Not just for jocks: students turn to alternative exercise for fun fitness

Working out and sports aren't just for jocks anymore: Students of all kinds on campuses around the U.S. and in other countries are trying out more unusual forms of exercise, from martial arts and yoga to ballroom dance and roller derby. In fact, about one in five college students said they participate in alternative fitness options, according to a September 2007 College Health Services, LLC survey."Do an activity that you really want to do, and then it'll never seem like a workout." Shanna Katz, a graduate of Colorado College

"Alternative sports tend to be created by the students for the students, instead of being run on a super traditional schedule," said Shanna Katz, a graduate of Colorado College (CC) in Colorado Springs and a current student at Widener University in Chester, Pennsylvania. "They also aren't as serious, so there is less of a 'this-sport-should-be-100%-ofyour-life' attitude."

Katz spent three years playing innertube water polo at CC and has also played Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) and roller derby, as well as starting a ballroom dance club. "I loved inner-tube water polo because it was a great way to have fun and hang out with friends," she said. "Lots of people on our team weren't much good, and one player was even scared of water, but it didn't matter.

We did it for fun and encouraged people who might never play a "sport" to get involved."

Do It Yourself and Then Get Others to Join

Intramural sports, whether "traditional" or unusual, often appeal to students with busy schedules or other interests, and offer a lower-key, more flexible way to fulfill college requirements while having fun and meeting new people. Many alternative sports and exercise clubs are started and run by students rather than by fitness professionals hired by the university or college. Want a ballroom dance club at your college? Start your own, like Katz did. When she found out about a ballroom dance club at the U.S. Air Force Academy, she reached out to students at CC and found quite a few who wanted to learn basic salsa, swing, Lindy, and tango.

Katz advises students interested in beginning their own clubs to get support. "Don't do it all by yourself," she said. After studying abroad in Germany for a semester, she found the ballroom dance club had fizzled. "In the beginning, the more leaders [you get], the better," said Katz. "Get administrative support. Use every resource you have!"

Still Aches and Pains

Alternative sports aren't necessarily safer than traditional team sports, however. "Like any physical activity, there's a risk of injury," said Dan Orlowitz, who is currently studying at the Tokyo School of the Japanese Language. Even a game as seemingly harmless as Dance Dance Revolution can have its pitfalls. After an injury, Orlowitz's doctor told him he should not continue playing DDR. "Participants should keep their limits in mind," said Orlowitz.

Katz, who has to be careful because of previous surgeries, agrees. "Make sure you check everything with your doctor, especially if you have had surgeries or any health issues. Alternative doesn't necessarily mean safe."

Students who participate in alternative sports and activities stress the importance of choosing a sport or activity because it's fun, not just to fulfill a requirement or because you really want to do, and then it'll never seem like a workout, just a bucket of fun," Katz said.

Benefits Go Beyond a Better Body

The benefits of alternative forms of exercise (besides making you more fit) are many. Students often say they enjoy being able to meet new people, both from inside and outside the college community. Alternative exercise programs can also be mentally challenging, relaxing, or an avenue for personal growth.

Christina Hawkes, a recent MIT graduate, says MIT's square dance club, Tech Squares, is a worry-free way to fulfill PE requirements as well as great socially. "It's a good combination of undergrads and older people, since a lot of alums stick around after they graduate," she said. "People are really good about integrating new class members and welcoming out-of-town visiting dancers."

Hawkes also enjoys the mental challenge: "The dances require you to quickly recognize and execute the moves so that every part of the square continues to fit together. It's kind of like collaborative dancing Tetris."

About one in five college students said they participate in alternative fitness. -September 2007 College Health Services, LLC survey

Mental and spiritual enrichment are a common draw for Asian martial arts like karate, tae kwon do, and kung fu. Nell Shamrell, a graduate of the University of Puget Sound (UPS) in Tacoma, Washington, says martial arts have made her a better person. "My own improvement was all I was encouraged to focus on, not on beating' someone else," she said.

"This allowed me to excel in a way I never did in traditional sports. The self-confidence from seeing and experiencing my improvement has aided me through the rest of my life."

At UPS, Shamrell took a class in stage combat, a specialized technique in theater that creates the illusion of fighting. She ended up attending a regional conference on the subject and eventually becoming a teaching assistant for a stage combat class. In addition to enjoying stage combat itself, Shamrell found teaching other students to be very satisfying.

"Getting them to the level they need to be at, both technically and in terms of intensity, was sometimes very difficult and required different techniques for each individual," she said, "but the payoff of watching them excel was more than worth it." Other students participate in activities that have personal or cultural significance for them. Cho We Zen, a third-year law student at Cambridge University in England, is part of a lion dance troupe that follows the Crane Mountain style. Lion dance is a form of traditional Chinese dance, where dancers and drummers use a lion costume to tell a story.