In an attempt to keep students as active as possible this fall, the University is partnering with other Pacific-10 Conference schools in a competition to see which school can work out the most.
The contest, known as the Pac-10 Fitness Challenge, begins today and concludes Friday.
The winning school will receive a new piece of exercise equipment at its recreation center, and earns bragging rights as the Most Active School in the Pac-10.

Participants are asked to log their activity minutes at www.pac10fitnesschallenge.com. Last year, 12,263 students logged more than 183,857 miles of activity across the conference. The University of Oregon placed fifth in the challenge – behind Oregon State – with 7,411 miles of activity. Stanford topped the list, and Cal finished in last place.
Staff at the Student Recreation Center and UO Club Sports will try to increase participation this year by hosting a range of promotional activities, including nightly flag football matches, weight lifting competitions and free dance classes. Additionally, they plan to set up tables at the EMU and inside the rec center to stir enthusiasm and spur participation.
The event is part of a larger effort to promote fitness and emphasize how exercise and diet are important aspects to maintaining physical and mental health.
And it’s no secret that physical activity is one of the best ways for students to stay focused and healthy.
“A physically active person who possesses risk factors like hypertension, diabetes and even a smoking habit can derive significant gains from incorporating regular physical activity into their daily activities,” according to the American College of Sports Medicine. “As an adjunct to weight loss, exercise is likely to help you stay on a diet and lose weight. Additionally, regular exercise is associated with reductions in blood pressure, improved glucose regulation, promotion of better lipid profiles, and stronger, denser bones.”
The program looks to raise awareness about the positive effects of physical activity this week and in the near future, extending the competition into intramural and club sports.
After last year’s fitness challenge, officials at rec centers across the Pac-10 determined the contest was so successful it should continue throughout the year and include Intramural and Club Sports programs, Chantelle Russell, University assistant director of fitness, said.
“The goal (is) crowning an overall Pac-10 Challenge Championship school,” Russell said.
Specific intramural sports, such as flag football, golf, basketball and dodgeball, will host regional and national tournaments, which will allow Pac-10 schools to compete against each other, Russell said.
Students can compete across the conference, individually or as a group, and amongst friends within the University by affiliating with a particular sorority, fraternity or campus group. The program offers students a unique opportunity to challenge friends, track individual progress, represent the school and get healthy, all at the same time.
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