Eppley Recreation Center

Umm, I thought paying $ 99/​month over at Lifetime was expensive, but holy moly $ 35k annual gym membership? Better come here a several times a week to make it worthwhile!
I really took this place granted in undergrad but DO OVER! The third floor is the only place I frequent for its ellipticals and the smelly padded room with the punching bags for warm up and cool down stretches. The temp is perfect for working up a sweat so then you can flex in the weight room with your warmed up moooooscles. Equipment is always in good shape so at least that part of my tuition is worth it!
That’s right put in work, move your ass, go berserk
Eat your salad, no dessert
Get that man you deserve
It’s Kanye’s workout plan
Terp yogis! Consider taking yoga classes over in SPH so you can avoid the bros slamming weights next to and above the group fitness studio. The thumps definitely take away the zen you’ve been trying to build with all your purposeful, even breathing! The studio in 0128 SPH is also smaller and more intimate a space without the crazy long line that winds up the staircase in ERC. Namaste :)
Park in Lot 6 after 4 PM– perfect time to turn up at the gym before all the biddies turn up with their sorority sisters on the treadmills. Try lot/​strip N by the daycare center on game days when lot 6 is closed to randos that don’t have a game day permit.

First off, the Rec is not really in a good location on campus. It’s far from the main part of campus, although there is ample parking day and night in the Terrapin Trail Parking Garage not too far away. Here’s a fun tip: parking does not require a parking permit after 4 pm or before 7 am at the Rec.
Another complaint I have about the Rec (as I call it) is that it is always crowded. Since I’m fat (partially because of this web site), I use the cardio equipment on the 2^nd floor a lot. The cardio room always has one or two free machines, thankfully.
Okay, now I’m done complaining.
The building is massive, and if one is a student at UMD or a paying member, it is possible to swim, play basketball, take yoga classes, and work out your glutes — all in the same day. When I’m not taking classes, I always find cool and exciting fitness-​y things to do here. One time, I was shooting hoops and knocking down three-​pointers from well beyond the 3-​point line. I basically made Steph Curry (who was born in my hometown) my bitch.
The weight room, while always crowded, is two stories of bros and the occasional sorority sister. The machines I want to use are always being used, so I mess around with free weights a lot.
Overall, a good college recreation center for grad school, although I prefer the rec center from my undergrad back in Ohio.

Might be time for me to grab a membership. This facility looks amazing. Every conceivable piece of exercise equipment you could imagine. Courts for basketball, racquetball and squash and lane after lane of pool space.
Im here for my daughters swim practice but my time may be better spent as a member of Eppley on these two days each week. If the price is in the ballpark of golds or LA it’s a done deal.

Thee place is big and new. The are great swimming pools and many group classes. Many workout devices, great condition. I really like this place.
But in my opinion, the place has 2 major problems:
1) It’s a shame that most of the instructors there have no clue about the devices. Especially in the TRX room — why are they there if they can’t guide the people who come to workout?
2) To often they heat the place wayyyy too much. It’s impossible to workout like that. Too hot and suffocation feeling. There were times last winter when me and my friends didn’t go there because we couldn’t work out in such conditions.

The indoor pool here is amazeballs. There, I said it. Impressive stadium seating to watch swim events. No fighting for bench space. Basic concessions stand. Impressive fitness facility. You have to be a student or member to use the outdoor pool and fitness facility. We just come for the competition meets. Did spot Ray Rice and his entourage playing basketball here once.

GAINS! Student gym, plenty of other amenities including pool, basketball courts, classes, racquet ball. Weight room is small for the number of people who lift and the free weights are a wait during prime time. A few bros but it’s a college gym. Come during off hours to really enjoy. Funny hours during the summer.

very nice gym.

Great gym!
I love all that ERC has to offer from its large facility, fitness classes and equipment.
Staff are always friendly and facilities are almost always very clean and sanitized. The fitness classes are a wonderful workout to add to my routine and they are intense! (You’ve been warned)
They offer a sauna and steam room (which on one or two occasions weren’t the cleanest). There is always equipment available and I love the indoor track that offers lanes for the walkers and runners. If you have time you can book a room for the racquetball court. They have all the gear you need and if you forgot something like headphones or a snack there is a inside store for purchase. Lastly, the pool alone is worth the trip if you are a swimmer.
Overall, I love coming here!

