New cardio room will relieve wait times at gym

Published Nov. 22, 2010
By Monica Mendoza
21st Space Wing Public Affairs staff writer

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Just in time for winter workouts is a new cardio room at the Peterson Sports and Fitness Center featuring 30 treadmills and low-impact cross trainers.

"Every winter, people are packed into the gym like sardines," said Capt. Jesse Johnson, 21st Force Support Squadron sustainment services flight commander. "This new cardio room will reduce the wait time -- everyone's time is valuable."

The $600,000 cardio room is the first phase of adding more gym space to Peterson Air Force Base, Captain Johnson said. There are plans to add a gym annex near Buildings 1 and 2, and both the wing and Air Force Space Command continue to compete this project for military construction funding.

The Peterson gym supports more than 12,000 military and civilian personnel on Peterson. Those figures don't include retirees and family members, who also have access to the gym, Captain Johnson said.

"Our fitness center is 60 percent the size it should be for our population -- it's very small," he said.

The gym is 66,000 square feet and should be closer to 123,000 square feet, Captain Johnson said.

But, the new cardio room will help, said Monica Schwartz, Peterson Sports and Fitness Center operations director. The room will have two large screen televisions and the machines will be iPod accessible.

"It gives them another avenue for being here since the Colorado Room is so packed," she said.

Last December, the Colorado Room was overhauled with 16 new fitness machines, replacing the decades-old workout equipment. Now, the new cardio machines add even more new features, Ms. Schwartz said. Most of the equipment will be treadmills that feature iPod docks. The six new Arc trainers, which are low-impact machines that combine elements of climbing, hiking and skiing, have mounted screens for viewing movies.

"It's a no-impact cardio workout and it's a butt kicker," Ms. Schwartz said. "People are going to like these machines."

This summer, the Air Force launched a more rigorous physical fitness test, which places more emphasis on the cardio portion of the test. The Air Force uses the 1.5 mile run to provide an estimate of an individual's cardio respiratory, or aerobic fitness. Pushups and sit-ups are used to assess muscular fitness.

More than 2,500 people use the gym each day, said Roger Hill, Peterson Sports and Fitness Center director. The new cardio machines are designed for low-impact workouts to give Airmen a break from having to run outside in the elements.

"These machines will help with endurance," he said. "But, there is nothing better than going outside and running."

Cardio