If you are looking for an activity on campus that will get you moving, help build a sense of community and keep you focused, then Stanislaus State’s Group X Sweat Fest with Viviana Fuentes just might be for you.  

The Group X Sweat Fest is held at the basketball courts in the Stan State Campus Recreation center on Mondays and Wednesdays from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. These events allow students to get a workout in with the use of aerobics and focuses on teaching fundamental aerobic movements at a walking pace. The workout routines vary from upper body days to lower body days, depending on the rotation of the workouts. 

Viviana Fuentes is a fitness instructor at Stan State and hosts the weekly events. She starts workouts off by demonstrating the warm-up routine, which involves the use of rowing, medicine balls, arm circles and one’s own body weight. She offers modifications to accommodate all levels of athleticism, repeatedly stating the importance of proper form and safety over everything else. Once she has established the routine and various stations with the participants, she plugs her phone into the speaker and pumps up the students. Not only will she demonstrate the workouts for the class, but Fuentes works out alongside students, as well.

“I would never tell them to do anything that I cannot do myself or anything that is clearly outside of their limitations,” Fuentes said.

This type of instruction aims to build a sense of community that this event provides. These sessions are also intended to encourage the campus community to incorporate fitness into their daily routines and lifestyles—an area in which many of us currently lack. 

Due to the pandemic, a majority of lifestyles have become sedentary. for the most part. Individuals are constantly sitting and lying down while completing our daily tasks and assignments. This lifestyle can be detrimental to health and could possibly contribute to potential health illnesses such as, diabetes, obesity, doubling the risk of cardiovascular diseases, an increase in the risk of colon cancer, high blood pressure, the shortening of our lifespan, etc. Physical activity can help reduce the susceptibility rate to these risks.

These events go beyond just physical health, but mental health as well. According to Exercise for Mental Health – NCBI, exercise can alleviate symptoms of social withdrawal, low self-esteem and occurrences of negative mood. Physical activity and exercise not only help students academically, but may also reduce the risk of developing several diseases and may improve one’s overall quality of life. Other benefits of physical activity include a reduction in stress, anxiety, and depression, which approximately half of all college students are diagnosed with and suffer from.

According to Mayo Clinic Health Systems, “Up to 44% of college students reported having symptoms of depression and anxiety.”

The participants themselves have claimed that they have seen tremendous improvements in both their mental and physical health simply by attending these events. Their quality of life has improved in just a short amount of time with the use of physical activity. 

“After attending these events for almost a year and a half, I have seen major developments both physically and mentally,” said Tiffani Sandoval (sophomore, Nursing). “I used to only be able to hold a plank for a minute and now I can hold it for five. I am much better at time management because of these classes, and they help me find a healthy balance in life.”

These are not the only reasons why students keep coming back to these events, but also because of the environment that the instructor creates and how she boosts morale. The overall atmosphere of the event is upbeat and energizing. Fuentes has been leading these sessions since 2017 and explained that the progress of her students can be motivational. 

Fuentes’ students are now able to do workouts that they never knew existed prior to this class and some have even improved their endurance up to five times better than they were performing at the beginning of joining this event.

Brenda Cisneros (senior, English) said, “This event helps me de-stress and keeps me focused with my schoolwork. Due to this class, I have been able to make many new friends and receive that feeling of community that I have been craving throughout the entire pandemic.”

Cisneros has been attending these events since January and has felt an increase in motivation and feels much better because of them. It may be intimidating to attend these events for many reasons (i.e., starting from zero experience, fear of messing up, etc.), however, Fuentes is very reassuring about them.

“Students should never feel intimidated to join because I am still learning and growing myself. Everyone starts as a beginner and these events are great for development and interaction,” Fuentes said.

To participate in the Group X Sweat Fest, make your way over to the Campus Recreation on the designated days and times of Mondays and Wednesdays from 5 to 6 p.m. and sign a waiver of release of liability at the front desk.

For more information about Stanislaus State’s Campus Recreation, head to their official website at https://www.csustan.edu/campus-recreation.