For students, faculty and staff who are interested in keeping a fit and healthy lifestyle, there is a unique program available on campus.
Tiger Fit is an eight-week fitness and wellness program that starts at the beginning of each semester. It will begin again Sept. 25.
Tommy Mavritsakis, a fitness and wellness graduate assistant at the University of Memphis, will lead the work out sessions.
“The goal with Tiger Fit is achieving a healthy lifestyle for everyone who participates,” Mavritsakis said. “If people are fit, we make sure they stay fit. If people need to get fit, we get them to where they need to be.”
There is a different wellness topic every week, and sessions begin with a presentation on what will be discussed that day. Participants are given an assessment at the first session of the semester and another at the final session. Height, weight and blood pressure all help determine the best route for participants to take with their exercise and diet regimens for the semester.
“Tiger Fit is going to keep growing and we are going to progress as far as workouts go,” Mavritsakis said. “Some people will want to join and think it’s too easy and others will think it’s too hard, but as a group fitness instructor, [I] can plan a workout for a class with modifications and progressions. I want people to know they will get something out of this.”
Students can register online for Monday or Wednesday sessions, which will run for 90 minutes. There are 50 available spots for each day, so it is on a first-come, first-served basis. Faculty and staff sessions are separate from student sessions and meet on Tuesday for 45 minutes, but those spots were taken almost immediately. The program costs $20.
Because there are only eight meetings, Mavritsakis said he helps participants maintain a healthy lifestyle after Tiger Fit concludes for the semester.
“I’m there for them,” Mavritsakis said. “Whatever their goals are, whatever they want to do with their bodies and their overall wellness, and their lifestyles, I want to work as hard as I can to help them improve their fitness and stay fit.”
Mavritsakis graduated in the spring with a Bachelor of Science in Exercise and Wellness from Arizona State University, where he led similar group fitness programs.
“I taught group fitness for two years, and I was also president of a small group-training club that I started,” Mavritsakis said. “I was getting blown up with emails [from people] asking about joining, asking for more information.”
The club did so well at ASU that he is considering starting one at the U of M. Although the U of M is a fraction of the size of ASU, Mavritsakis said he anticipates it will do just as well.
Bradley Morrow, junior marketing major at the U of M, said working out and staying fit is important.
“Since being in college, I’ve had to be even more responsible when it comes to maintaining my fitness, especially since I don’t play sports anymore,” Morrow said.
Bethany Clark, creative mass media sophomore, said she would join if Tiger Fit were free.
“I really like group fitness,” Clark said. “Or if there was group fitness cycling, I would do that. I wish there was a CrossFit club. Make a CrossFit club, and I’ll be there!”
