Being active and healthy is a goal any student should strive to achieve. Unfortunately with all the demands of classes, it can get pretty tough to get that extra hour in at the gym. Sometimes, students just need a little extra motivation to get going, and the “Commit To Be Fit” program proves that teamwork can lead to something anyone would love: success.

This program, run by the Kinesiology department, offers students and faculty alike the chance to join together and achieve their personal fitness goals by working as a team.

“The students who run the program are all getting internship credit for it. It’s a way for kinesiology students to take what they’ve learned in their coursework and apply it in real people,” said Kim Henige, assistant professor of kinesiology.

This program not only applies the foundations of fitness to students, but student-trainers actually get to test their personally-structured routines out on their own professors.

Kinesiology major Rachna Patel finds the idea of teaching faculty exciting. According to her, the reward of helping each other is what makes “Commit To Be Fit” that much more enjoyable.

“Us students develop exercise routines for the client and we teach them how to do it. It’s pretty funny how the roles get switched,” Patel said. “One of the things that gives them motivation is that we do the exercises with them continuously. That gives them motivation to keep moving forward.”

There are four stations where students set up on a field located across Redwood Hall outside a workout house: upper body, lower body, core and cardio, each one specifically targeted to certain goals. Groups split up among those four stations and work out with their corresponding fitness team and trainers, lunging, punching, running and stretching to some upbeat music. Once time is up, everyone shifts over to the next station. Held four days a week, it keeps adrenaline up and encourages trainers and trainees to motivate each other.

Director of “Commit To Be Fit,” Nick Ward, has his own uplifting slogan that he shares with the team to strengthen and reassure each of them of their capabilities.

“The whole idea of the program is supposed to be WIN WIN WIN! Everybody’s winning, everybody’s learning off of each other. This program teaches students how to design exercise templates and lead group exercise classes. It’s kind of a learning experience for both faculty and staff and students,” he said.

Exercise is beneficial in so many more ways than just shedding pounds and watching the numbers go down on a scale. Being physically active helps manage stress and depression, increases mental alertness, reduces one’s risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and certain types of cancer, and even enhances sexual desire and performance, just to list a few benefits.

Robert Rojas, an equipment technician at CSUN, appreciates this program and acknowledges an important role “Commit To Be Fit” plays in his everyday life.

“Health plays an important role because it allows you to be more active and do your job better. It keeps you fit and it alleviates any issues you might have with your body. My position is active, so I’m doing a lot of heavy lifting and heavy work so (Commit To Be Fit) does benefit me a lot.”

Each person has different fitness goals, and exercise can be adjusted to meet everyone’s own needs, no matter how young or how old. “Commit To Be Fit” ensures great results with a little self-discipline and motivation. The great part about it is working collectively and picking each other up.

“Part of my personal philosophy is that ‘you control your own destiny’,” kinesiology major Phoebe Garcia said proudly. “We say that a lot in this Kinesiology department so I really try to incorporate that in my everyday life, and I encourage others to do the same.”