CU Rec Center

Nice gym we all know but really as a student who is billed for the rec when I’m not taking a summer class I should be able to go still for free if I’m still a student… And I believe that part time students should still have a free pass too!

I only ever hear complaints about CU’s rec center, but I have a largely different opinion of it. The equipment here is fantastic, I love the ellipticals with the screens where you can take virtual hikes around the world. And after you are done using the machinery, it’ll tell you how much power you contributed to the gym — how cool is that?! Also, I kickbox– and rock climb so I was delighted to find a both a climbing wall and heavy bag room that is rarely in use by a ton of people at once. There are plenty of locker rooms, bathrooms, and water refill stations. I often hear complaints about there not being enough equipment — but a gym can only be so big right? Every time I’ve gone I haven’t had a problem getting equipment, plus the gym is several stories… I’m sure you’ll find something else if you’re precious weights aren’t available

This is an amazing health club that feels like it belongs in the middle of Beverly Hills. It has plenty of classes (yoga, cardio, spinning), a rock climbing wall, a pool outside shaped like Ralphie, and enough weights that even if every meat-​head in Boulder were here at once, you could easily find an open piece of equipment.
My only problem: This place represents everything wrong with higher education. CU’s multi-​million dollar recreation center meant to attract rich, white, out-​of-​state undergraduate students is a direct critique of academia as a business and students as consumers. But I digress, I’m a poor graduate student and I will gladly continue using this health club!

I like this Rec Center. It snows often (even in the spring) here in Boulder and my marathon training doesn’t have to take a backseat on these days — I simply go to the CU Rec center and run on their indoor track! Today I used one of their treadmills and was really surprised at the quality of their equipment.
The Rec Center is currently undergoing a major redevelopment (and is going to look amazing when the construction is done) and some areas of their gym are hard to locate, if you are not a regular.
A nice plus is that the locker rooms have electronic locks, where you program the access code. I LOVE this because it means having one less thing to carry around while you work out. I also like that the women’s locker room has their own workout equipment, in case some girls prefer to workout in a female-​only environment, which I totally understand. The main gym upstairs has lots of equipment, it’s just way too big of a space, though. I would also suggest they get more treadmills — there were zero available when I was there. I’ve think having more than 8 treadmills would be a good idea.
The staff consists of students who check facebook while working, but I don’t really care. Day passes for non members is $ 6. I qualify for a spouse membership of $ 34/​semester because my husband works for CU. This is a killer rate for the amount of times I workout in a gym (I prefer to run outdoors) and the place is clean and has modern equipment.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the Rec, it’s been a good facility to me. I’m just looking forward to an upgrade. I feel like maintenance on the machines is basically non-​existent. Every elliptical machine is different in terms of resistance so it’s hard to gauge how much of a work out I am getting.
I do like how there is a weight room in the girls locker room and also a co-​ed one downstairs. Depending on the day though, it does get cramped and I’m fighting for a space by the mirror.

I used to think NoBoRec was the shit… not so much anymore. CU’s Rec Center wins. Hands down.
There is a mini gym in the women’s locker room. A women-​only mini gym, with a full lineup of machines, ample floor space for floor exercise, and a selection of free weights, medicine balls, and exercise balls. In the other corner there are four elliptical machines and a few bicycles. One could get their full exercise regimen done in here, without ever having to venture from the safe confines of the women’s locker room.
But if you do choose to venture forth, there is a rowing gym set up in what looks like a racquetball court, with about 20 rowing machines in it. There is a co-​ed weight room, with more machines than you would believe could possibly exist, and more ellipticals and stairsteppers.
Oh, is that somehow not enough aerobic machines for you? Would you like more? Then go upstairs to the long room that looks over the pool. Treadmills, stairsteppers, yet more ellipticals, plus those weird ellipticals that let you control your stride length and height with the movement of your feet, upright bicycles, and reclining bicycles share this space. Some of the machines are equipped with mini TV’s, complete with headphones.
Are all those ellipticals and treadmills taken, despite the fact that there are about 5000 of them? Is small screen, personal entertainment not for you? Then there is an elliptical theatre. Twenty ellipticals all facing a giant screen TV.
There is ice skating. There is a big lap pool and a separate diving pool. There is basketball. A climbing wall. A punching bag. Racquetball. Squash. Tennis courts.
Four stars instead of five because this rec center exists in all its splendor while CU’s classrooms are falling apart and they claim dire financial straits.

One of the better perks about being a CU student (along with the free bus pass) was that all students get free access to this kick-​ass rec center.
I remember coming here for the first time and just being blown away by how much they had that you could do. Before I knew it, I signed up for yoga, Aikido and started running their sweet track (nice views of Boulder) and lifting weights in their weight room. I got in the best shape of my life (so far) that year, and all for free.
CU rec center has an amazing amount of machines to work out in, as well as racquetball courts, squash courts, tennis courts, basketball courts, and an Olympic sized swimming pool. I also saw that they offer a large number of courses as well.
Seriously sweet. Maybe I’ll look into getting a membership…