to be bombarded by the bullet train of baseball players during our afternoon workouts.
To be fair, UD’s gym does have some benefits.
“I like that the gym is in very close proximity to our dorms,” Crisman admitted.
According to freshman PJ Canale, another frequent gym-goer, “The community is welcoming, and I can always ask for a spot.”
But when the strongest compliments revolve around location and gym culture rather than actual equipment, it’s clear that we have bigger issues to address.
“Some things I don’t like are that the organization is off, the machines are outdated, and there’s a lack of good equipment,” Canale adds. His complaints are echoed by many students who have been forced to make do with the limited, aging equipment.
If you like flexibility with your workouts such as calisthenics, try our wide variety of options, including three exercise balls and one ab machine located by the squat rack. If UD ever expands the gym, an extension of calisthenics options would be much appreciated.
“The gym needs more options for calisthenics and space for them,” Crisman suggested. In addition to our lack of calisthenics options, we also lack quality leg equipment.
If you like leg presses breaking down mid-set, you should absolutely try our state-of-the-art, fifty-something-year-old leg press.
“If you like outdated machines, you’re in the right place,” Canale jokes.
If that doesn’t work for you, our gym always has more options—such as our extensive variety of only three squat racks. Even simple improvements could go a long way.
Joe Pardia, who works out five times a week, noted, “One good thing about the gym is the lack of lines for the machines.” That’s only true because there simply aren’t enough machines to create a long wait—especially when it comes to cable machines, which he believes UD desperately needs more of.
He also points out another overlooked issue: “There are no employees consistently at the door.” If UD isn’t planning on expanding the gym anytime soon, the least they could do is ensure proper management and staffing to improve the experience for everyone.
Pardia also suggested “more options for punching bags and a stair master,” both of which would add much-needed variety to the gym’s limited equipment.
UD’s gym is a true spectacle of fitness establishments across the globe. The amount of improvements needed to upgrade our gym could fill an entire Dr. Roper email.
While budget constraints are a reality, so is the need for a functional and accessible workout space. If the university truly values the health and well-being of its students, it’s time to make real improvements—because right now, the only thing getting a real workout is our patience.