Cody Jacobucci Visits the
Z Center

The Pain-Points:

About

Foam rolling sucks, but it is nice to work out all the kinks! Time to foam roll the Z! Between my own experiences and 10 interviews/surveys, here are some of the points that have come up most often:

Lockers:

This quote from my google form summarizes about 4 or 5 other responses: “They're pretty good. The lockers on the 2nd floor facility can be tricky sometimes - I usually have to open ~10 before I can find one that's unused (most people don't use locks).”

Other thoughts on the lockers included the fact that if they used the lockers, they only used them for their coats in the winter. Another interviewee said that they used to use first floor lockers, but have found the 2nd floor lockers to be in a more convenient location. Together, this makes the perfect storm and the problem above: More people use the 2nd floor lockers and only use them for their coats, leaving people like me with backpacks and valuables that I would lock up without a locker.

Wait Times:

While these depend on the time of the gym-goer, 8/10 people said that they picked their workout time specifically because it was not crowded during that time and that if they went during peak hours “it is like a can of sardines in there!”.

During those peak hours, some people mentioned that they would rather change their workout than have to wait for a machine. However, more dedicated lifters (4+days a week) all said they would just wait because they did not want to compromise their routine. Average wait times for racks was estimated to be anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes.

A few novice lifters and even more experienced female lifters did not feel comfortable asking someone how much longer they had left on a machine. This can enhance wait times when someone who does not feel intimidated asking the person using the machine how much longer they had and if they could go next. Often, this novice lifter just finds a new machine.

3rd Floor:

Most people do not know there is a third floor with machines, more cardio equipment, mats, and the rec court. This space is highly underutilized. When 7/10 interviewees made a point to say they wanted more squat racks, it is hard to justify how the third floor is currently being used.

Note the lack of anyone in sight (besides someone tying their shoes in the back for the volleyball game. This picture was taken 5 minutes after the picture of the crowded gym!