Active Living Centre (ALC) patrons have shared what motivates them to keep coming back to the facility. They also pointed out their favourite sessions and said they would encourage others to join the gym.
Dongping Yu said health drives him to patronize the gym. “You need to sometimes […] relax a little bit to […] mitigate your stress from studies. So that’s the strategy I use […] I just go to the gym,” he explained.
His preferred workout sessions include jogging on the track, yoga and total body strength exercises. “Total body strength helps me to strengthen […] all parts of my body [in only 45 minutes].”
Yu expressed a strong appreciation for the gym facilities at the ALC and said he would encourage others to make use of them.
Osman, a third-year student at the U of M, said he uses the gym as a way to strengthen his mental focus and temporarily do away with his personal challenges. “I just hit the gym because of the mentality I have […] I come to the gym and just focus everything on the gym so I [forget] everything else, all the pain, all the miseries or all [the] other problems that I have. This is the only place that I come [to] every day and I feel like I’m free.”
He explained that the chest session is his preferred workout routine. “The bench press, which I hit with my friends, is just ego lifting […] I just look up to people and say, ‘Man, maybe one day I’m gonna reach a new level,’ because every day I try to learn new things. In the gym, I try to learn [from people who are] better than me.”
Osman emphasized that incorporating gym activities into one’s daily routine can be valuable to well-being. “I would encourage people who [like] to do physical activity a lot — you can come to the gym every day and then it might help you gain some progress.”
For David, another U of M student, going to the gym is not merely about maintaining his physical appearance, it is “about discipline, stress relief and personal growth.”
He continued, “life can be demanding, and going to the gym gives me a space to reset. It also helps me to challenge myself and helps me feel very productive. I also like the fact that it helps me to build that kind of consistency that I’ve been longing for in life. Even on days when I do not feel very motivated, sometimes showing up reminds me that progress comes from commitment always.”
David described the benefits he has gained from the strength training sessions. “I enjoy them because they allow me to measure progress clearly over time [to see] whether I’m involved in lifting better, improving form or building more endurance. I also like that strength training pushes me to stay focused and intentional.”
He included that he “[combines] cardio with core work because they leave [him] feeling energized and refreshed.” He acknowledged that starting a gym routine can feel “difficult” but over time, it becomes both “enjoyable” and “meaningful.”
According to David, “The gym benefits almost everyone […] teaches commitment and self-care. Even starting small can make a real difference.” That is why I would encourage readers to give it a try.
