During the early going of one’s time at Penn, nearly every place on campus feels unfamiliar. And whether exercise is a staple of your daily routine or just a hobby you’re interested in exploring, it’s always helpful to understand a new space. Let’s break down the layout of Pottruck Health and Fitness Center, Penn’s premier place for exercise and recreation.

Entrance

Pottruck is located at 3701 Walnut Street, across from the Graduate School of Education and beside a parking garage and Hello World. The main entrance is located up a small set of stairs and is unlocked during operational hours. Below is Pottruck’s current schedule:

Monday – Friday: 6 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Saturday: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Sunday: 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Once inside, guests will be asked to sign in to the facility. Pottruck is free to all PennCard holders, and students can either scan their PennCard at the front desk or sign in via the campus recreation app. All front desk staff are friendly and willing to assist in the event of any trouble.

For those who are not students or staff and are visiting campus, guest day passes can be purchased at the front desk for $15. Equipment such as basketballs can also be rented at the front desk free of charge. Guests can also access Pottruck’s Lost and Found by speaking with front desk staff.

First Floor

The first floor of the facility contains two main sections: first is the main atrium that encompasses the front desk. Here, guests can find a small collection of tables and chairs, as well as a set of couches and a television that usually shows live sports or sports talk shows. This section also formerly housed Sweet Treat Hut, where guests could purchase smoothies, protein shakes, and other food/drinks before its sudden closure in April.

Also in the atrium is the facility’s climbing wall, which reaches 40 feet into the air and accommodates climbers of all experience levels. All necessary equipment is provided by Pottruck and can be rented at the front desk.

Next to the atrium is the Katz Fitness Center, Pottruck’s largest collection of cardio equipment, complete with treadmills, ellipticals, stairmasters, and other machines. The area is complete with floor-to-ceiling windows that face the neighboring parking garage.

The first floor also contains offices and meeting rooms used by Penn recreation staff, as well as the newly-renovated Rec Lounge, a space behind the climbing wall that contains board games, bean bag chairs, and a study area.

In a typical year, this floor’s staircases would provide access to Pottruck’s basement, which houses Sheerr Pool, additional locker rooms, and a sauna, but the facility is currently undergoing renovations that will keep it closed for the entirety of the 2024-25 academic year.

Each floor of the facility also has lockers where guests can store their belongings as well as men’s and women’s restrooms in the back left corner.

Second Floor

The second floor is perhaps Pottruck’s busiest, housing its primary weightlifting area as well as the Avnet Basketball Courts. The weightlifting room, which covers over 8,000 square feet, is located to the left of the staircase, and contains equipment such as dumbbells, barbells, bench presses, power racks, deadlift platforms, cables, and a number of additional machines. The weightlifting room also contains windows that look out onto Walnut Street and the surrounding buildings.

To the right of the staircase is the Avnet Basketball Courts, where guests can play during any time the gym is open. Guests may bring their own ball or rent one from the front desk. Open shootaround is available, but guests are permitted to share the courts during peak hours. Pickup games are common and open to players of all experience levels. The basketball courts also occasionally host vaccine clinics, including the flu vaccine.

The second floor also houses Pottruck’s multi-purpose room, which is located down the hallway immediately to the left after entering the basketball courts. The multi-purpose room features additional cardio and weightlifting equipment, as well as a turf area for stretching and exercising, medicine balls, kettlebells, and several punching bags and a speed bag. The multi-purpose room is often less crowded than the main weightlifting area, and also contains additional lockers.

Third Floor

The third floor is regarded as Pottruck’s “quiet floor” with no music playing overhead. It contains additional cardio and weightlifting equipment, including a condensed set of free weights, as well as a number of rooms designed to enhance the facility’s recreational experience.

These include the Cycling and Pilates studios, which hold group exercise classes throughout the week and can be booked for private sessions for a cost. New to Pottruck is the third floor Recovery Room, a recently renovated space that features reclining chairs, compression boots, and massage guns. Bays are available on a first-come, first-serve basis, but can also be reserved for 30 minutes at a time for a cost.

Fourth Floor

The fourth floor also contains additional cardio and weightlifting equipment, including a CrossFit area. It also offers additional studios that offer group exercise classes throughout the week, including a HIIT studio. These rooms are generally closed to the public outside of class times but can be rented for private use for a cost.

Clubs

Pottruck is home to many of Penn’s recreational clubs, including many club and intramural sports. These include club and intramural basketball, Climbing Club, Penn Barbell Club, and many more. First-year students can learn more about these clubs and explore campus recreation’s offerings during “Night at the Rec,” which will take place at Pottruck during New Student Orientation on Friday, August 23 from 7-9 p.m.

