As you know, finals are coming up and I'm a bit worried about losing all of the muscle mass I've put on this semester. I've been going hard in the gym and making some serious progress, but with five finals to study for, I feel as though I won't have time to maintain my stunning musculature. How do I cope with this part of the semester? -- Michael Morton, class of 2005
I'm sure a lot of students here at Tufts feel the same way as you do about finals and working out. Working out during a time when you have few exams and few papers is easy: You fit gym time into your busy schedule and do your workouts. But during exam periods, especially finals, the crunch is on and there is a lot of work to get done, never mind the elevated stress levels.
However as a seasoned veteran of Tufts University, I would highly recommend continuing your gym routine, even during reading period and finals (just make sure you're not at the gym when you're supposed to be taking one of those bad boys). The extra built-up energy, as well as the high stress situations you're placed in during finals week, can be released during workouts.
Working out gives your body a mental break from studying while physically assisting in release all of that extra energy and stress. This allows you to focus on other things, at least for the time being. In addition, exercise releases hormones called endorphins which have been shown to produce many positive side effects on stressful situations: Mainly, endorphins reduce stress, reduce the perception of pain, and lead to feelings of happiness.
So taking time to hit the gym during finals will be beneficial to your mental and physical state, and it may lead to a better performance on the actual exams.
What is this Tufts Personalized Performance Program I keep hearing about and why would I, someone who looks perfect already, sign up for it? -- Allison Yale, class of 2005
The Tufts Personalized Performance Program (or TPPP) is a fitness program that was started here at Tufts a couple of years ago. Basically, funds have been allocated to allow each student at Tufts to receive five free sessions with a personal trainer, no strings attached.
The TPPP coordinator, Francis Otting, matches each student/faculty member with a personal trainer. The personal trainer then meets with each client five times. In the first session, the trainer evaluates the client's fitness goals, medical history, posture, and flexibility. During the second session, the flexibility program is implemented and optional fitness testing (i.e. body composition) takes place.
In the final three sessions, the trainer supervises the client's individualized workouts, assisting with lifting form and answering any questions the client may have. After the five free sessions are used, each client may decide to continue training for a fee of $25 per session, or the client may decide to leave the program.
Either way, it's a win/win situation. You get five free sessions to learn new things about fitness in a one-on-one environment. I would highly recommend signing up for this deal; it doesn't exist at any other university in the country. Even though the semester is winding down, the waiting list at the beginning of each school year is quite long. So signing up now for the Fall 2004 semester would be smart. Just send an email to francis.otting@tufts.edu if you're interested and she will set you up to be trained.
