University of Regina student Kane Nguyen is one of the first newcomers to join UR Fit Squad, an on-campus organization that seeks to help new students and gym-goers with resources and training.
“I’ve been physically weak all my life,” said Nguyen. “I’d get sick a lot.”
“After coming here I realized that’s a detrimental thing, since I won’t be able to consistently survive against the winters, and from that I realized that I need to make improvements in both my physical health and my mental health.”
After immigrating to Canada from Vietnam less than three months ago, he quickly decided to work on bettering himself through fitness. Through that, he was referred to UR Fit Squad.
The club was founded in September by University of Regina student Sid Khan, who describes it as “a wholesome gym community filled with a bunch of people who are super passionate about fitness.”
Khan has been involved in fitness for most of his life, having played football competitively during his high school years at Campbell Collegiate.
“Throughout COVID I realized that gym culture has become way more toxic, so our job is to just make sure we are bringing that sense of positivity back into University of Regina gyms,” said Khan.
UR Fit Squad currently has over 20 members and is rapidly growing. Their senior members offer resources for physical and mental health, personal training services and monthly fitness challenges. As a student club, their services are aimed towards students and are completely free.
The group mainly operates in the University of Regina Fitness Centre, which offers many amenities including machines, free weights and a running track. Outside of the gym, they promote meditation, mindfulness and other mental health practices.
As more students physically attend classes and take advantage of the reopened facilities, the on-campus gym is consistently filled with returning and new students. UR Fit Squad’s diverse membership includes students with years of experience like Khan and newcomers like Nguyen.
“It is extremely intimidating for beginners, like Kane, to go into the gym and start working out,” said Khan. “UR Fit Squad’s job is to spread positivity and make sure you have all the resources you need to have the best experience possible in the gym.”
Having run the club for around three months, Khan is incredibly proud of the progress that has been made so far and hopes to continue spreading awareness and positivity as the group grows.
Nguyen’s training regimen has been tailored by the experienced senior members of UR Fit Squad, and he hopes more new students who had been apprehensive about going to the gym will look into joining.
“They’ve been very professional not only with helping me but with encouraging me in a very short span of time,” said Nguyen. “They understand where you’re starting from and help you build off of that, giving you more structure and more ground to work off of.”
Featured photo: UR Fit Squad members, from left to right, Reese Nelson, Kane Nguyen and Sid Khan.
