Get Fit on Campus with Healthy Living and the SGA

Over the past 8 months I have come to realize how much Laurentian University has to offer.

The SGA continuously works to serve the student population and to improve each student experience. One service I am particularly impressed by is the partnership and programming offered by the SGA and Healthy Living on campus. When the two groups partnered they came up with a fitness service for any student at the Sudbury Laurentian campus who is registered with the SGA can book three sessions with the staff at Healthy Living.

Callen McGibbon and David Capstick have completed over 150 sessions with students since starting the program in January of 2013. I decided to take advantage of this offering and signed up with David Capstick to check it out, and ask a few questions so some of you can take advantage of this service too!

The main goal of Healthy Living is to promote healthy living for students on campus. My training session was based on previous sessions I have done with Capstick and we addressed recovering from an injury. A full discussion with your current fitness status, including injuries is extremely important moving forward.

After my training session with Capstick as asked him a few questions about the program.

Emily: What are the top three reasons students book sessions?

David: The top three reasons students book sessions are to get started on living a healthy life. They look for direction on how to get into shape, and use the equipment because the gym can be an intimidating place. The second reason is how to move to the next level. Several students actually have a good base, but they are looking to get to the next level with their training. Finally, a number of varsity athletes sign up for sessions for additional sport specific, one-on-one training.

Emily: Why has Healthy Living partnered with the SGA?

David: To promote health programming for students and help them incorporate fitness and nutrition in their lives.

Emily: What are some common misconceptions students have about fitness, nutrition, and working out?

David: The first misconception is that they think we can fix everything in the three sessions. The second is that they don’t realize how important nutrition actually is. Students ask me how I look so fit, and I tell them while I workout a lot, I eat very well and that makes the difference. The third misconception is that cardio is the best way to get lean. A combination of weight training and cardio is the best way to get fit.

Emily: What advice would you give someone looking to start training?

David: The first step is making time and actually setting foot in the gym. Try to be as consistent as possible, ask for help and find a partner who has similar goals and will hold you accountable. (I can totally attest to this! Having a partner that can push you and forces you to show up is the best way to start and continue training. Even the most elite athletes have training partners or teams to help them stay with their training!).

Emily: Finally, what should students expect from the three sessions?

David: These sessions aren’t mean to just be a workout. Educating the students is the best way to approach this. Giving them the tools to move forward on their own is important and we try to build a foundation so they can continue independently. We also try to talk about living a healthy lifestyle, and that includes both fitness and nutrition, and definitely sleep.

As a varsity athlete on campus, I’ve worked closely with Healthy Living throughout my training. Cal and Capstick (as well call them) definitely know what they are doing, and do everything they can to create a positive environment in the gym. My suggestion in: get in there! Every person can learn something new, and this is an incredibly valuable service.

Check out their Facebook page, and be sure to get in touch! You can find them in the office beside the weight room at the Ben Avery building on campus!   https://www.facebook.com/pages/Healthy-Living-Health-Education-Professional-Coaching/159487167410751