How to Train for a Triathlon

September 16, 2022

Written by Nikki Kilian, Fitness Coordinator

You may have heard that LaHaye Campus Recreation is hosting a Triathlon Sprint this fall, and you may be interested in participating. This race will be a mostly indoor triathlon Sprint, meaning it is shorter than a traditional triathlon. In a triathlon sprint, the total distance run is 16 miles and it is broken up into the following categories:

Swim: 750 meters (approximately 0.50 miles)
Bike: 20 kilometers (12.40 miles)
Run: 5 kilometers (3.10 miles)

Define your Why
 A strong reason behind your training will help you follow through. Training for any race is hard work physically and mentally. Not to mention, it is often a large time commitment. Define why you are training, and remind yourself of it when things get challenging.
Make a Plan
 Creating a training plan and sticking to it will also help you with consistency. When creating a training plan, it is beneficial to be realistic. If your schedule does not allow you to train every day, then prioritize 2-3 days a week for training. Another way to be realistic is by not doing too much too fast. If you have never run before, start with a goal of 0.5-1 miles and add 0.5-1 miles every week until … Read More

A Beginner’s Guide to Intramural Sports

August 19, 2022

Written by Sammy Flecker, previous Intramural Sports Coordinator

Get your sneakers, cleats, and bats ready because Liberty Intramurals Sports is back! As we welcome you into the new school year, we also want to welcome newcomers. The Intramurals department offers a wide selection of sports that any Liberty student, faculty, or staff member can participate in — including team and individual sports as well as tournaments. To register for an Intramural Sport, you’ll use IMLeagues. Let’s give you a quick run-down of the site!
IMLeagues 101
While our Liberty.edu site houses general information about Intramural Sports, IMLeagues.com is where you will go to have full access to all our sports. You will be able to register as a captain, join a team, become a free agent to potentially be picked up, and schedule your own games if you are registered for an individual sport.
In order to access it, you will first have to create an account and select Liberty University as your “school/organization”. Please make sure that the information inputted is correct, including the proper spelling of your name and email. Your Liberty email is going to be a direct point of contact for updates on registration, game cancellations (weather), forfeits, etc.
Paying and Registering … Read More

Why Climbing Should Become Your 2022 Hobby

March 18, 2022

Written by Kylie Tidmore, Rock Wall Manager

Six years ago, I began climbing. I clung to the rock, struck with new anxiety, breathing heavily — my mind is racing trying to figure out the puzzle before me before my body gives out. My toes edged higher and higher on tiny holds as my hands sunk into white-coated pockets. The higher I climbed, the better I felt. Climbing centered me. It allowed my brain and my body to work together in an all-consuming and focusing way that grounded me.
Six years ago, I walked into an indoor climbing gym for the first time and was overwhelmed by colorful rocks, rope, tape, and puzzles. This was it for me; the beginning of a grand romance–love at first sight–if you will. Climbing became my safe haven. It became a way to push myself when I felt mentally blocked. It became a release and a distraction from anxiety and fear. I climbed for 3 hours the day I graduated high school in order to distract myself from the life change happening later that day, and I climbed after getting in the worst fight with my best friend (and sent my first v5).
So, what’s the appeal of climbing?
If … Read More

Making Time for Intramural Sports

January 21, 2022

Written by Sammy Flecker, Intramural Sports Coordinator

Is your class schedule full? Stuck in labs or studying in the library more often than not? Does your significant other need a date night, but you have an Intramural basketball game scheduled? If you didn’t know, there are other sports you can play where the scheduling is more flexible, with single-player or doubles formatting. Playing tennis, cornhole, spikeball, disc golf, or racquetball allows you to avoid the stress of time management and multiple-day commitments while continuing to get your competitive fix.
Individual Sports
Disc Golf, Racquetball, and Tennis are three of the individual roster sports Intramurals offers to students. Participating in these sports requires extra communication but benefits players with flexibility. Participants schedule matches directly with their opponent. Each sport has a specific facility to be used, but you work with your opponent to plan a day and time. You could play at 6 a.m. on a Monday or at 11 p.m. on a Saturday. You get to choose!
To schedule a match for these 3 sports, players can access participant information on IMLeagues to connect and set a date to compete. Best part? You qualify for playoffs if you play at least one game before the … Read More

Finding True Fitness in 2022

January 6, 2022

Written by Heather Salvia, Associate Director of Programs and Fitness

When you think of fitness — what comes to mind? Maybe it’s big muscles, marathon runners, CrossFit athletes, or any of the like. You’re not wrong, but as we approach another new year, maybe we can look at fitness in a new way. Here’s my definition for fitness in 2022:
Fitness is how well your body functions and responds to stress to help you thrive physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Many of us are stressed out, depleted, and burnt-out day in and day out. We may not be able to control the stress of our circumstances and schedule each day but finding true fitness can help your body become resilient to stress in the days to come. Here are a few ways to do this.
Intuitive Exercise
Exercise can be a great asset to health and fitness or its greatest foe. Here is how you can use intuitive exercise to keep stress down:
Use the Two R’s

Ask yourself before your workout, “Am I rested? Am I replenished?”. When you sleep well and feed yourself well, your workouts will glean greater gains than beating it when it’s down.

