Walking 3 or more hours per week can reduce the risk of a heart attack by 35% when compared to not walking at all.
Fitness and Physical Health
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Well-U supports employees interested in adding activity to their daily routines, reaching their fitness goals, and improving their overall physical health.
New program: Group hiking
Join Well-U and Max Effort Training for a new group hiking class this spring! Over the course of 8 weeks, you have the opportunity to join a group hike, led by a certified personal trainer from Max Effort Training. Each week will be a different location-you can sign up for each week that you would like to attend.
When: Saturday mornings, May 18–July 6 at 9 a.m.–10 a.m.
Where: Each week will be a different location. You can view each week and location in the events calendar.
How to register: You can pick and choose which weeks you would like to sign up for! Registration will be available in the events calendar here on April 29.
*You must sign up for each week you would like to attend. They are all listed by dates in the events calendar.
Access your FREE Studio Sweat onDemand fitness and wellness platform
Put your health and wellness first this year by joining Studio Sweat onDemand—your free virtual fitness platform with over 2,000 classes you can watch anytime or anywhere. There are class options available for all fitness levels and goals including: yoga, stretching, bootcamp, Pilates, HIIT, barre, sculpt, and more. Stream live classes or watch on your schedule with on-demand options. In addition to virtual workouts, you will also have access to bonus content like RIP Barbell, Piloxing, mindful meditations, and scenic virtual experiences.
*Eligibility for Studio Sweat on Demand includes all full and part-time employees.
More Fitness Opportunities
Whether you’re motivated by working out in a group setting or would prefer to get fit on your own, we have programs and resources in addition to our Studio Sweat on Demand library that will suit your needs, including:
- On-site fitness facility on River Campus
- YMCA membership discounts
- Fitness-related lifestyle management classes
- Departmental Fit Kits for Well-U Champions (available upon request)
- Ergonomics assessments
Explore these options below, and learn how to stay active at work and beyond.
fitness savings
YMCA membership discount
Thanks to a partnership between the University of Rochester and the YMCA of Greater Rochester, all regular full-time and part-time faculty and staff (including union members) are eligible for a discounted membership.
More resources, programs, and ideas
Whether you’re looking to round-up co-workers for walking meetings, find workout programs you can do on your own, or get in extra steps throughout the day, Well-U can support you in your goals.
Offered virtually for your convenience!
Eligible employees have the opportunity to participate in these lifestyle management programs at no cost.
Fitness 101: Get started (5 group sessions)
Learn the benefits and basic components of physical activity, discover how to prevent injury and manage recovery, and explore personal challenges to staying motivated. Program includes modified in-session workout. Find a class.
Fitness 201: Get stronger (6 individual sessions)
Develop a strength training program with expert supervision of goal-setting and form from a certified personal trainer. Sessions include assessments and guided personalized workouts. Email urwell.lifestyle@urmc.rochester.edu to request information and enroll.
A little extra walking each day can provide extraordinary health benefits. This includes the walk from a parking lot to your workspace!
Look for signs
Look for signs around University parking lots displaying calories burned walking between designated parking lots and entrances.
Get the most steps in by parking in the designated Park & Stride spaces in Lot 1 and Lot 9.
Park & Stride Map: Burning Calories
Click on the colored paths below to see how far you walk and calories burned walking from your lot to designated entrances in the Medical Center. Calories burned are calculated for a 150-lb person walking 3 mph.
Not only do walking meetings help you build team spirit and improve your health, they also inspire creativity and can help you solve problems faster.
Tips for organizing a successful walking meeting
- Organize everything you’ll need for the meeting ahead of time
- Make sure everyone knows to wear comfortable shoes
- Consider having the meeting early in the workday to set the tone for the day, or later in the afternoon to give everyone an energy boost
- Figure out how long your meeting should be and plan your route
- Check the weather beforehand
Walking paths
Explore walking path maps in the PDFs below.
- URMC Ground Floor Path (about 0.5 miles)
- URMC First Floor Path (about 0.4 miles)
- River Campus (about 1.1 miles)
- Intercampus – URMC to River Campus (about 1.95 miles)
- Alumni & Advancement Center (about 1.2 miles)
- Clinton Crossings (about 1.2 miles)
- Corporate Woods (about 0.75 miles)
- Eastman School of Music (about 1.2 miles)
- Memorial Art Gallery (about 1.0 mile)
- Sawgrass (about 1.0 mile)
Ergonomics ensures that your workspace physically fits you. Are you sitting at your desk correctly? Is your chair at the right height? Is your screen an appropriate distance from your face? This helps keep you physically healthy and safe.
Request an ergonomic screening from the Environmental Health & Safety department.
Frequently asked questions
Answers to your questions
Reference additional in-depth information about group exercise classes and other Well-U programs.
Did you know?
20 minutes of walking per day can burn 7 pounds of body fat every year for the average 155-pound person.
Less than 50% of American adults exercise enough to gain any health benefits.