Michigan State University Sailing Center staff member and political science senior AJ Williams, left, helps civil engineering junior Daniel Wenk, right, rig his boat's sail ahead of the class's first day on the water on Sep. 10, 2024.
As students advance in their degrees and find more opportunities for electives in their schedule, the Department of Kinesiology at Michigan State University has various active classes available to them.
Basic Instruction Programs (BIPs) are offered within the kinesiology department, and range from ice skating to swimming to weight lifting. BIP courses are scheduled activities for enrolled students to participate in.
According to the Department of Kinesiology website, there are 48 courses offered. Of these, 32 are beginning-level courses, graded on a pass/fail scale that introduces basic skills and knowledge of an activity. The other 16 are advanced-level courses, graded on a points-based scale and build on existing knowledge.
Aside from gaining knowledge of a sport or activity, improvements to physical health are the most notable benefit of being active within these classes.
Katharine Currie, an assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology and exercise physiologist, said these classes have multiple benefits. Exercise and physical activity help with weight management, building muscle mass and lowering the risk for chronic diseases.
Currie said physical activity guidelines for U.S. adults should be aimed at "150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise" a day, while also incorporating muscle-strengthening activity twice a week.
Enrolling in these classes helps students to reach that guideline, Currie said. With an activity integrated into students' schedules, students find it easier to be active as well.
Political theory and constitutional democracy senior Catherine Polulak is taking her third BIP class since being at MSU. She was enrolled in a general conditioning class in the fall of 2023, a soccer course last spring and is currently taking a yoga class.
"I think that structure is so nice, because I’m somebody who does like to go to the gym but I do have a busy schedule," Polulak said. "So having that built-in is very nice, very convenient and it motivates me the rest of the days to go to the gym."
Additionally, physical activity makes for an overall healthier lifestyle.
Currie’s research in cardiovascular health shows that exercise can contribute to healthy blood pressure levels and maintain a lower blood pressure. Arteries can stiffen as people age, and regular exercise can keep blood vessels more elastic.
The wide range of BIP classes offered to students can range from vigorous boxing to a more relaxing sailing class, giving students of varying physical activity capabilities many options.
Scott Petritz, the Sailing Center Facility Manager and sailing instructor, teaches KIN 101U, a sailing class located on Lake Lansing. Sailing meets twice a week for a month and teaches students how to sail dinghies.
Petritz said the main goal of his class is to excite students about sailing and also incorporates physical activity.
"I wouldn't say sailing is (rigorous), like exercise per se, but I would say it's kind of picking up a skill that's very unique and foreign. So it's definitely challenging mentally, but also very rewarding," Petritz said.
Physical activity has many mental health benefits as well.
"There's research showing the psychological benefits of exercise, that it can reduce depressive symptoms, improve mood," Currie said. "There's research that it can contribute to better sleep, and we now know that sleep is a very important risk factor for cardiovascular disease, that people that have healthier sleep habits have reduced risk for those diseases later in life."
In addition to psychological benefits, the social aspect of BIP classes can help with mental health as well. Socializing and building networks on campus is helpful for mental health, Currie explained. The exposure students have to activities they may have never tried before is also beneficial, she said.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
Petritz noted a psychological benefit of finding a sense of release on the water. Since the sailing center is on Lake Lansing, students are separated from their day-to-day campus lives and stressors in a peaceful environment. Students are also paired up on the dinghies, allowing them to meet new people and build relationships.
"It gets you in the mindset of being part of a team and pushing yourself and it just feels great to accomplish that," Polulak said. "I feel like there is clarity after my yoga classes because I just feel so calm."
Courses have various equipment requirements and can incur additional fees, according to the Department of Kinesiology website. Students can only take up to eight BIP enrollment credits. The program intends to add a course on reading electrocardiograms as well as an advanced archery course.
