Don’t be a Cynic. Get with the Clinic.
The Exercise Clinic at ISU, in existence since 1974, is an on-campus adult fitness program sponsored by the department operating under the direction of faculty member, Ana Fantini, Ph.D.
Purpose
The primary objective of The Exercise Clinic at ISU is to enable participants in having a program of lifelong physical activity that will reduce their risk for chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity. We achieve this objective by:
- Providing safe and effective exercise programs specific to each participant
- Creating an environment conducive to participants enjoying physical activity
- Administering physiological tests to identify fitness levels and areas needing improvement
Facilities
Our facility is located in Room 194 of the Forker Building. This 8700 ft², air-conditioned facility is equipped with an extensive array of cardiovascular and resistive exercise equipment. We have over 25 cardiovascular stations, including treadmills, elliptical machines, rowers, recumbent cycles and upright cycle ergometers. There are 13 Keiser resistive exercise stations, dumbbells ranging from 2 to 100 pounds, flat and incline benches, a TRX station, and other related exercise equipment such as resistive bands and medicine balls. This equipment was chosen for its ease of use, suitability for a diverse group of people, user friendliness and safety.
Supervision
Each class is supervised by an exercise leader. This leader is a graduate student in the Kinesiology Department. She or he is assisted by several senior undergraduate students with a similar major who are completing an internship required for their degree.
Participants
The program is open to the Iowa State community and the general public. It is not available to undergraduate students. To be considered for the program, the individual completes an application or registration form. If a new participant has significant health or medical concerns, then written permission by their personal physician is also needed.
New participants are enrolled in a class of their choosing, which enables them to exercise in a structured environment. All new participants also undergo a fitness assessment.
The assessment quantifies the participant’s current level of cardiorespiratory fitness, flexibility, muscular strength, muscular endurance, and body composition. From this, and in concert with the participant’s exercise goals, we develop and exercise prescription outlining what and how the person needs to exercise. The exercise leaders then work with the participants to facilitate their being successful in their exercise program.