Break a Sweat at the Pratt Fitness Center

By Elise Person

Staff Writer

The Pratt Fitness and Recreation Center offers a multitude of fitness classes for students to partake in throughout the week. The classes are open to all undergrad or graduate students and those with a membership. Classes are held in the multi-purpose room of the Pratt building, with the exception of the spin class, which is held in BlueFit, the spin room in Hillwood Commons.

Classes offered include: spin, total body workout, yoga, recovery yoga, circuit training, TRX, Zumba, and conditioning. The classes are held Monday through Friday. Each of the instructors are certified trainers and are unaffiliated with the university, typically brought in from local gyms to teach a class.

Junior James Steindl has taken multiple yoga classes through the Pratt Center. “Afterward you feel so great and that’s why I continue to go every week,” Steindl said. “I leave yoga feeling refreshed, rejuvenated, and recreated.”

Another fitness option offered at is personal training. The purpose of this feature is to teach people how to work out and utilize exercise programs. Members can sign up in the office located at Pratt by giving their availability throughout the following weeks. Based on their schedule, the members are matched with a trainer and they meet for an assessment. In the assessment, the members help the trainer understand their fitness goals and give the trainer insight about where they currently are physically. Then, the members will meet with the trainer regularly over a two or three-week period to create and understand a program. After that the members will continue their program on their own after learning how to achieve their goal and what to do in the gym.

Martin Guillet, associate director for recreational sports fitness and intramurals, talked about the purpose of the personal trainer program. “It’s not like valets, where you go and pay to have that personal time. We’re trying to teach people how to exercise for themselves.”

The fitness classes and personal training program at Pratt are available to all members. Current students are automatically considered members as it comes with university fees. The membership is also available to LIU faculty, staff and alumni for a cost. The cost for faculty and staff is $165 per year. The prices for alumni vary depending on the amount of years since they graduated. “They [the university] makes it cheaper for younger alumni members because they don’t know if they have a job yet,” Guillet said. For graduates of the year prior, the annual rate is $100. The membership fee then climbs to $270, and after five years, the annual fee is $400.

The Pratt Fitness Center always looks to create more opportunities for students. “We are always trying to expand services and classes, so if people have ideas and things, they can just share with us,” Guillet said.