General Advice

Below is a list of general tips for those new to Pottruck:

• During the week, 5-8 p.m. is generally the facility’s busiest time, with 6 am to 8 am being its slowest. During the weekend, traffic is more evenly distributed.
• Guests are forbidden from cursing or fighting during games at the Avnet Basketball courts.
• Wipe down all equipment upon completion of a workout — each floor contains multiple conveniently located wet wipe stations for sanitation.
• Only occupy one piece of equipment at a time.
• Guests in the weightlifting areas are generally friendly and willing to “work in” with one another, meaning share pieces of equipment by switching off sets.

More information on all of Pottruck and other recreational offerings can be found on the campus recreation website.

The next time you’re trying to fit in a workout on a trip, it might be comforting to know that even fitness experts don’t necessarily recommend a “no excuses” attitude.

Cedric Bryant, president and CEO of the American Council on Exercise, said you should prioritize balance and your well-being when deciding whether – or how much – to exercise on vacation. “The key is to be smart enough to listen to your body and your mind, and do what feels right for you,” he said.

Still, making a little time to move has clear benefits: Physical activity helps reduce stress and lower cortisol, which can enhance how relaxed you feel, Bryant said. Plus, staying active can help regulate your sleep, which could make it easier for you to adjust to a new time zone.

Here are a few ideas from fitness trainers and coaches for how to approach your exercise routine while traveling.

Use exercise to explore the area.

Most people walk a lot more on vacation than at home without realizing it, said D’Annette Stephens, a personal trainer and the fitness programs coordinator at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix. Walking, running and biking are all excellent ways to experience a new place – and get some cardiovascular exercise while you’re at it. Walking just 4,000 steps per day can reduce the risk of dying from any cause, according to one study from last year.

A hotel, resort or studio in another city can be a good place to try a new fitness class, said Jamie Carbaugh, a weight-inclusive online personal trainer: “It’s a great chance to explore something outside your comfort zone without the worry that your co-worker might show up right next to you,” she said.

If you’re visiting somewhere with outdoor recreation access, activities such as hiking or kayaking can also be great options. Paul Valukas, a strength and conditioning coach in Madison, Wisconsin, likes to mountain bike on trips to Colorado with his wife. That way, they can get outside while challenging themselves physically.

“I’m not going to go sit in a squat rack in Crested Butte,” he said.

Pack light equipment – if you’ll use it.

Resistance bands are easy to pack and can be used for a variety of strength training exercises, Bryant said. A looped band can go just above your knees for hip-strengthening exercises such as clamshells and monster walks, and you can use a longer band with handles for overhead presses and rows, Stephens said. Resistance training can improve muscle strength and cardiovascular health.

Then again, if you can’t realistically see yourself doing a banded workout in your hotel room or on the beach, don’t bother packing them, Valukas said. Bring what you’ll use.

In case you need extra motivation: Strength training can help reduce the aches and pains of travel, Stephens said, whether from walking, sitting on airplanes or sleeping on hotel mattresses.

Embrace bite-size routines.

If sightseeing or that juicy airport paperback is demanding most of your time, don’t stress about finding the hours for a long, involved workout. Focus on what you can get done in a few minutes – ideally in the morning, before the fun of the day pulls you away, Carbaugh said. Numerous studies suggest that even short bursts of exercise offer real health benefits.

A short walk or dynamic stretching can help you warm up quickly. Then, try a few sets of simple body weight exercises. Carbaugh suggested 10 to 15 reps of things such as squats with heel raises, pushups with hands on a park bench (or sturdy table) and a dynamic stretch such as downward dog with alternating bent knees. Cool down with some chest openers and lower-body stretches.

For something higher intensity that you can easily do in a hotel room, Valukas said to consider an AMRAP workout, short for “as many rounds as possible.” Set a timer for 15 or 20 minutes and cycle through four reverse lunges on each leg and six dead bugs on each side as many times as you can before the timer goes off.

Focus on recovery and supplemental work.

If you often think about stretching or mobility work but never actually make time to do it, vacation can be a great opportunity to practice – especially if you can pack a small massage ball or borrow a foam roller, Stephens said.

The same applies to lower-intensity – but still challenging – workouts such as Pilates and yoga, or even just squeezing in some core exercises. These are the things people tend to skip at home, Stephens said, but they’re a great way to keep your body feeling good.

Or … give yourself permission to rest.

Rest and recovery are an important part of a well-rounded exercise regimen, Valukas said. “We don’t get stronger when we’re lifting; we get stronger while we’re recovering,” he said. “Even athletes have breaks built into their year.”

If you’re anxious about losing the fitness progress you’ve made by taking time off, don’t be, Bryant said. While the effects of a rest from exercise varies based on your age, activity level and overall health, research suggests that it takes longer than a week or two off to see a significant impact on cardiovascular health and muscle strength. “For a lot of people, that time off can be just what the body needed,” Bryant said.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.