Stephen Slezak, Campus Carrier asst. sports editor

The Cage Athletic and Recreational Center is a focal point for current Berry students, faculty and alumni. The Cage is home to a fitness center where any student or faculty member can workout for free. Many weightlifting machines, racks and side rooms are available at this center. The side rooms are commonly used for yoga or other types of group activities.

Entering the 2024 school year, the cage brought in new equipment to the gym. Lydia Ulrich, assistant track and field coach and cage center fitness coordinator, gave some insight into what equipment was being changed.

“The plate loaded machines are all brand new,” Ulrich said. “As well as we brought in another half squat rack and platform to make sure that the students and athletes working out in the fitness center had more opportunities.”

In addition to introducing new gym equipment for students, some of the older machines have been upgraded to improve the overall workout experience. This can help optimize all the space that the cage provides for the fitness center. The updates aim to provide students with a more efficient and enjoyable environment for their workout.

“The new equipment that was purchased was to replace the old selectorized machines and plate loaded machines,” Ulrich said. “We chose to decrease the number of selectorized machines to maximize the space but also brought in pieces with multi functions.”

When having a quality fitness center and gym like the Cage has, the goal is to get as many students as possible into the center. Having high student involvement with the facilities provided is important to the Cage faculty like Konrad Jacobs, fitness coordinator and assistant men’s soccer coach.

“If the whole student body could come in here and workout every day, that would be awesome,” Jacobs said. “We want the students to be in here using all this equipment, getting fitter and getting healthier.”

The cage not only provides a space for students to workout in, but it also offers a variety of programs designed to help students stay active. These programs encourage students to engage in physical activities as part of a group of other students. Students can join these classes tailored to all different interests and fitness levels. This helps make it easier for students to stay motivated and committed to maintaining an active lifestyle.

“There is a TRX (Total Body Resistance) class, Zumba, yoga, [and] indoor cycling,” Ulrich said. 

Jacob Bridges, a staff member of the cage and student-athlete here at Berry, spends a lot of his day in the cage whether at work or training for his sport. 

“I am here most of the time working but when outside of the work I am using the gym for lifting,” Bridges said. “I will bike or get a run in on the treadmills, but mostly just lifting. It is a great facility all around.”

When provided with all these programs and workout opportunities, it is important to see how the student feels about it from a different perspective. Bridges provides a student view and perspective on how the cage helps his day-to-day activities.

“I like the Cage because it offers a multitude of things to do for the students,” Bridges said. “Whether it is lifting, running, some eccentric stuff with bands, it really caters to all students and what their trying to do workout wise. I think it’s something really important in terms of their physical activity and just great for their mental health”

The Cage aims to offer a wide range of programs to cater to the interests of students. It strives to provide quality workout equipment to meet the wants and needs of the members. Bridges said how he felt the Cage caters towards the students as a front desk worker while also using the cage as a workout space.

“The Cage does an amazing job, no doubt,” Bridges said. “You have so much available, you can run or lift, any kind of eccentric stuff. There are tons of intramurals and gyms that students can use for whatever activities that they want. It does a great job at catering to all the students at what they might need or want.”

From personal experience, Bridges has both served the Cage as a faculty worker with also using the Cage as a workout space. His experience gives a testimony in which many other students share as well.

The Cage provides many opportunities for students to stay fit and healthy in a safe environment. New gym equipment has been brought in for the year with old equipment getting replaced and upgraded. Programs and classes of different interests are provided for the students to attract as much student involvement as possible. These programs are scattered around the Cage where students can scan a QR code with their phone to be able to access. Classes like yoga are available as credit hour classes when students sign up for their next semesters schedule.