UREC programs help students explore outside the box

Some people take bubble baths or sip wine in front of the fire to relax. Others enjoy the flexibility, strength and peace of mind that are the focus of the University Recreation Center -sponsored program, “Yogis Take a Hike,” set to take place this afternoon.

“The best part is that it introduces people to two parts of UREC that they are not used to,” said Eric Deschamps, the graduate assistant for Adventure Programs at UREC. “[Yogis] is a change of scenery and is great for the body and mind.”

Yogis participants will be taken to Hidden Rocks, about a half-hour drive away. Once there, they will hike to the top of the rocks where there is a great view of the Shenandoah Valley, according to Deschamps. Following the hike, a yoga session will be conducted for about 45 minutes by a trained yoga instructor as the sun sets. Afterwards, participants will hike about 30 minutes back down to the parking area.

“I think the Yogis program sounds like so much fun,” sophomore Kemper Ruffner said. “It would definitely be fun to watch the sun set while we exercise.”

The program is free and will consist of eight people, who signed up for the hike at the program registration desk in UREC.

A group fitness instructor, as well as an adventure program staffer, also will accompany the participants, according to Zagora.

UREC offers the Yogis program once a semester, and this is the third time the program has been hosted. Zagora said that she hopes UREC will do the Yogis program more than once in the fall, weather permitting.

“Our original idea was that people who hiked would benefit from the yoga, and people who did yoga would benefit from the hiking,” Zagora said. “We wanted to try something new and cross over the participants.”

Another benefit of the program is that participants will gain knowledge of the Hidden Rocks area and can return there on their own time, according to Zagora.

“You can also get to know the people [participating in the program] because it is such an intimate setting,”Zagora said.

Yogis is a level one to level two hike and yoga session, which means that even beginners could participate, according to Zagora.

The Adventure and Group Fitness and Wellness programs also are putting on a “Destination Wellness” April 17-18 at Seneca Rocks in West Virginia. The program starts at 9 a.m. on April 17 and is overnight. Students will return around 1 p.m. April 18, according to Zagora. A bus will take the eight participants and four instructors to Seneca Rocks.” Destination Wellness” is similar to Yogis, but more in-depth, according to Deschamps.

“Throughout the day, we’ll have a hike, yoga, massage therapy, a session on how to cook in the outdoors and team sports such as ultimate Frisbee; it is still in the planning stages though,”Zagora said.

Sign-ups are at the program registration desk in UREC. The program includes a $35 fee, which covers the campsite cost and food for the weekend, according to Zagora.

Deschamps says taking advantage of the surrounding area is the most important concept to keep in mind when choosing where to invest time and money.

“We live in one of the most beautiful regions in the country and most people just sit around Harrisonburg and don’t take advantage of it,” said Deschamps.