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Building Strong Bodies
Robertson Center Weight Room Upgraded
By Dan Perrel, Athletic Development Associate
What the hub is to a wheel, Bethel’s weight room is to athletes. Athletic programs depend on strength development as the link between where athletes are and where they want to be in the heat of competition. This past September, Bethel’s revamped weight room was unveiled, complete with several pieces of quality equipment. Generous donors contributed $40,000 to turn this long-anticipated dream into reality. The Bethel Student Association (BSA) also assisted in the effort.
Strength development is central to injury reduction, performance enhancement, and confidence building. The right tools and optimum conditions in the weight room allow athletes to push themselves in new ways.
The weight room and its top-notch equipment are available to all College of Arts & Sciences students, and thus benefit the entire student body. The makeover includes treadmills, elliptical runners, recumbent bikes, and weights and platforms. A rubberized floor and multi-speaker sound system were also added.
"Bethel University is committed to educating young adults to be strong in body, mind, and spirit. Strength training and physical fitness is a critical component for reaching health in all three areas," explains Rick Meyer, a certified athletic trainer who is the strength and conditioning coach at Bethel.
"Increased awareness of the importance of physical activity and cardiovascular fitness has caused an upswing in the use of the facility," Meyer says. "The renovations help us address the needs of the general student body, staff, and physical education classes, as well as the athletic teams."