Setting an alarm for a 7:30 a.m. workout is much easier said than done, and following through with waking up to that alarm the next morning is even harder. Yet somehow, Penn State students are finding a way to fit an effective workout into their balance of school and social life.
Penn State gyms are their own animal. Saying “I’m going to a gym on campus for a quick workout between classes” has become somewhat unrealistic. Adding in the trek from your apartment building, the amount of people you’ll see and the wait to use a machine makes your “quick workout” into an all-day event.
But inside the streets of State College is a hidden gem that not many know about: LionHeart. Located on Sowers Street, this fitness center has received great acclaim from many students who live both on and off campus.
Photo by Eric Shih
So why buy a membership from this downtown gym instead of going to a gym on campus for free?
Capacity
So you’ve finally mustered up the strength to go to the gym. Your Lululemon pants that you’ve only worn to class up until now are finally being put to good use.
After a lengthy walk through the subzero campus that is Penn State, you finally get to the White Building only to find out that there’s a line to get in the gym.
You wait on the ten minute line to discover that there are no open treadmills. Continuing to shake it off, you make your way to the mats.
While pulling up the ab circuit video you saved on Instagram, you realize your surrounded by one too many familiar faces. Ultimately, you’ve lost your gym time to what will now become a social hour.
If you’ve found yourself in this situation more times than you can count, then LionHeart is the perfect gym for you. At almost any time of day, there is an open treadmill or piece of equipment ready to used.
Also, with not nearly as many members as the 40,000+ people that have access to the gyms on-campus, you will most likely be able to have a workout without interruption.
Free Tanning
Spring break is only weeks away, which can only mean one thing: an increase on both gym and tanning time. Of course, California Tanning will make sure to text you at least once a week with new deals and discounts that still cost a fortune.
What sets LionHeart apart from all gyms on campus is the free tanning that comes with your membership. If you break both of these deals down, wouldn’t you rather pay $27.99 for both a gym and tanning membership at LionHeart instead of a $60 per month package from a local tanning salon?
Lauren Binn, a Penn State sophomore, says she finds having a membership at LionHeart creates incentive for both working out and tanning.
“Having a gym and tanning membership in one makes coming to the gym much more convenient,” says Binn. “Instead of walking to a gym on campus and then walking to a tanning salon downtown, I’m at a gym that has both of these things in one place.”
Facilities
For many, going to the gym means running on a treadmill for 30 minutes, ab workouts on the mats and going home. But LionHeart offers a wide variety of facilities open to all members that you can’t find at gyms on campus.
Ever wanted to give kickboxing a try? LionHeart offers multiple kickboxing, martial arts and CrossFit classes that come free with a gym membership. And for those who want the extra push to get their spring break body, personal training is also open to all members.
LionHeart also has saunas available in both women’s and men’s locker rooms. Aside from the fact that their saunas are relaxing, they’re actually beneficial to your health, due to the high temperatures that cause blood vessels to dilate and increase the flow of blood your skin.
Have you found better experiences at gyms off campus? Tweet us @VALLEYmag and tell us your story!
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