Employee Fitness Center (EFC)
The EFC is open to all full-time, benefit-eligible employees during our open gym hours. During the academic year, starting the second week of classes, open gym hours are M-F 6 am – 8 am, 11 am – 6:30 pm; during the winter and summer breaks, hours are M, W, and F 6-8 am and 11 am – 1 pm. During the academic year, the center is closed from 8 am – 11 am to allow for classroom instruction in the center for classes in the Exercise Science Program. No membership is required, and facility hours and sign-up can be found on Picktime (signing up for workout sessions in advance is optional).
The exercise facility located in the Field House on the UNH-Durham campus is approximately 3,600 square feet in size. Exercise equipment includes True treadmills, StarTrac and Octane elliptical trainers, LifeFitness Exercise cycles (upright and recumbent), Schwinn AirDyne cycles, StairMaster step machines, Concept II rowers, Expresso (computerized) cycles, Nautilus strength stations, free weights (e.g., dumbbells, plates, barbells, kettlebells) and a variety of core and balance training equipment. Upon entry into the UNH Field House, after walking past the concession stand and before walking onto the basketball courts, take the staircase on the right, the center is located at the top of the staircase to the left.
- You will be asked to sign our updated Informed Consent Waiver or demonstrate completion upon arrival.
- Please read our updated policies and procedures.
All full-time faculty and staff are eligible to use the EFC, and although it is preferable that individuals enroll in the UNH Employee Fitness Program, it is not mandatory. Faculty and staff can use the EFC without enrolling in the UNH Employee Fitness Program.
Employee Fitness Program (EFP)
The EFP is a program designed to provide a capstone experience for our senior students in the Exercise Science Program. During the fall semester, seniors enrolled in EXSC 736: Fitness and Graded Exercise Testing are instructed on the precautions and procedures necessary for the conduction of a variety of physical fitness assessments (e.g., blood pressure, electrocardiogram, blood lipid and glucose profile, body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness estimation via stress testing).
These assessments are performed at the end of the fall semester on eligible employees to collect pre-program or baseline data. In the spring semester, seniors enroll in EXSC 737: Exercise Prescription and Leadership, which guides their decision making for exercise prescription and programming for their employee clients.
Physical fitness assessments are conducted at the end of the spring semester to inform students and their employee clients on client progress and program efficacy. In the spring semester, Clients are expected to meet with their student exercise physiologist at least 1-2 times per week and will be prescribed at least 3-5 days of physical activity depending on individual medical and fitness histories and goals. Individuals who are passionate about improving their physical health are strongly encouraged to apply!
Availability in the program is on a first come, first served basis, although priority is given to first-time applicants. Applications for the program will be accepted starting on the August 15th prior to the academic year.
If you are interested, please fill out the application: EFP Application
and email it to our Director, Kimberly Smith.
History of Employee Fitness
The UNH EFC originated in 1988. The UNH President’s Office designated start-up funds to the (then) Department of Physical Education’s Exercise Physiology Faculty to establish an exercise testing and training facility, which would be made available to interested benefits-eligible, apparently healthy faculty and staff. The Department purchased equipment for testing and training and hired a graduate student to run the program's day-to-day operations. The initial call for participants went out to all eligible faculty and staff. The response was overwhelming, with over 250 respondents. A lottery was held to select 100 participants. Since 1988, approximately 100 new participants have been tested annually. In 1995, the program was moved to the Field House Balcony, where it currently resides. To date, over 2,200 UNH faculty and staff have been tested and have used the facility on a regular basis.
The UNH EFP provides a real-world laboratory situation for graduate and undergraduate students in The Department of Kinesiology/Exercise Science. Students are actively involved in all aspects of fitness development and programming. Included are fitness testing, graded exercise testing, blood lipid assessment, pulmonary function testing, body composition testing, exercise prescription, personal training, program development, program marketing, data collection, and data tracking.
