Changes ClubWest: Rodrigo and Joeri explain

A lot has changed at ClubWest in recent years. From small adjustments to the sports program to major renovations from wellness to boxing studio. We can imagine that this is a lot to take in sometimes, but behind all those changes is a clear vision that we’d like to share! That’s why we – location managers Rodrigo and Joeri – answer the most frequently asked ClubWest questions here.

Why do I pay so much for a membership?

“As one of the USC locations, ClubWest receives a subsidy to enable AUAS (HvA)/UvA students, employees and graduates to work out against a low fee. If you do not belong to one of these groups, you pay a market fee – which is what it would cost at another gym with a comparable offer.”

Why is there no more Body & Mind?

“ClubWest no longer rents part of the first floor, because the space was not used efficiently for student sports. As a result, we can no longer use the Body & Mind studio. Because very few students joined the Body & Mind classes, these classes have not returned to the program. However, there now is an accessible yoga class: yoga basic as part of the group class schedule.”

Where did the cycle classes go?

“Very few students joined the cycle classes, while the new beat cycle is extremely popular at other USC locations – especially among students. Therefore we decided to replace a number of cycle classes with beat cycle.”

Why is there no sauna anymore?

“Because we no longer rent part of the first floor, the sports program became somewhat scanty. In addition, we really wanted to expand boxing and kickboxing at ClubWest – because we know that this is very popular with students -, but we didn’t actually have suitable space for it. Keeping the sauna installations up to standard would also require an increasingly large investment. By sacrificing the wellness for a new sports studio, we can offer students more sports. And that is what we are here for in the first place.”

What are those groups of students doing in the gym?

“ClubWest collaborates with AUAS in many ways. For example, students get fitness education in our gym, and also in the studios upstairs. This is done in groups, and we try to keep the nuisance to a minimum by not allowing more than one group at a time and by only allowing this to take place during quiet hours.”

What are all those old people doing at ClubWest?

“During the quiet afternoon hours, the so-called TEAMS study of AUAS takes place. TEAMS stands for Tailored Training and Protein Recommendation for Vulnerable Seniors. These oldies do a guided fitness training twice a week and receive protein intake advice, they are tested at the start and finish of the trajectory. The intention is to find the right training and nutrition program so that seniors retain their strength longer, and thus their independence. The research is supervised by AUAS students and their teachers.”

This collaboration with AUAS, what’s in it for me?

“Thanks to AUAS, ClubWest can exist and organize a full range of sports that non-students can also join. Students also often do internships, and if they do so at ClubWest, our members benefit from this. For example through free personal training or a fun event members can participate in.

Am I still welcome at ClubWest as a non-student?

“The ClubWest program is targeting students as much as possible. If you feel comfortable with that, you are and will be very welcome. You do however pay a market fee. We can’t have subsidy money from AUAS go to non-AUAS members. That’s just how it works.”

Why have all these changes been made in recent years, when not much changed before that?

“With the completion in 2010 of the entire building of which ClubWest is part, the fitness started as a commercial gym. Some still know the name Splash Health Campus. AUAS did not like this construction and that is why USC was asked to take over. That was about 12 years ago. Things changed in small steps, starting by getting ClubWest into the same ‘model’ as the other USC locations. When the two of us started as location managers about three years ago, we set ourselves the goal of putting students first even more than before to ensure that the subsidy from AUAS also reaches the right target group.”

What are your plans for ClubWest?

“We have big dreams for ClubWest, and hopefully we can realize all of them. In our vision, ClubWest will be the sports and meeting place for students in the area in two years’ time. We are making the access via the AUAS building easier. Our program is targeted towards students even more, with more (kick) boxing and group classes that are mainly taught by internally trained instructors who are often still a student themselves. We want to expand the fitness area between the stairs and the front desk, but of course there will still be enough space to sit and relax with a coffee or shake. ClubWest will be pimped, for example with a new coat of paint and a smooth light plan. And because non-students will still be welcome, ClubWest will always be a place where Higher Education and Amsterdam society meet!”

Do you have a different question for Rodrigo and Joeri? Send an e-mail to clubwest@uscsport.nl or just talk to them in the gym. They’re happy to answer all of your questions!