“By Nicholas Benson [email protected] Sept. 14 will be the first day of a 12-week long walking program organized by the Student Recreation and Wellness Services Center. The Step by Step Walking Incentive Program, which is free for students, is a campaign that is designed to assist participants in becoming more physically active.”
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Sept. 14 will be the first day of a 12-week long walking program organized by the Student Recreation and Wellness Services Center. The Step by Step Walking Incentive Program, which is free for students, is a campaign that is designed to assist participants in becoming more physically active.
Participation in the program includes joining the Step by Step America on the Move group, which has a Web site that helps students record daily physical activity. It will also include a walking log for participants without daily computer access, a weekly newsletter and updates, and an opportunity to join the UA Lunchtime Walking Club. The club meets every Monday and Thursday from 12:10-12:45 p.m. starting on Sept. 14th at Dorothy Garret Martin Fountain or James A. Rhodes Arena track if there is unsuitable weather.
Participation in the program also includes the Step by Step Brown Bag Kickoff which will take place Sept. 10 at the Student Union in Room 312 from 12:15-1:00 p.m. The kickoff will include a representative from Second Sole who will be discussing foot in motion biomechanics and how the proper shoe keeps you healthy and moving forward according to the Step by Step Web site. There will also be a drawing for the chance to win a heart rate monitor.
We had a lot of faculty and staff join last year. We would love to have more students join, Carly Canzonetta, graduate assistant at the Recreation Center, said. Canzonetta said that a different graduate assistant ran the program last year, and that she hopes this year the students will really get involved. She also said that in the month of October the group may also take part in a walk for cancer.
According to the UA Recreation Web site, experts recommend you take 10,000 steps a day to achieve the health benefits associated with physical activity. This is nearly five miles of walking a day. The Web site also says that most Americans only walk between 3,000 – 5,000 steps on a normal basis. They conclude that the program emphasizes the addition of adding steps to your daily routine through a slow process.
The Step by Step program is available to all UA students, faculty, staff and Recreation and Wellness Center members and will take place on the university’s main campus. The program will run from Sept. 14 through Dec. 3, 2009. The program is implemented by the University of Akron Student Recreation and Wellness Services through America on the Move. It was developed by The Wellness Councils of America.
America on the Move is a non-profit organization, which improves health and quality of life by promoting healthful eating and active living among individuals, families, communities and society, according to their mission statement. The organization consists of thousands of Americans all across the country. Their Web site contains tools for schools and numerous ways to get exercise involved in your life.
For registration details on the Step by Step Program and walking route maps visit the following Web site: www.uakron.edu/onat/srwc/wellness/walkingprogram.html
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