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Dec 11, 2008

Kranking it up in Social Sciences Computing

David Ash's arms churned away Dec. 8 as he worked up a sweat in the supply room of Social Science Computing (SSC), trying out the new Krank Cycle, a sort of bike for your arms.

Fitwell's Elisa Terry coaches David Ash from Social Sciences Computing on the new Krank Cycle, while his coworker Jarett Horinouchi picks up pointers. - Photo by Rich Schmitt
Fitwell's Elisa Terry coaches David Ash from Social Sciences Computing on the new Krank Cycle, while his coworker Jarett Horinouchi picks up pointers. - Photo by Rich Schmitt
"I didn't sign up for this!" he joked as a fitness expert coached him through the bike's features, while his bemused-but-interested colleagues looked on, content to let him play the guinea pig on their new copy-room exercise equipment.

The Krank Cycle was a gift from UCLA Recreation's Fitwell program, which encourages employees to exercise by offering health and fitness workshops, free pedometers, fun exercise events and other incentives. For workers who can't leave the office for the gym, Fitwell director Elisa Terry is bringing the gym into the office. The Krank Cycle is one way to get a small-scale but powerful workout in a confined space.

"The Krank Cycle is cutting-edge, one of only 200 made so far. It's affordable, it's portable and small enough to fit into a workroom or supply room," Terry said. "Because it's specifically exercising your upper body and back, it's especially good for addressing the muscles that get strained by sitting at a desk all day."

The bad posture and back pain that develop as people slouch in their chairs can be remedied by strengthening the muscles targeted by the Krank Cycle, Terry said. At $1,700 each, they're far cheaper than the Wooden Center's other cardio gym equipment, and their size makes them feasible for even small offices.

When Fitwell decided to give Krank Cycles to a half-dozen campus departments, Terry chose SSC to receive the first of the machines – but that's not a comment on their posture.

It's recognition for their dedication, Terry explained. SSC employees have been so active in Fitwell that they not only registered to get the free pedometers and resistance bands available to all UCLA employees, but they have also taken more than a dozen Fitwell workshops on nutrition, walking, core strength, desk workouts and more.

"This department is really supportive about helping its employees find time to exercise, and the employees have shown they are committed to it, too," Terry said.

Ash, director of computer services with SSC, is one of the department's many fitness fans. Among SSC's roughly 25 full-time staff, talk often turns to running marathons, heading out for a game of basketball, biking to and from work – and sometimes the 4 p.m. fruit breaks.

"We do a lot of group runs after work," Ash said, although someone observed that one of their colleagues, Brian Won, hasn't been joining the group runs lately.

"That's because he's been too busy training for the marathon he just ran yesterday," piped up Bethany Cole, SSC's human resources and financial accounting analyst.

But SSC knows that all work and no play would be dull – Won wandered into the next room and returned eating a chocolate doughnut. "And this is why I run," he said.

Fitwell's Elisa Terry demonstrates how light and compact the Krank Cycle is as she sets it up in Social Sciences Computing's supply room. SSC employees look on, left to right: Carlos Tobar, Jarett Horinouchi, Bethany Cole and David Ash. - Photo by Rich Schmitt
Fitwell's Elisa Terry demonstrates how light and compact the Krank Cycle is as she sets it up in Social Sciences Computing's supply room. SSC employees look on, left to right: Carlos Tobar, Jarett Horinouchi, Bethany Cole and David Ash. - Photo by Rich Schmitt
After Terry coached a few more employees on the Krank Cycle, Ash, Won, Cole and their coworkers said they plan to take 5-10 minute breaks during the workday using the cycle to tone their arms.

"We really like it," Cole said. "It was a really good workout."

"I guarantee this will be a better midday pick-me-up than a snack at the vending machine," Terry said. "This will wake you up, get your blood pumping." It not only benefits employees, she added, but helps UCLA cut down on employee injuries as well.

Even without a Krank Cycle, UCLA employees can get a workout using a piece of equipment that's already in their cubicle or office: their computer. They can click on Fitwell's SitRX video demos and exercise along with Terry as she does one of 15 deskside routines, such as the sit-to-stand regimen, the standing abs, the full-body lateral plank or the potentially embarrassing chair-cleaner. The videos are already available on YouTube, and expected to be available on UCLA Recreation's website soon.

Fitwell plans to test the SSC crowd for back strength and observe their posture now, and then check back in about two months to see whether the Krank Cycle makes a difference.

Soon Terry will give away five more cycles to departments that have shown a commitment to the Fitwell program – including departments in the Anderson School of Management and in General Services.

"We want to decrease the barriers between staff and exercise," Terry explained. "So we're bringing the equipment to them."