Live Healthy launches
Campus Recreation introduces new wellness program for faculty and staff
ACTIVE — The Live Healthy Liberty wellness initiative encouraged students to utilize the new gym facilities to aid in maintaining their overall health. Photo credit: Courtney Russo
Healthy Liberty is the wellness initiative striving to aid the Liberty community in becoming healthier in a holistic way.
According to Jamie Swyers, associate director for fitness at LaHaye Student Union, being a healthy person expands past just physicality.
She noted seven dimensions of wellness that make up health: spiritual, physical, intellectual, emotional, social, occupational and environmental.
“I think that everyone automatically associates health with physical health, but health is more all-encompassing than that, and I think the spiritual component is the foundation on which you build the other components,” Swyers said.
According to Swyers, health and wellness are important in many different ways. For example, healthier workers take less sick days, are more efficient, focus more and retain information better.
The Live Healthy Liberty Launch Party occurred Thursday, Jan. 29 from 1 to 6 p.m. in the LaHaye Student Union Lobby. Those who attended received information about upcoming events and the new initiative plus free food and prizes, such as personal training packs, T-shirts and backpacks.
The Launch Party promoted all the departments and events in various areas of wellness. According to Swyers, the point was to bring awareness so students can know what is accessible to them.
“One of the areas I’ve seen the most growth in is the development of partnerships between people and departments who are passionate about promoting health and wellness in a variety of different ways,” Swyers said. “We all work together and are able to promote programs and events under a brand of wellness.”
Swyers noted that some events have taken place before and some are new. The Wellness Series has been done previously, but it is expanding and reaching a larger audience. The new sessions at the library during lunchtime reach a different population than the events at LaHaye.
Additionally, new group exercise studios all opened this semester. There are multiple group workshops scheduled to teach the fundamentals of new classes — including TRX suspension training, foam rolling and kettle ball classes.
Live Healthy Liberty is not just for students. According to Swyers, one area she really wanted to focus on was developing more events catered to faculty and staff. They are able to participate in many of the same events as students and have some early, faculty and staff exclusive group exercise classes and meetings.
Live Healthy Liberty has been going on for the past nine months and will continue to expand as students catch on and the program receives more brand recognition. Swyers noted that they want to identify gaps and continue to improve. Plans for next year are already underway.
For more information on Live Healthy Liberty and the fitness programs available, visit liberty.edu/campusrec.
Glossner is a feature reporter.