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In 2005, Ohio State took steps to support the fitness needs of the third-largest student populations in the nation. The completion of the Recreation/Physical Activity Center, also known as the RPAC, gave Ohio State one of the biggest physical fitness centers in the nation.
The building was finished in 2007 and resides just southeast of the Horseshoe. Its glass wall and scarlet walkway are among the most recognizable parts of campus.
The RPAC is an architectural masterpiece that features equipment to lift, do cardio, and play a number of games, ranging from basketball to squash. The facility even hosts a golfing center within the building, allowing visitors to hone their driving and chipping skills. With over 500,000 square feet, the RPAC is never short on space.
The center holds 12 basketball courts, two competitive and three recreational swimming pools, a Canyon with over 70 cardio machines, and a lifting area of almost 10,000 total feet.
The RPAC offers endless opportunities to get fit, whether that may be individually or with a group. Offering group sessions, lessons, and intramural sports, the center gives students the option to explore unusual ways to break a sweat.
Ohio State's Recreational Department is constantly looking for new ways for students to work out, utilizing everything from kickboxing to Zumba. For intramural sports, students can participate in traditional sports to more... imaginative activities such as battleship, where teams try to sink one another's canoes. Regardless of the sport, they encourage teamwork and competition, giving different skill levels separate divisions.
Despite the university's Columbus enrollment of around 60,000 students, Ohio State's flagship fitness center has helped make the student body one of the fittest in the nation.
