Through the rhythm of her feet against the treadmill, sophomore in textile technology Hannah LaRoe turns expectantly to smile at her friend, who enters the gym. Like many students, LaRoe knows it’s good for girls to tone with cardio exercise.

Someone who agrees that “cardio is core” is Michael Lyda, a sophomore in electrical engineering. Other than cardio, he said, students should do what they enjoy during their workouts.

LaRoe said that guys support both cardio and weightlifting. A freshman in aerospace engineering, Brad Sheerin likes free weights.

Despite a person’s gender or time spent at the gym weekly, there’s no doubt that workouts are beneficial.

“Any time you work out, it increases blood circulation,” Janey Calicott, a group fitness instructor and junior in mathematics education, said. “It makes you a healthier person.”

Cardio

Any kind of cardio exercise is good “just because it’s important to keep your heart in good shape,” Calicott said.

Cardio workouts focus on the lower body, such as thighs and calves. Running, swimming and jogging are just a few examples of this type of exercise, which also strengthens the heart.

“All those exercises are really good for your heart, and they’re good for both sexes,” Calicott said.

Women

LaRoe said she thinks cardio is useful no matter how old you are, and that it is more important than weights.

Cardio slims you and is good for your heart, but “if someone runs a lot, that could get boring,” she said.

Since it is important to stick to something, LaRoe said students should find an activity they enjoy.

Men

Nicolas Livolsi gave some input as to how to make cardio enjoyable. According to Livolsi, aside from merely a run, you should involve yourself in sports like basketball, football or soccer. He says to “mix it up.”

Sculpting

When one is strengthening and sculpting his or her muscles, that person is working on his or her entire body, Calicott said. These exercises, which include squats, sit-ups and push-ups, provide a well-rounded workout that “targets the main muscle groups,” especially the stomach and arms.

Calicott said the fitness instructors tell their students to start at five-pound weights and, if they feel like they can handle more, to move to a higher weight.

“If you feel like you’re being strained, you can pull back,” she said. “It’s OK, as long as you feel like you’re getting a good work out.”

Women

Since lifting weights alongside men can be “a little bit intimidating,” Calicott said the gym offers a class called “Women on Weights,” which targets women and teaches them how to weight-lift properly.

LaRoe said the benefit of weights is that they burn fats and calories.

Men

Not all workouts work for both guys and girls. A girl tennis player would focus on her shoulder muscles. Meanwhile, a football player would probably work on his chest, Lyda said.

Sheerin focuses on specific parts of the body as well. LaRoe agrees that the benefit of weights is that they burn fats and calories.

Sheerin focuses on specific parts of the body as well.

Livolsi has some ideas for differences in the workouts of guys and girls. However, he recommended that, for both, weights are good on the side. The difference is that girls tone, while guys build. Girls should focus on repetition, which means less weight but more lifts. Vice-versa, guys should use more weight, less times, Livolsi said.

General tips

Calicott said that when the group fitness instructors teach their classes, they start out at the most basic level and move from there. If a student is doing well and can handle a tougher workout, he or she will modify the existing workout to accommodate that student.

It’s this type of lesson students should heed — even outside the fitness classroom.

“If you don’t work out a lot, don’t do a high-energy workout a lot,” she said. “It might be kind of overwhelming at first, but it’s something you can build up to.”

As far as for how long people should work out, she said it depends — everyone will tell you something different.

“If it’s not making you feel tired, and if you feel good about yourself, and you are getting a good workout, that’s great,” Calicott said. “It just depends on how you are.”

She does recommend making time in your schedule for a workout, not just working out sporadically.

Break the routine

Sheerin emphasizes the importance of breaks during your routine, citing bicyclists as an example. If a bicyclist takes a five-minute break, that doesn’t give his legs time enough to cool down. But a longer break could cause unwanted lactic acid to build up.

His workout buddy, freshman Jon Smetana in First Year College, seconds this. He said he believes that as someone works out, they build muscle stamina that they would lose during a too-lengthy break. The time people spend in their workouts provides them with strength for their further workouts.

So, how many breaks? Depends on how long the workout.

How long of a work out? According to Livolsi, guys and girls should work out for one hour a day.