Alivia Chenoweth- Marketing Employee
Recreation Centers is focused on positively impacting the holistic well-being of the Liberty University community, as stated in our mission statement. The growth of students and staff through the use of our facilities and service to the Liberty campus is one of our core values that we strive to maintain. Holistic-growth is a hard thing to come by but can be done in many ways besides participating in recreational activities. It can also be found in the slowing-down of life through the process of fasting and focusing on your faith and walk with God.
Fasting is commonly seen as a time where you take an absence of food to focus on spiritual growth. That often turns people away from the concept of fasting, but instead think of it as this; the act of humbly denying something of the flesh to glorify God, enhance our spirit, and go deeper in our prayer life.
Fasting can be more than abstaining from food. It can be taking a leave from social media, sports, sleep, friends, etc. It’s usually something in your life that is taking up a lot of time and distracting you and pulling you away from spending time with the Lord and preventing you … Read More

Torrin Nelson- Marketing Manager
It is that time of year. The semester is over, and you have probably exhausted yourself from a lot of work academically and physically during the semester, but you now have the opportunity to take a break and let your body and mind rest. If you keep pushing forward without listening to your mind and body, you could find yourself at a burnout and physically and mentally unhealthy. Rest and relaxation are commonly mixed up, but both are important to your health, and now is the perfect time to practice a little rest and relaxation to recharge your body for the upcoming semester.
Rest is allowing your body to slow down and recuperate. Rest can be achieved by sleeping and low states of activity. Resting implies that your body isn’t actually doing much except for literally recharging itself. Without proper rest, the body can be susceptible to sickness and will lead to burnouts. These burnouts can be physical, mental, and emotional, and often they’re a combination of all three. During this break between semesters, allow your body to rest. This doesn’t mean that you need to avoid all forms of activity, but instead, be mindful and intentional about listening to your body and … Read More

Lindsey Haithcock- Marketing Employee
This month, thousands of people will create a list of resolutions for the new year. Generally, these are goals people will set that they want to do every day, such as going to the gym on a regular basis or cutting out sugar. It’s a well-known joke that gym crowds surge on January 1st, only to thin back out by March—or even January 2nd. It almost seems like resolutions are meant to be broken.
It is pretty difficult to develop new habits or drop deeply-ingrained habits cold turkey. Although it is hard to keep them, resolutions are a great way to make self-improvements in the new year. If you want to set yourself up for the best chance of successfully achieving your goals, start with these smart tips for developing actionable resolutions you can stick to.
1. Make Smaller Resolutions
The first key to success is zoning in on one goal, not two or three. Ask yourself, “What level of commitment will this require to achieve?” and consider if you’ll be able to match it. Are you really going to cut chocolate off completely? Limiting yourself to a couple Reese’s Cups a week might actually be more achievable.
2. Get Specific With Your Goals
“Save money” is a good goal to have, but how exactly are you planning to … Read More

Gabriela Mims- Marketing Employee
It’s nearing the end of the semester, and with that comes—you guessed it—final exams. Final exams are possibly the most dreaded facet of a college career. You work the entire semester writing papers, creating projects, and studying loads of materials to take a test to see if you learned what you were supposed to learn. Finals are an important part of university; however, they can trigger a lot of stress that can actually inhibit your ability to perform your best. Taking a break from your studies to work out—or even just practice your breathing—can be a tremendous help as you prepare for finals.
Breathing/Meditation
Although breathing is natural, and we do it every minute of every day, practicing breathing exercises can be a huge help to conquering exam stress. By deep breathing, you increase oxygen flow to your brain while simultaneously giving your mind a break from studying. If you take 5 minutes to focus on your breath, you’ll find that your mind will function better, and you’ll be able to finally focus on that paper you’ve been trying to write.
Yoga
If you have a little longer than 5 minutes, think about doing some yoga. Yoga can ease tension in your body, as it releases a calming chemical in your brain which can alleviate your pre-exam nerves. … Read More

Written By: Jacen Hamilton
As cooler weather moves through the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, outdoor adventurers congregate to enjoy a myriad of outdoor recreation opportunities within a stone’s throw of Liberty University. It is no secret that Liberty students enjoy hiking, camping, kayaking, and many other outdoor activities as leaves begin to detach from tree branches throughout the mountains. Likewise, Liberty students thrive (and often times, survive) on an assortment of coffee products throughout the greater Lynchburg area.
What do coffee and hiking have to do with one another? I think that these two experiences, though very different, often prove to be mellow, smooth and warming.  They also both work together to bring community and encourage relationships.  I have shared memorable experiences and conversations over a cup of coffee and on trails.
So, for the first time, I have paired my experiences hiking the Blue Ridge Mountains with my Lynchburg coffee preferences to produce the official “Coffee Hikes” lineup.

