Personal Trainers Pushing Penguins

By Sierra Kish

Jambar Contributor

At the Andrews Student Recreation and Wellness Center, there are personal trainers available to help students, faculty and staff with fitness and nutrition. 

The rec center is in Kilcawley Center, and the cost for one session is $24 for students and $35 for faculty and staff. Stephanie DeMain, Demond Clark, James Wooley, Ginny Phillips and Lauren Hamilton are the five personal trainers available.

Clark, junior exercise science major, personal trainer and certified Group X trainer, described all his tasks as a personal trainer.

“We help create programs for individuals who want to increase their fitness level and do that in a safe and effective way,” Clark said. 

Da’Vaughn Griffin, junior international business major, is one of Clark’s clients, and he meets with Clark biweekly for a regimen that includes lifting weights and exercise. 

“It has helped me a ton. I would say I am definitely more active, healthy and in shape physically and mentally,” Griffin said. 

Clark said the personal trainers set goals for the clients to reach. When a client reaches his or her goals, it leads to a successful experience for the trainer and the client. 

“A client recently reached a new goal that was set to do 100 pushups, and so we were excited about that. Those are the moments I live for,” Clark said. 

Griffin said he’s found great benefit in having the personal trainer help him set and achieve fitness goals.  

“It’s great. An indescribable feeling,” Clark said. 

Being a personal trainer is an important experience for exercise science majors and athletic training majors.

“It helps with getting experience and to prepare me to be ready for when needed after I have my degree,” Clark said. 

DeMain, sophomore athletic training major, personal trainer and certified Group X and spinning instructor, said she also values the practical experience she receives working at the rec center.

“The experience prepares me for when I would be doing this later in life in my career and gives me strength to get through the day as a student,” DeMain said. 

To get access to any of the personal trainers, students, staff and faculty can go to the rec center and ask about personal training or schedule an appointment by calling 330-941-2207.

Ryan McNicholas, associate director of the Andrews Student Recreation and Wellness Center, can be contacted for specific information or questions regarding personal training at 330-941-2961 or [email protected].

Information can also be viewed at www.ysu.edu/reccenter for personal training services.

Before having a session, students will need to conduct a fitness test and fill out a paper with goals, health insurance and more. Students, faculty and staff also will need a YSU ID to enter the recreation and wellness center. 

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