Assess Your Stress

If you have a workout program that requires you to … Read More

Common Aquatic Myths Debunked

October 14, 2021

Written by Luke Leach, LaHaye Aquatics Manager

Many of us love going to the pool to swim for exercise or fun. Little do we know that many of the common “facts” we associate with the pool are myths. In today’s post we are going to dive into some of the most popular myths.
Myth 1: I should wait half an hour after eating before swimming.
I know what you’re thinking, but it’s false. The primary reason for this myth is specifically because of younger children. We do not want children to throw up or poop in the pool. When we encourage kids to wait 30 minutes after eating before entering the pool, the time allows their stomachs to settle and helps decide if they need to go to the bathroom. This also greatly reduces the chance of a pool closure because of an unexpected accident.
We would recommend having a sandwich, protein bar, or other light foods before engaging in a swim workout. Each person reacts differently to the food they eat, but in general swimming before the 30-minute mark is not an issue.
Myth 2: Chlorine will turn my hair green.
Chlorine does not turn your hair green, but there is another chemical in the pool … Read More

The Benefits of Intramural Sports

September 16, 2021

Written by Kailey Bandara, Intramural Sports Manager

As a manager who has played and worked for Intramural Sports, I can say first-hand that there are many benefits to participating in Intramural Sports. Not only did it help create hundreds of memories with teammates and coworkers, but it was also the perfect starting point to getting involved on campus. Here are four of the major benefits of participating in Intramural Sports:
Meet New People
College is a time of transition. Getting plugged in can be a daunting task when navigating class schedules and settling into a new dorm or apartment. The person you sit next to in class can become your best friend, but sometimes it can be a lot harder than that to form friendships and meet new people. Speaking from a place of personal experience, joining an Intramural team opened the door to having opportunities every week to make memories in a fun and competitive environment. You can join a team with your hall or play the role of “General Manager” and add people to your team that you have met from other places on campus. Whichever route you choose by building a team or joining one, you will never know the fun … Read More

Preparing for Your First Rock Wall Visit

August 20, 2021

Written by Kylie Tidmore, Rock Wall Monitor

In the two years that I have worked at the LaHaye Rock Wall, I have encountered countless people that “really want to come climb, but they are nervous or intimidated.” I have heard countless people say they wish they had taken advantage of the rock wall while they had the opportunity.
First of all, at the wall we love new climbers! Most people will agree that the best part of climbing is the community—and you being a part of that community will only make the experience better! If you’re nervous, use this blog to learn some basic rock wall lingo as well as some at home exercises you can do to prepare for your first rock wall visit.
Checking In
When you come to the rock wall, the first thing you will see is our silver desk, shining brightly with the sun’s reflection. We will be sitting behind it, smiling, and ready to welcome you in! You will have the option to climb on the bouldering wall, the grasshopper board, or the auto-belay tower.
We do have free shoe rentals as well, but a lot of climbers do bring their own shoes. If you find yourself wanting to pursue this … Read More

Using a Treadmill for a Great Workout

July 26, 2021

Written by Heather Salvia, Associate Director of Fitness & Programs

On those days when you can’t workout outside, a treadmill can be a great indoor exercise tool. If you have ever thought working out on a treadmill sounds boring, you aren’t alone, but here are a couple of engaging, versatile workouts with varying intensity to try on the treadmill next time you are stuck indoors.
The Walk-Run
This workout is good for someone who doesn’t love to run for long periods of time, or someone getting back into running. The alternating of walking/running will also break up the impact. Incline can be between 0-2 or more if desired.

Start off with a 1-mile warm-up – light jog around 4.5mph
At the 1-mile mark, boost up your speed (between 5.5-6.5mph) for ¾ of a mile
Turn the speed down to brisk walking pace and walk for ¼ mile
Repeat this interval (can increase speed during the run beyond 6.5 if fitness level allows) for between 20-45 minutes
Cool down with a 1-mile walk

Mile Repeats
This workout is good for anyone who is looking into increase their speed in running or just looking for an overall good workout. Incline can be between 0-2 or more if desired.

Start off with a 1-mile warm-up … Read More

Upgrade Your Exercise: Swimming for Fitness

March 19, 2021

Written by Morgan Segner, Aquatics Manager & Swim Instructor

Swimming has long been seen as one of the best full-body exercises and can strengthen almost all major muscle groups without the concern of injuries associated with high-impact workouts. It acts as a physical and neural exercise through breathing exercises and the use of sharpened focus. In this blog, we’ll review all of the positive roles learning to swim and swimming for fitness plays to your overall health.
Swimming as a Full Body Workout
Since swimming is a high endurance sport, it allows anyone choosing to swim for cardio purposes a way to burn off a great deal of calories. As a rule, swimmers burn around 3 calories/mile per total body weight.  So a 220lb swimmer would burn around 660 calories/mile depending on the intensity. Swimming as a cardio workout compared to running is usually judged at a 4:1 ratio—this means that when you swim one mile you’re burning as many calories as a four mile run!  You can also differ your swimming strokes and techniques to work and train different muscle groups.
Freestyle — works your arm muscles the most, mainly your biceps and triceps, as well as your calf muscles with the kick.
Breaststroke — … Read More