[lorend]

Athletics: The Pulse
By Danielle Lorenz

I’m getting ready to pump you up (said in an Austrian accent). Renovated and re-opened at the beginning of 2007, the McMaster Pulse (aka the gym) is one of the largest health facilities in Canada. Let me give you a little tour, so to speak. Go here to check out the main Pulse website: http://www.athrec.mcmaster.c a/faci...aley/index.htm

In order to become a member of the Pulse, and thus use its facilities, you must pay for them. You do this in two ways; firstly by paying the fees to the Department of Athletics and Recreation as part of your supplementary fees; and secondly by purchasing a membership. Your best deal is to get a membership for eight months, unless you plan on visiting the gym throughout the summer. This membership allows you access to all equipment except for treadmills, the climbing wall, and the power pacing program. If you choose to use these you must pay an additional fee on top of your membership. Becoming a Pulse member is extremely inexpensive; a basic eight month plan costs less than $12/month. New this year to the website is a feature to register for your membership online. You can see it here: http://www.athrec.mcmaster.c a/registration/pulse.htm

Other services you may wish to pay for include the towel service, and purchasing a locker. However, one may use a day locker (i.e. borrow a locker spot while you are at the gym and remove your lock and personal effects when you leave) free of charge. However to forget your lock and stuff overnight is to result in a fee.

Inside the Pulse there are five main athletic rooms, each of which serves a different purpose. The Cardio Gallery is located in the upstairs level of the pulse and features treadmills, elliptical machines, stationary bikes, stair climbers, rowing machines and a stretching area. Additionally, there are televisions to watch and you can hear the main stereo system playing in the Strength Training Area. The Climbing Wall is located inside the Pulse main area beside the Strength Training Area. It is thirty feet wide and thirty-six feet tall. One must pass a belay test before they can use this facility. Due to McMaster hosting the National Road Cycling Centre, the Cycling Studio has top notch equipment. Used most often for spinning classes, the Cycling Studio also features a good sound system used to pump you up during those difficult rides. Also beside the Climbing Wall is the Fitness Studio where many of the classes that are offered by the physical trainers at the Pulse occur. The last athletic room is the Strength Training Area, which takes up the largest area within the David Braley Athletic Centre. Pulse members use the single person stationary machines in this area to build muscle.

There are three other fitness facilities in the Pulse which are frequently used, although they serve different purposes than the ones previously stated. The pool is a 50m, six lane facility, connected to the Ivor Wynne Centre. One can use it for free swims, but it is most often used by the various clubs and teams at McMaster that need water. The indoor track is located above the cardio gallery, and is 400m around. There are four squash courts that lay adjacent to the main Pulse centre. Proper safety equipment (non-marking shoes and goggles) must be warn and all times. Additionally, court times must be booked in advance.

Group fitness classes are also available throughout the year. Most often, these take place in the main Fitness Studio. Classes vary in length and intensity (anywhere from ten minutes to an hour), and occur during various times in the week (some as early as 7AM). Examples of some of the classes offered during the 2006-2007 year were: yoga, cardio kickboxing, nia, step classes, core blasts, cycling, aerobics, and water aerobics. You can find more information about the classes available this year here: http://www.athrec.mcmaster.c a/fitn...s/schedule.htm

Finally, one must pay attention to the rules and regulations that are apart of the membership privilege. I am not going to explain them for you, as this article has gotten rather long. Instead, I will supply you with the link, which is available here: http://www.athrec.mcmaster.c a/faci...s/facility.htm

Now, join the Pulse and avoid that Freshman Fifteen!!

[janeller]

what is the power pacing program? all i really want to do is run on the indoor track...hopefully that isn't power pacing?

[lorend]

honestly, i have no idea. they have no link up on the website right now (that explains is) so i can't tell you anything.

you can ask Pulse staffmenbers come september, though.

[ingénieur.xo]

In order to do the online registration you have to have been a former member in the athletics or recreation, therefore first-years can't do online registration for the gym.
Is there a chance that we won't get a membership, because where you go for the online registration it has a limit number, is that just for online registration or for any registration?

[lorend]

I assume there is just a limit for online registration. It's a new thing this year as well.

And you'll be able to get a membership come September, no problem. I'm assuming it's better for them to get as many memberships as possible.

[alex89]

Does anyone know if you get get a guest pass to the Pulse or if like non-mac students can partake in classes at the gym???

[lorend]

You can get guest passes, but I'm not sure exactly how it works and what restrictions are on the pass.

You should ask staff at the Pulse come September

[ayinaim]

I'm kinda confused with the pulse membership and all and hope someone can help me out. Lets say i'd paid all my tuition fees, in lay man's term, what are the list of things that i do get and i dont?

And what are the things i could get if i'm willing to pay more? Hope somebody can explain because the website itself is kinda confusing.
THanks!

[lorend]

In order to use the Pulse (equipment, track, intramurals (i think), classes) you need to pay for a membership. The only thing that is exempt is the pool.

I think we end up paying the Ath and Rec fee so the complex stays open and maintained, and it has nothing to do with using the facilities.

[Ian Finlay]

I am almost 100% sure that you can take classes, use the pool and track and gymnasiums, as well as the squash court without paying anymore.

what you dont get from just paying your tuition is access to the Climbing wall, and access to the weight room/cardio deck (aka The Pulse).

On that note, previously going to other gyms, the Pulse is the cheapest by far to join, and probably the best selection of equipment and nicest facilities.

[lorend]

Don't you have to swipe your student card at the thingies at the entrance to DBAC to get into the squash courts?

Same with entering the Pulse to take classes; you need to have your card scanned and accepted before you can get to the classrooms...dependin g on stairwells (ie if you can only access it from the main ones in the Pulse) you would need a gym membership to use the track too.

Pool you don't tho!

[Ian Finlay]

The money you pay in your tuition lets your card swipe through the turnstyles.... to go to classes you can get a little slip which says your just taking a class, and you show that at the pulse so you dont need a membership I am pretty sure.

[lorend]

Ooh. I didn't know that for the turn style thingies.

But...what classes do you mean? Because there are ones you have to pay for regardless of your membership or not; and those ones certainly would use the pass thing you mentioned.

[Chad]

Ya, as long as you're a full time undergrad student part of your tuition includes ath and rec fees that get you basic things, as Ian said, such as the olympic sized pool and the squash courts. You can get in the main entrance with your student card. Obviously they don't want strangers coming in but ya, some things are free!

[Ian Finlay]

Yeah you need to pay for the classes, but you don't need to pay for a pulse membership. And to be honest, those turnstyle things are more of a hassle than good. Slows things up since no one can work them and they are super slow.