Author: Jake Steele
Along the entrance wall of the Alumni gym are two Trixter bikes, two XRBoards, a bioDensity machine, and a Power Plate. The addition of this newfangled equipment raised a concern among students, especially athletes, that the athletic department would spend money on these machines instead of giving more funds to the sports teams.
However, it turns out that these machines were donated by Lee Hilman, father of baseball player Matt Hilman (sophomore) and CEO of Performance Health Systems. Hilman believes that the new machines will improve performance, maintain health and prevent injuries.
These donations were accepted by the Athletic Department to help students, faculty and other gym users to have a well rounded workout. No money was taken away from the athletic budget to obtain the new equipment.
Many students enjoy the benefits of the new additions to the Alumni Gym. Drew Dockweiler (sophomore) likes the Trixter bikes, which combine exercise and video games. “As a gamer and an athlete, being able to play video games while I work out brings together two things that I love,” he said. “Playing the game makes you forget that you are working out.”
The RXBoards are skateboard-type boards stuck to the machine that are allowed to swivel and pop, simulating the movements of snowboarding. This game does not improve strength or cardiovascular abilities. Instead, the game focuses on coordination, a necessary skill for athletes to maintain and improve. It provides a small break from intense exercise while inside the gym.
Clayton Hume (junior) questions the effectiveness of the RXBoards. “I snowboard and the game is very fun,” he said. “But compared to real snowboarding or any of the other machines at the gym, you just don’t do work.”
Another donation is the bioDensity machine, which shows users their maximum output after they push on the machine with all their might. Before the addition of the bioDensity machine, a gym-goer would have to keep adding more and more free weights to find out their One Rep Max. With this machine, people can now easily track their weight training over a period of time. It also allows people to measure their maximum strength without the risk of straining or pulling muscles.
“Before I did not know exactly how much force I have, but now it’s easy to tell,” says Leo Haroon (junior).
The final donation is a small pedestal called The Power Plate, a piece of equipment that vibrates 25 to 50 times per second depending on the setting. The manufacturers claim that 10 minutes of exercises such as squats or push-ups on the plate is equivalent to 60 minutes of exercise without it.
The new, donated equipment in the Alumni Gym creates a variety of different workout experiences for gym users. The devices will continue to provide many Occidental students and faculty members with unique alternatives to traditional physical activities and athletic conditioning programs.
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