Winter brings a rush to the Plex

Equipped with the latest Cosmo or Maxim in one hand and an iPod in the other, you are ready to start your workout.

Decked out in maroon sweats and new cross trainers, you walk through the big double doors - only to find the ellipticals occupied and the weight-lifting stations full. So find a good article, turn up the volume, and get in line with the rest of us.

Welcome to the busy season at the Plex.

The bitterly cold weather and this weekend's recent blizzard, combined with the massive amounts of students trying their best to keep their New Year's resolutions, make the beginning few months of the second semester the most crowded period at the Flynn Recreation Complex.

A gym that previously had ample machines and stations to satisfy all the athletes and exercise enthusiasts in the student body is now nearly overflowing with students. Signs have been posted asking users to limit their time on the cardio machines to 40 minutes, but lines to use the equipment are still typically three or more people long.

"It certainly presents a little bit of a hassle. My workouts tend to be longer and less productive when more people are present," says Scott Gentile, A&S '06, a regular at the Plex.

He is not alone in feeling that the crowds are a disruption.

"It's annoying to find that all the equipment is being used. It makes you feel like giving up, or doing something easy when you really wanted to do something intense," says Christina Acevedo, A&S '08.

There are few options when it comes to avoiding the throngs of people at the Plex and still getting a decent workout.

Last week's bone-chilling temperatures prohibited outdoor activity for most students, and those who normally jog down the street for some exercise were driven inside.

Most of the dorms have small fitness rooms in their basements, but for many students, these prove to be inadequate.

"Even though almost all of the dorms have some form of exercise room now, most people I talk to are still forced to use the Plex because their dorm's workout rooms just aren't large enough and don't have the things they're looking for," says Gentile.

For freshmen who live on Newton Campus, there is another alternative: the Quonset Hut.

The Quonset Hut consists of a small gym located by the soccer fields. The building houses a weight room, a stationary bike, and several other pieces of cardio equipment.

"It is not nearly as comprehensive as the Plex," says Kate Coughlin, A&S '08, "but I go to the Quonset Hut because it's a lot more convenient."

The long bus rides are not enough to deter many of these Newtonites away from the Plex, and many of these students still brave the weather and make the trek to main campus to workout at the Plex in the hopes of getting more variety and a more extensive workout.

So what can you do during these long winter months? "You could run around the track or play basketball. Those activities are less crowded," says Acevedo.

"I find it usually helps to have a few options in mind in case the bench or machine you planned to use is already taken," adds Gentile.

In addition, the Plex offers a variety of classes for students and faculty. They have popular courses like Yoga and aerobics, but they also have an extensive variety that include classes like fencing and aquatics.