The Lantern

Fitness center, YMCA offer opportunities to reignite motivation

Written by Alexis DeLong | Mar 21, 2024 2:06:00 PM

Each year, numerous individuals establish New Year’s resolutions, ranging from saving money and traveling more to enhancing mental health and dedicating more time to family. For a significant number, the resolution revolves around increasing physical activity and maintaining an active lifestyle.

Sticking to resolutions can be challenging, and it’s not uncommon to face setbacks. However, there are a couple available facilities in El Dorado for individuals to regain momentum and work towards achieving their goals.

The initial facility accessible to Butler CC students at no cost is the on-campus fitness center.
Located on the El Dorado campus of Butler in the 500 Building, commonly referred to as the gym, the fitness center can be found in room 544. Its operational hours are Monday through Friday, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Butler’s Fitness Center has a variety of different exercise equipment like squat racks, a flexible cable machine, various dumbbells for different weights, treadmills and many other workout gear. The place is set up to be useful for all kinds of workouts and fitness levels, making sure everyone has what they need to get a good workout.

Greta Santini utilizes the on-campus fitness center. Santini is an international student, so it can be difficult for her to go anywhere without a car, so she enjoys that the fitness center is easy to access and it permits her from spending money as it is free to Butler CC students.
“The best part about the fitness center is that since only Butler students can use it, it’s never really crowded,” Santini said. “It’s open until 8 p.m. which is nice if you work or have other commitments during the day.”

Another available facility in El Dorado is the YMCA, situated at 300 N Main St. The operating hours differ throughout the week: Monday through Thursday, they open from 4:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; on Fridays, the hours are 4:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., and during the weekend, on Saturday and Sunday, the YMCA is open from 6:30 a.m .to 7 p.m..

According to their website their mission is to “…put Christian principles into practice through programs that promote healthy lifestyles, strong families, and positive youth development to build healthy spirit, mind and body for all, regardless of ability to pay.”

The YMCA is equipped with an array of amenities, including cardio and strength training equipment, a gymnasium, an indoor pool with features such as a sauna, steam room, and hot tub, as well as racquetball courts and much more, as well as youth and teen programs and health and wellness programs. This offers a diverse range of options to cater to various fitness preferences and recreational interests.

While a membership is necessary to access the YMCA facilities, it comes with comprehensive benefits. This membership not only grants entry to this specific YMCA branch but extends access to all YMCA branches. Members can enjoy a wide variety of advantages, engaging in hundreds of group exercise classes, wellness programs, discounted rates on sports and youth programs, and an array of additional perks to enhance the overall membership experience.

 

Grace O’Brien is an employee of the YMCA facility, but she used and still continues to use the gym before she was employed there. O’Brien works in the Kids Zone of the YMCA, which is a place parents can leave their kids to “make it easier for parents to find time to improve their wellness – spirit, mind, and body.”

“I love working in the Kids Zone and spending time with the kids there,” O’Brien said. “I also enjoy using the YMCA to workout. They have a wide variety of equipment to use, which makes working out much easier.”

Achieving and maintaining resolutions becomes more accessible and feasible by making use of the available facilities in El Dorado.

For more information on either facility, use the links below:
https://www.instagram.com/p/C2xb-7JLTZt/
https://ymcawichita.org/locations/el-dorado-ymca