University of Delaware Employee Health and Wellness has partnered with UD Athletics to expand offerings on the south side of campus. The offerings include yoga, boot camp, nutrition and mindfulness. 

“From long before I came to UD up until very recent focus groups, employees have been asking for more offerings beyond the Little Bob, especially on South Campus,” said Beth Finkle, who is a few months into her new job as director of Employee Health and Wellness. “The UD Athletics leadership team stepped up and offered its facilities for fitness classes and wellness workshops, in order to help us bridge this gap.”

These morning, lunchtime and late afternoon classes will take place in the Delaware Field House and the Bob Carpenter Center auditorium, east gym, west gym, lobby and Carpenter Club. 

“We are excited to invite all of our friends on campus down to the athletic complex to take part in these classes. Certainly fitness, health and well-being are a large part of what we are about in Athletics and Recreation and it was really important to us to establish this partnership,” said Chrissi Rawak, director of intercollegiate athletics and recreation services. “We hope UD employees here and across campus will take advantage of these great opportunities for self-care and meet some fellow Blue Hens, and that this is the start of more collaborations to come." 

The first offering, yoga, begins on Wednesday, Oct. 26 (no registration required for fitness classes). To sign up for the fitness classes and workshops, employees can visit the Employee Health and Wellness website and click “register.”

The full list of offerings is as follows: 

Fitness classes

Employees do not need to register for the fitness classes, but will have to pre-purchase a fitness pass to join. The fitness passes can be bought as a single class, 6- or 10-week package. For those who already purchased an unlimited pass for this semester, no further purchases are required.

Yoga

Dates and times: Wednesdays from Oct. 26 to Dec. 7, from 12:15-1 p.m. (excluding week of Thanksgiving).

Location: Delaware Field House.

Description: Focus on the breath in combination with various poses will help to strengthen the body and mind. Whether a participant is a yoga junkie or just new to the mat, this class is perfect for all looking to improve their strength and decrease their stress.

Boot Camp

Dates and times: Thursdays from Oct. 27 to Dec. 8, from 7:15-8:15 a.m. (excluding week of Thanksgiving).

Location: Bob Carpenter Center, west gym.

Description: This total body conditioning class will provide a workout from head to toe. Using a variety of different drills, participants will work on balance, strength, agility, and core. This interval class will allow participants to push themselves to the next level, whether they are just starting out or seasoned pros.

Workshops

Mindfulness and Performance 

Date and time: Nov. 2, from noon-1 p.m. 

Location: Bob Carpenter Center, Carpenter Club.

Description: Mindfulness in its broadest form is the development of impartial present-moment focused attention. The goal of this workshop will be to introduce participants as to how mindfulness can improve their performance in variety of settings.

Know Your Number Biometrics

Date and time: Nov. 10, from 11 am.-1 p.m. 

Location: Bob Carpenter Center, lobby.

Description: Certified Health Professionals will facilitate blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose screenings and participant will spend approximately five minutes being coached on the results. The cost is $15 per participant. 

Healthy Holiday Eating

Date and time: Dec. 8, from 12:30-1:30 p.m.

Location: Bob Carpenter Center, auditorium.

Description: This workshop will include recommendations to adjust recipes to decrease calories and fat and increase fiber without sacrificing quality. Participants also will leave this workshop with many heart-healthy great tasting recipes.