Athletics: The Pulse Gym

"Athletics: The Pulse Gym", August 2007.

I’m getting ready to pump you up (said in an Austrian accent). Renovated and re-opened at the beginning of 2007, the McMaster Pulse (aka the gym) is one of the largest health facilities in Canada. Let me give you a little tour, so to speak. Go here to check out the main Pulse website: http://www.athrec.mcmaster.ca/facili...aley/index.htm

In order to become a member of the Pulse, and thus use its facilities, you must pay for them. You do this in two ways; firstly by paying the fees to the Department of Athletics and Recreation as part of your supplementary fees; and secondly by purchasing a membership. Your best deal is to get a membership for eight months, unless you plan on visiting the gym throughout the summer. This membership allows you access to all equipment except for treadmills, the climbing wall, and the power pacing program. If you choose to use these you must pay an additional fee on top of your membership. Becoming a Pulse member is extremely inexpensive; a basic eight month plan costs less than $12/month. New this year to the website is a feature to register for your membership online. You can see it here: http://www.athrec.mcmaster.ca/registration/pulse.htm

Other services you may wish to pay for include the towel service, and purchasing a locker. However, one may use a day locker (i.e. borrow a locker spot while you are at the gym and remove your lock and personal effects when you leave) free of charge. However to forget your lock and stuff overnight is to result in a fee.

Inside the Pulse there are five main athletic rooms, each of which serves a different purpose. The Cardio Gallery is located in the upstairs level of the pulse and features treadmills, elliptical machines, stationary bikes, stair climbers, rowing machines and a stretching area. Additionally, there are televisions to watch and you can hear the main stereo system playing in the Strength Training Area. The Climbing Wall is located inside the Pulse main area beside the Strength Training Area. It is thirty feet wide and thirty-six feet tall. One must pass a belay test before they can use this facility. Due to McMaster hosting the National Road Cycling Centre, the Cycling Studio has top notch equipment. Used most often for spinning classes, the Cycling Studio also features a good sound system used to pump you up during those difficult rides. Also beside the Climbing Wall is the Fitness Studio where many of the classes that are offered by the physical trainers at the Pulse occur. The last athletic room is the Strength Training Area, which takes up the largest area within the David Braley Athletic Centre. Pulse members use the single person stationary machines in this area to build muscle.

There are three other fitness facilities in the Pulse which are frequently used, although they serve different purposes than the ones previously stated. The pool is a 50m, six lane facility, connected to the Ivor Wynne Centre. One can use it for free swims, but it is most often used by the various clubs and teams at McMaster that need water. The indoor track is located above the cardio gallery, and is 400m around. There are four squash courts that lay adjacent to the main Pulse centre. Proper safety equipment (non-marking shoes and goggles) must be warn and all times. Additionally, court times must be booked in advance.

Group fitness classes are also available throughout the year. Most often, these take place in the main Fitness Studio. Classes vary in length and intensity (anywhere from ten minutes to an hour), and occur during various times in the week (some as early as 7AM). Examples of some of the classes offered during the 2006-2007 year were: yoga, cardio kickboxing, nia, step classes, core blasts, cycling, aerobics, and water aerobics. You can find more information about the classes available this year here: http://www.athrec.mcmaster.ca/fitnes...s/schedule.htm

Finally, one must pay attention to the rules and regulations that are apart of the membership privilege. I am not going to explain them for you, as this article has gotten rather long. Instead, I will supply you with the link, which is available here: http://www.athrec.mcmaster.ca/facili...s/facility.htm

Now, join the Pulse and avoid that Freshman Fifteen!!