Volume 67, Issue 4

Gym Goers Bent Out Of Shape Over Crowded Weight Room
Students Taking a Proactive Roll

by Michael H. Chiert

With the Wilf Campus’ population ballooning to an impressive 1360, the need for more classroom and dorm space was a foregone conclusion.  Well here’s one that wasn’t: the need to revamp the Max Stern Athletic Center’s workout room.

Increasingly, students have voiced concern about the crowded atmosphere and limited equipment featured in the gym.  “Using the weight room has become very inconvenient because a lot of time is wasted waiting to use the machines,” griped Sy Syms School of Business senior Evan Liviem.  “Very often there are not enough machines to accommodate every one who wants to work out.” 

Ralf Klatzkin, a SSSB junior, enthusiastically agreed when asked if the gym needed more space.  “There is no room in the weight room to use free weights or do push-ups and sit-ups.  Additionally, a squat machine and a calf raise machine are defiantly necessary additions needed for the gym.”

The gym was last updated five years ago, when the campus population was significantly smaller.  Currently the weight room has 10 machines and a set of free-weights crammed into it, and that’s without the students.  The gym-goers are often forced to lug mats outside onto the landing of a stairway for sit-ups and push-ups because the room simply cannot accommodate them.  During peak hours, from seven in the evening until around 10, there can be up to 20 students crammed into the enclave.

Yeshiva College senior Jeffery Barr said, “This year more kids are working out than ever before; expanding the gym would be a great way for administration to show that they care about the students because so many students would benefit from the upgrade.”

But students are not only speaking, they’re acting too.  Some students like Sy Syms sophomore Alex Lapidus have taken an active role in representing the general consensus among the students.  After hearing repeated complaints, he decided to head the organization collecting a list of student thoughts on the weight room situation.  Lapidus is currently harvesting complaints and plans on funneling them into a formal written proposal to be submitted to the administration.  “We first need to see what the students want.  Only then we can assess how best to go about making changes,” he said.  “Short term, I don’t think we can expect any major changes, so until then we should all make sure that we use the machines properly.”  Alex has already begun the search on behalf of the students to find a way to improve the weight room and is currently looking into the possibility of procuring funds from Yeshiva or a private donor.

“The lack of space seems to be the real problem and also a general problem right now at Yeshiva University,” said Director of Athletics, Dr. Richard Zerneck.  “I have searched the campus for an alternative location for the weight room but have yet to find a suitable location.  All the available spaces have their problems.” 

Isaac Breuer College President Elior Shiloh has worked with Zerneck by looking into the option of moving the gym to one of the storage areas under the pool.  But the close proximity to the pool filtration system, which emits noxious chlorine fumes, disqualified that option.  The spacious Recreation Room behind the Rubin Residence Hall lobby seemed to be another ideal candidate; however its proximity to the street poses modesty problems.  Moreover, many students would be unwilling to forgo the Recreation Room.

Zerneck, however, certainly has the experience to expand Yeshiva’s athletics facilities.  The majority of Zerneck’s career was spent at City College under considerably worse financial straits.  “During my time there, City College had a worse situation than we have here at Yeshiva,” he relayed.  “After a great deal of fundraising, $10 million later, City College had a beautiful athletic field that the YU soccer team uses today.”

Zerneck’s priorities are as follows: a tennis courts, an athletic field, and lastly a weight room.  But, the expansion of the weight room could prove simplest of the three, and probably carries the most demand.  Zerneck discussed this with Undergraduate Dean of Students, David Himber, and Senior University Dean of Students, Dr. Efram Nulman, but they have yet to come up with any concrete solutions.

At least one student has some immediate suggestions for the Deans.  Vadim Monisov a SSSB junior pointed out the practical space that exists for expansion.  “There are outdoor basketball courts that are almost never used and are seasonal to only a short time during the year.  There is easily enough room to build a weight room on top of those courts,” he explained.

Despite the general attitude of students towards the Athletic Center, all the equipment in the gym is well maintained; all defective equipment is quickly fixed or replaced.  The athletic facility also includes a large running track above the gym that can accommodate up to 30 runners at a time.

Some students have no complaints about the current condition of the weight room.  Yakov Dovid Klyuchnikov, a YC freshman said, “I just try to avoid the times when the gym is crowded and there is more than enough equipment for me to use.”

Zerneck also boasted of Yeshiva’s gymnasium saying, “Yeshiva University has one of the nicest gyms in the skyline division.  Other teams look forward to coming and playing here.” 

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