Each February, the American Heart Association reminds all Americans of the importance of practicing healthy heart habits. At the University of Miami, the Division of Student Affairs emphasizes student well-being all year long but has paid particular attention to students’ physical health since the start of the spring semester.
Recent editions of the “Student Well-Being Newsletter” illuminated tips and on-campus resources to help students enhance their physical well-being, and student wellness advocates have stressed the importance of cardiovascular exercise through programming and special events.
Now, in honor of American Heart Month, student employees from the Department of Wellness and Recreation lend their perspectives to help all ’Canes maintain a healthy heart.
Mobi Martin-Dialia, a junior studying exercise physiology, is a fitness leader and personal trainer at the Herbert Wellness Center. He emphasizes the need for cardiovascular exercise to promote heart health.
“I think the most crucial aspect of staying physically healthy is to find your favorite way of being fit. Whether that is choosing to walk to class, sprinting, or lifting weights, activities that push yourself enough to elicit a heart adaptation that actually grows your heart in size and allows you to perform more.”
Andrey Nash, a fourth-year architecture student and group cycling class instructor, encourages students to participate in the broad range of fitness classes offered at the Herbert Wellness Center.
“Your heart is a muscle, and you have to work it. While going to the gym alone may be intimidating, taking a class can connect you with like-minded individuals with similar fitness goals. Simply taking three classes a week can elevate your heart health—especially one like cycling, which frequently raises your heart rate and gets oxygenated blood pumping throughout the body.”
Nash’s knowledge is rooted in seven years of instructing cycling classes—beginning in his hometown when he was just 15 years old. For those interested in joining Nash’s on-campus cycling classes, download the UM Wellness App to sign up for his sessions.
Rachel Gastaldo, a fifth-year master’s student in applied physiology, is a personal trainer and LIFE Program volunteer at the Herbert Wellness Center. She details how any amount of exercise helps improve quality of life.
“Setting a baseline of daily exercise is important for creating a healthy foundation for cardiovascular health. At the LIFE program, we offer individuals 65 years and older an outlet for frequent exercise that offers a range of fitness and can offset the loss of physical strength and the dangers of falling. This habit can be created earlier in life by following the American College of Sports Medicine’s guidelines, which encourage 150 minutes of cardiovascular activity a week, or about 30 minutes a day. You would be surprised at the small activities that contribute to meeting that limit—something as simple as taking a bike ride or walking your dog could be the difference in establishing a healthy lifestyle.”
Benjamin Ezzy, a second-year graduate student pursuing a Master of Fine Arts in interactive media, is an intramural sports supervisor. He highlights how being physically healthy can also mean having fun.
“The key is to try and find something that you can be consistent about. I try to walk 3-4 laps around the lake every day that I'm on campus. It's a relaxing way to stay active and de-stress during the day. Participating in intramural sports is also a great way to encourage cardiovascular exercise while also having fun. We have a lot of different sports leagues, tournaments, and offerings so there is something for everyone!”
Ezzy encourages people interested in intramural sports to look out for sign ups deadlines and sport offerings on the intramural sports program’s Instagram, and register to play via IMLeagues.
Ashley Margaritondo, a senior studying health science and psychology, is a wellness assistant and speaks to the importance of exercise as a means of self-care and overall well-being.
“For heart health, the best thing you can do is exercise. With it, your heart undergoes adaptations that make it more fit to function at its optimal level. The focus of this exercise shouldn’t be a number on the scale or how you look in the mirror, but for the physiological benefits that impact you in the long run—including a healthier sleep and lower stress levels.”
As a wellness assistant, Margaritondo conducts CHAMP and BodPod assessments and hosts outreach events to spread the importance of holistic wellness. Students can request a free fitness assessment by completing an interest form on the CHAMP website.