Best Overall: Third Wave Coffee / Spy Rock
Coming in at the top spot, Third Wave Coffee located in Forest, VA boasts unbelievably rich coffee alongside a welcoming atmosphere. Third Wave’s top-notch customer service paired with an intense care for the art of coffee making brands this shop as the best coffee in Lynchburg. A large inventory of Third Wave’s premium coffee is ethically sourced from high altitude locations throughout the world. Likewise, Spy Rock provides hikers … Read More

Lindsey Haithcock- Marketing Intern
The body is hard-wired to require a certain amount of sleep every night in order to perform to the best of its ability. Without the proper rest we cannot perform as well physically or cognitively. For athletes or people who exercise regularly, sleep is extremely important.
Being a college student is especially challenging in trying to get enough sleep. There are many sleepless nights due to homework, but getting proper rest is just as important as anything else. For the physically active, sleep deprivation carries risks such as: slower recovery time and a greater chance of exhaustion. If one is extremely tired, they are more prone to injury and most likely will not perform as well.
Are you getting enough sleep?
The recommended amount of time a person should get per night is around 7-9 hours. It is also recommended that you log your sleep for one week to account for how much you are sleeping per night. Note what time you fall asleep, what time you wake up. Note how you feel throughout the day—are you more energized or more sluggish? How drowsy do you feel?
Tips on Sleeping Well
1. Take a look at your schedule and try to set a time daily that you will go to sleep and a time that you will wake up. Try … Read More

Amanda Pagán – Marketing Intern
Isn’t it crazy how certain smells can trigger such strong emotions and memories? That’s because our sense of smell is a powerful sensation that is tied to different parts of our brain. When we smell something, it passes the areas in our brain that store emotions and memories.
Aromatherapy has been around for thousands of years. It’s been used to manage pain, improve sleep quality, reduce stress, improve symptoms of depression, and even soothe sore joints. When inhaled or applied to the skin, essential oils have been shown to help people overcome various health problems and aid in relaxation.
Some well-known benefits of aromatherapy are:
Improved Sleep Quality – Because essential oils promote relaxation, they can also help you feel sleepier before you head to bed.
Soothed Pain and Inflammation – Studies have shown that essential oils can help manage muscle pain and inflammation. Soothe those sore post-workout muscles with essential oils.
Raised Alertness – Having trouble focusing? Certain essential oils can boost your energy levels and help you better focus on the task at hand.
It might sound too good to be true but you’ll never know until you give it a try!
For more information on aromatherapy and its benefits, come to our Wellness Workshop: Aromatherapy and Your Health on September 26 from 5:30-6:30 pm in the LaHaye Rec & Fitness Center Mind/Body Studio. Learn how to … Read More

Lindsey Haithcock – Marketing Intern
Staying motivated in the gym – as well as in school – tends to be a challenge that one comes across often. Speaking from experience, it’s easy to get excited about starting new; however, one may find themselves losing interest after only a few weeks. If you are struggling with staying motivated in and out of the gym – this post may be for you.
Here are FIVE things that will help you stay motivated:
1. Change your perspective.
Shift your mentality that working out is a chore, to that working out can be fun and rewarding. It isn’t as hard as you may think. It’s the same with homework; if you sit down and tell yourself that it will be rewarding once it is done, you will more than likely get it done and thank yourself afterwards. Every time that you use your time productively you will thank yourself for that in the end.
2. Set a (practical) goal. 
It is extremely easy to get excited about something in the moment, and then get disappointed when things don’t go as you had planned. Most people fail at their fitness goals because they’re waiting for something miraculous to happen, but that is unfortunately not how it works. It often takes months for changes to show, so be patient and take things slow.
3. Create a schedule & stick … Read More

Written by: Danielle Ledgerwood
Summer in Lynchburg has a certain flair to it.
Once you get used to the Southern summer trifecta: insanely frequent thunderstorms, the sweltering combination of heat and humidity, and the relentless hordes of mosquitos, it’s actually quite nice.
There’s a stillness in the summer. Time slows down, days feel longer (especially when there’s light until 9 p.m.) and thoughts of school drift from your consciousness. That is – unless you’re one of the lucky few still in town for intensives.
During the summer, the majority of the Liberty student population is mostly absent, meaning the restaurants and local attractions in town aren’t nearly as crowded with college-aged kids.
The most frequent question I find myself asking: what is there to do?
When the weather cooperates and the air is not sweltering, there are a lot of things to do outdoors that are both physically active and fun.

Go hiking. Whether you hit up a classic like Sharp Top, Humpback Rock, or McAfee’s Knob, or want to try something new like Crabtree Falls or Devil’s Marble Yard, just be sure you take a buddy and always obey posted signs and warnings.
The James River flows right through downtown Lynchburg and offers opportunities for float trips or kayaking excursions. Although Outdoor Rec doesn’t rent out our kayaks during the summer months, there are other local outfitters that do.
Go for a run on Blackwater Creek Trail or the Liberty Mountain Trail System.
Take a swim at Miller … Read More

John Pereira – Marketing Intern
1. Go to a Pool
The best way to stay cool on a hot day in the summer is to go swimming! We have a beautiful pool at David’s Place which is perfect for a day in the sun. Check out our membership options or day passes and bring your friends and family! We can’t wait to see you there!
2. Buy or Make Popsicles
When it is hot out, eating a cold and refreshing popsicle should make you feel better! There are so many flavors to choose from AND they are cheap so they won’t burn a hole in your pocket. Popsicles are great for parties in the summer or just a relaxing day where you want to eat something cold and yummy! Check out this great and healthy recipe.
3. Run Through Sprinklers
Sprinklers are a fun way to stay cool in the summer if you don’t have a pool that you can go to. Lynchburg has an awesome Sprayground that is free to use. But if you would rather hang out at your house, sprinklers are cheap and easy to put together. Just connect it to your water hose! This option is a fun and easy way to stay cool on a hot summer day.
4. Stay Hydrated
Don’t forget, the most important thing to do on a hot day is to stay hydrated. According to One Medical, water accounts for 60% of our bodies. Either drinking water or … Read More