If you like to indulge in extra desserts from the dining hall like myself, RecSports has many opportunities to burn off those calories and stay active!
We have two gyms on campus – the Smith Center for Recreational Sports in Duncan Student Center and Rockne Memorial on South Quad. Students can work out in these gyms for free! Duncan also has a rock-climbing wall open to students.
RecSports is the home of all club sports at Notre Dame. Club teams usually have 2-3 practices per week and participate in competitions. There are teams for a variety of athletic interests – from archery to field hockey to nordic skiing. You can see the full list of club sports here! (If you’re not looking for as big of a time commitment or competitive atmosphere, intramural sports are popular within the dorm communities.)
RecSports also employs students. Whether you want to be a fitness instructor, personal trainer, lifeguard, or attendant at our workout facilities, there are many different jobs available.
My favorite programs through RecSports are their fitness classes. Drop-in classes usually cost anywhere from $2-5 (although they’re free for the rest of this semester). During normal years, RecSports has class packages that you can purchase at the beginning of the semester. They offer classes in-person and virtually, and even some outdoor sessions when the weather is nice!
Here are my favorite fitness classes I’ve tried at Notre Dame:
- Zumba
Zumba is a blast! The music is upbeat and fun, the moves are easy to catch on to while still working those muscles, and it’s a great cardio workout.
- WERQ
I’d describe WERQ as Zumba with a bit more sass. Usually they play more current pop/hip-hop music, and the moves are more like choreography. When I’ve gone to evening sessions of WERQ, they turn off the lights and put glowing, colorful disco balls around the room, making the environment feel a bit more like a rave than a fitness class!
- Beat Biking
I was quite scared when I walked in and was immediately congratulated for being brave enough to try this class without having any spin or cycling experience. But, it was such an amazing experience that I came back! This class really gets you sweating and pushes your limits, but the upbeat music propels you to keep going.
So don’t be afraid to grab that second brownie from South Dining Hall, and work it off later with the help of RecSports