As long as a student is attending classes at N.C. State, admission to Carmichael Gymnasium is free. However, even that price isn’t enough to attract some students to work out on campus. A large contingent of students living off campus is choosing to lift weights and do cardiovascular exercises at private gymnasiums such as Peak Fitness and Planet Fitness.
Mandy Prior, a senior in psychology, exercises at Planet Fitness year-round. According to her, Planet Fitness is populated with State students.
“I am here every single day, about three hours a day. I know about half the gym, and everybody is from state,” Prior said. “A lot of grad students come here too.”
Planet Fitness’ manager, Jay Chambers, graduated from N.C. State in 2007. He said about 25 percent of his gym’s clients are students. Chambers believes that Carmichael simply doesn’t have the capacity to support the exercise needs of everyone at the University.
“You got 30,000 people over there,” Chambers said. “That facility is just not big enough to handle that many people.”
Reasons cited by those buying memberships at private fitness centers include parking, overcrowding, hours of operation, and convenience. Dusty Baskett, a junior in electrical engineering, lives less than a mile from planet fitness. Although he is taking summer classes and admission to Carmichael would be free, he said the cost of driving to campus every evening would exceed the dues he is paying at his new gym.
“You save money,” Baskett said. “The gas that it would take me to go to N.C. State every day would cost more than how much I am paying at Planet Fitness. Plus, you can’t put a price on time.”
Moise Findley, a junior in agricultural business management, lives on campus and works out at Carmichael. He said that the gym’s new hours make private fitness centers more attractive.
“My freshman year, the gym would stay open till 11,” Findley said. “That was really convenient because I could go get some dinner at fountain and then work out afterwards. You can’t do that anymore.”
During the summer, Carmichael closes at 9 p.m. and is only open from 1-5 p.m. on the weekend. By contrast, many of the private fitness centers operate 24 hours a day during the week.
Robert Dominguez, a junior in the transition program, lives off campus and owns a membership to Peak Fitness. Although he also uses Carmichael’s facilities, mostly during the summer, he says his membership is important during the semester when Carmichael’s facilities become overloaded with students.
“Right now it’s ok, but as soon as school starts, all the new students are here,” Dominguez said. “All the freshmen are going to be in here standing around, and I just get really annoyed with it.”
Many of those with memberships to other gyms believe Carmichael has a lot to offer, but its advantages don’t outweigh the disadvantages.
Prior said she really enjoys working out there.
“I love the gym,” Prior said. “I have worked out there in the past, but I just can’t get there, and I can’t park. Also, their weekend hours are no good at all.”
