Kinesiology

Wellness

Wellness Program
Target Heart Rate Formula
General Workout Guides

Wellness Program

Hello, my name is Stephen Burks and I am the Wellness Coordinator for Harding University. I can be reached at sburks@harding.edu. The information below is more detailed information about opportunities that exist at Harding for faculty, staff, and students. The Wellness Program encourages all to participate in whatever area interests you the most and/or fits your schedule the best.

GAC exercise room hours - Hours vary but typical hours during the week are 5:30 to 6:30am for faculty/staff and then 6:30am-10pm for everyone

Classes from 8am-noon have priority use

Weekend hours vary, especially with home football games 

Call extension 4304 to get exact times for the week

GAC swim times Contact Dr. J.D. Yingling at jdyingling@harding.edu or extension 4304

Personal Trainers - Email sburks@harding.edu if you are interested in personal training. Harding doesn't offer certified personal training, but we can put you in touch with individuals who can help.

GAC exercise orientation - There will be orientations for the exercise room at various times during the semester. Information on the equipment (both cardio and anaerobic) will be provided and basic information on how to exercise and lift weights properly. These sessions should take approximately 30 minutes and will be designed to familiarize people with the opportunities that exist in the exercise room. All those who are apprehensive about using weights or cardio equipment are encouraged to attend. Email sburks@harding.edu if interested.

Aerobics/Pilates -This is offered for faculty and staff and their spouses only (no students).  Announcements will be made on colleagues email. For students there is an aerobics class for credit.

Tennis courts and racquetball courts - The tennis courts are available for use when not needed for college classes or college varsity play. No reservations are required, but they could be in use by a class or by the tennis team. The racquetball courts do require reservations and can be made by calling ext. 4304.

Target Heart Rate Formula

220-age = maximum heart rate
Training zone = 60-80 percent of max heart rate

Individual heart rates will vary, but this is the recognized formula for calculating your target heart rate zone while exercising to improve aerobic conditioning. Heart rates below this level will not improve your aerobic conditioning. 

Age 20 = 120 to 160 beats per minute
Age 30 = 114 to 152 beats per minute
Age 40 = 108 to 144 beats per minute
Age 50 = 102 to 136 beats per minute
Age 60 = 96 to 128 beats per minute

Recommended Frequency of aerobic exercise = 4-6 times per week
Recommended time of exercise session = 30 to 45 minutes

Always consult a doctor before beginning an exercise program, especially if it has been some time since you have exercised.

General Workout Guides

Aerobic Workout (treadmill, elliptical, or bicycle)

• "Aerobic" means "with air" or "with oxygen." Aerobic conditioning is training your heart and lungs to work more efficiently which will significantly improve your level of health.
• Begin slowly and gradually warm up your muscles and your heart (2-5 minutes).
• Make sure that you exercise in your target training zone, or follow the "talk test." The "talk test" means that when you exercise, it should be difficult to talk. If it is easy to talk, then you are not training yourself aerobically; if it is impossible to talk, then you are over training.
• Recommended time is 30 to 45 minutes.
• Recommended frequency per week is 4 to 6.
• It is fine to alternate between jogging and walking; as long as your heart rate is where it needs to be, you are aerobically training. Keep in mind that you will have to increase your intensity over time to make sure that your heart rate stays in the training zone.

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Harding walking trails PDF
Ganus Athletic Center schedule PDF

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Anaerobic Workout (weightlifting)

• The goal of lifting weights is to strengthen and tone the body's muscle system. It is not intended to improve your body's aerobic system. Lifting weights is secondary to aerobic conditioning, but can be a great addition to an aerobic plan. In other words, if you must choose then choose an aerobic plan. If you can do both, then that is even better.
• Choosing lifts/machines: It is best to choose lifts that complement each other so that you work both sides (triceps and biceps; quads and hamstrings, etc.). The major muscle groups are recommended first and are listed below.
• Upper body lifts: Combination of triceps (bench press, tricep extension, military) and biceps (curls).
• Lower body lifts: Combination of quads (leg extension, leg press, squats) and hamstrings (leg curls, leg press, squats).
• There are many lifts available for upper and lower body in the large exercise room; much less is available in the smaller room.
• Tips for lifting: BREATHE! Breathe out during the push; don't hold your breath! Go up and down on a 3 count, don't rush either one.
• Recommended repetitions, sets, and amount of weight. Unless you are training for a specific event, lower weight and higher repetitions are recommended. A common example is 2 or 3 "sets" of 10 repetitions.
• Lifting weights doesn't have to take a long time, but it can have significant results when combined with a good aerobic program.

Eating While in College

Unless you eat in your dorm room, you will be “eating out” for the next several weeks or years, whether it is in the cafeteria or at a local restaurant.  Listed below are some tips for eating while in college so that you can avoid the “freshmen fifteen.”  A typical meal should contain less than 1,000 calories, but an all you can eat buffet meal with multiple trips can easily add up to 2,000 calories if you aren’t careful (2500 to 3000 calories is the daily recommendation of calories).

•    It is all about the number of calories you put in your body.  You need to exercise regularly, but you must watch calories because it is much easier to eat less than exercise more when it comes to regulating weight.
•    Try to limit yourself to just one trip to the buffet lines.  All you can eat buffets are a primary cause of the freshmen fifteen.
•    Beware of 2nd (and 3rd helpings) because it is just more calories.
•    That last piece of pizza after a regular meal will catch up with you.
•    Eating dessert 2X a day isn’t normal and will cause you to gain weight.
•    A plate full of French fries with ketchup has little nutritional value.
•    Sauces and dressings taste good, but they are often full of calories, fat, and/or sodium (especially if they taste really good).  Limit them as much as possible.
•    All you can drink fountain drinks are loaded with sugar, especially if they are regular sodas.  3-4 refills of Coke will start adding some serious calories to your meal.  Try one Coke followed with water or unsweet tea.
•    Late night pizza is not a good habit to start.  It costs you money and you will gain weight eventually, especially by your senior year.
•    If you do go out and eat, split a meal with your date or take half of it home as leftovers.  It will save you money and it will save you calories.  You are not being cheap, you are being calorie conscious.

This is all common sense, but you can’t eat all you want and expect to maintain your current weight.  You have to expect your metabolism to lower as you get older so make eating less a habit while in college, instead of waiting until you get out and find yourself 20-30 pounds overweight.