I give this place 5 stars as a student who has access to everything here for free. If I had to pay the membership I may feel differently.
Weight room: Big and lots of weights/​space. Plenty of equipment. Non judgmental. No slamming the weights, but some people do when they’re lifting really heavy.
Indoor pool: Sometimes the lanes fill up quickly, but the pool is nice and they have kickboards, etc.
Cardio: The entire top floor is cardio equipment. It gets busy, but there is plenty of equipment. Treadmills, ellipticals, stair climbers, In the event the equipment fills up, there is a waiting list and people are limited to 30 min workouts.
Classes: You have to get a pass, which is free, to get into group classes. There’s a wide variety of classes offered at convenient times throughout the week. Get there early because some classes fill up and you might be turned away.
Locker room: great. There are plenty of showers. I’ve never had to wait for one.
This is a nice gym and if you are a student I recommend you take advantage of the free membership.

The ERC is an amazing place to work out. I thought I had to be a Maryland student/​faculty/​alumni to join, but I learned that I could just join the Alumni Association ($ 70 for a couple per year, or $ 55 for an individual) and that would allow me to buy a membership ($ 465 for the year). It turns out to be pretty cheap access to a world class facility with indoor/​outdoor pools, courts, cardio, weights galore. There is an indoor track that is ¹⁄₁₀ of a mile and an adventure/​rock-​climbing structure in the back yard.

I love the ERC. Gym, two indoor pools, one outdoor pool, giant climbing wall.
**Things that I love about the ERC:**
I love that I can join for the summer only because who needs two gyms during the winter (and I am locked into a contract with another gym).
I love that all of the employees are college students who seem to take their jobs seriously. Yes! No 15-​year-​old lifeguards texting from the chair.
I love that, while there are children around at the outdoor pool, there seem to be a minimum of children around at the outdoor pool.
I love that I can bring a guest for $ 7.
I love that I can rent a locker and also get towel service. Hello! One decent-​sized clean and soft towel per trip. No hauling home wet and smelly towels! No hauling home wet suits. (I have a duplcate of everything work out related and leave all in my locker at the ERC.)
The air conditioning. Hallelujah! It’s cool in here!
**Things that I do not love:** (only three)
THE PARKING, THE PARKING, THE PARKING. The parking sucks. I repeat, it is bad. Expensive meters near the main entrance. A lot that is free only after 4pm waaaaaaaaaay down below the gym, requiring me to scale a competitive-​level mountain climbers mountain of stairs before I even begin my workout (and I cannot begin to tell you how much fun this is in 95 plus degree weather).
The locker room is really handy for indoor swimming but miles away, and levels down from the outdoor pool. Kind of a pain but livable.
Special events, sporting events and camps on campus can interfere with your workout plans. Goes with the territory, I guess, though.

The ERC is pretty sweet. There are loads of classes, weight rooms, an indoor track, swimming pool, basketball courts, etc. Although the place is huge, I recommend going at an off hour to avoid waiting for a machine. The treadmills tend to fill up quickest.
The ERC is good about getting new equipment and replacing old machines. The machines (e.g. ellipticals) seem to be out of service often though for brief periods of time. The new machines this year have seemed to lessen the incidence of downtime, though.
You must have your student ID or be a member to get in. If you forget your ID, you get one «free» pass per semester. They are pretty strict about it too. In my opinion the membership fees are overpriced, but there isn’t an alternative in the area that I know of.
There is limited metered parking and free parking in the lot behind the ERC after 4pm. Before then, prepare to feed the slow-​ass pay station at a rate of two bucks an hour. Or you can walk there and get even more of a workout!
The gym also contains a smoothie place and a shop with Maryland fitness gear, drinks, energy bars, and the like.
I recommend bringing a lock and locking up your stuff! I’ve heard of stuff getting stolen here (which isn’t surprising). Investing in a lock is worth it.
Another alternative to working out at the ERC is Ritchie Coliseum, aka the Greek Life gym. It is extremely small but more convenient at times… except for the wait for one of the three ellipticals.