Unfortunately, I’m not alone in my endeavor to stay in shape and pick that perfect treadmill. The Mueller Center has become a mob scene where even a 10 am weekend trip to the gym will not guarantee one that cherished treadmill, bike, or elliptical. I have also become frustrated by the fact that the Mueller Center’s appearance and services have deteriorated, and getting a desired machine has become a game of random chance.

Individuals using the downstairs weight room are taking terrible care of the equipment; the dumbbell racks are in disarray, weights are left all over the gym and are not re-racked, and some benches desperately need to be replaced. The entrance level of the Mueller Center has fared only somewhat better, as cardio machines and the weight machines are constantly breaking down and quickly depreciating.

Although the responsibility falls on users to keep equipment clean and organized, there are several areas management could address to improve the fitness services at Rensselaer. First, check IDs. I have only randomly been carded prior to entering the gym, and this fact makes the ferocious declaration that reads, “No ID, no entry” appear to be nothing but a whimper.

Second, fix broken machines in a timely fashion. I understand machines break due to high usage. This does not, however, excuse the fact that two of the nine treadmills have been broken for two weeks. The failure to fix these machines causes a longer than necessary wait and forces the working machines to absorb the extra load, which ultimately leads to them breaking down. It’s a vicious cycle.

But the biggest question I pose to the Mueller Center staff is its allocation of funds; mainly, its purchase of new equipment. Last semester, the downstairs received four additional squat cages, which are rarely used, and forced the removal of a bench press, an incline press and a decline press. This decision may have benefited the sports teams, but not the entire student body, which should be the Mueller Center’s focus.

Most recently, three new bikes were added upstairs. I cannot help but wondering why these purchases were made. There is constantly a line for treadmills, even at 10 am on a Saturday morning, so why not purchase treadmills? They take up virtually the same space and more people would use them. But if you are going to get new bikes, at least get bikes that have timers on them! The three new bikes don’t have timers, mileage counters, or calorie counters on them, leaving the user having to watch the clock or the television in order to decipher just how long they have been exercising. All I can say is that I hope these bikes came with a hefty corporate partnership because the price of the new bikes cannot be worth it.