“What’s that new machine at Dedman?”

Lots of people have been wondering this question since the downstairs of the Dedman Center for Lifetime Sports received its most recent makeover.

That machine is the Life Fitness’ Synergy 360. It is a fitness machine that is designed to cater to a variety of exercisers. The Life Fitness website says that the machine was designed to allow people “to train smarter, better, and more effectively.”

The Synergy 360 has a variety of workout stations including ropes, a boxing bag connector and monkey bars. The training machine is designed to have a variety of workout stations that target everything from strength to suspension training

Some have deemed it the “jungle gym for men” and many girls have said that they don’t want to use it because it looks complicated and intimidating. Other people are upset that certain machines have vanished from Dedman.

Sara Ann Ziemnicki is a senior education and psychology major that is not on board with the new changes to the gym.

“I’m really frustrated by the fact that the other machines are gone,” said Ziemnicki. “I also don’t know how to use the new equipment and I don’t want to look like a fool trying to figure it out.”

Ziemnicki isn’t alone, other students are complaining about the change.

Jesse Carr is a junior at SMU and has said that the lack of instruction makes the Life Fitness’ Synergy 360 even more complicated than it appears.

“It’s a really good workout, but there aren’t any instructions or routine suggestions, so unless you’ve used one before or know exactly what you’re doing, you are kind of limited in how you can use it,” said Carr. “It’s just another example of how easy it is to overcomplicate fitness and working out.”

However with a little research, that machine can be understood. The Life Fitness website has videos that explain how to use the new machine. People who are interested in using the Synergy 360 can easily access these videos to help understand the new equipment.

The middle section of the gym, which used to be filled with a wide variety of weight machines, has been revamped. The machines used to be separated into three sections that help target different sections of the body. Now the remaining machines have been condensed into one section of the gym.

While most of the weight machines have remained, some are missing. Some personal favorites have been removed from the gym, including popular abdominal machines along with a calf machine.

“I was saddened by the fact that the oblique machine has disappeared because I am not trained to know other ways to work those muscles and that machine was the only way I could do it,” said Ziemnicki.

Some of the leg, abdominal, and arm machines have vanished and have yet to return to Dedman. When asked, the man working the desk in Dedman said he didn’t know where the machines went and whether they will come back.

There is a suggestion box in Dedman if you want to sumbit your opinion about the new changes.