A serious look at fitness

Given the emphasis that popular culture today places on looking trim, it’s not surprising that several college students also take their fitness regimes very seriously. But getting that perfect body isn’t a cakewalk; it requires time, effort and discipline, which isn’t always easy to squeeze in between lectures. Metrolife speaks to a few trainers and students to find out how they manage to find the time to look fit.

Steve Duva, the owner of the Steve Gym chain which has over 40 trainers, maintains that several college students exercise at his gym on a daily basis. He admits that generally, more men visit his gym than women do, but adds that when it comes to discipline in a workout regime, both are equally dedicated. “The girls tend to be more figure conscious, whereas the guys are focused on building muscles and getting six-packs. They work very hard to achieve this; some even go to serious extremes,” he explains.

Steve doesn’t believe that focusing on a fitness regime distracts students from their education in any way, since the discipline that working out teaches you can translate into focussing more on studying. “Most of these youngsters see a transformation after sticking to a workout plan,” he says. 

However, Srinivas, a fitness trainer, doesn’t believe that college students are very serious about their regimes. “In general, they come only because of a passing fad, not because they are serious or dedicated about their training. About 60 percent of my customers are students, and they all have to balance their studies and work-outs, which might be the reason,” he says.

Vismita, a student of Mount Carmel College, says that maintaining a rigid fitness regime in a gym is not an option she would go for. “I simply don’t find time for this. There is a lot of pressure on college students, especially those who are taking on additional courses. And if I’m pressed for time, I won’t end up concentrating on my regime at a gym, which means that I won’t get my money’s worth out of it,” she explains.

Instead, Vismita simply maintains a routine wherein she walks one-and-a-half kilometres every day. “I generally walk a short distance towards my college, before taking a bus. I prefer to finish this off in the morning, since I get home from college only at 4.30 pm or 5 pm every evening, and at that point I’m too exhausted to even think of exercising,” she says.

Juhi, also a student, agrees with this view. “I used to go for gymming earlier, and would love to continue, but my classes are too hectic to find time for this. In fact, I started putting on a lot of weight when I first started studying for my MBA. Now, I try to stay fit by incorporating small changes in my life: like using stairs instead of lifts, and walking short distances instead of taking an auto,” she explains.