With spring break only a week away, Health Services is taking the opportunity this week to tell students ways to get fit and healthy before they leave for break.

Health Services is holding Healthy Days, a two-day event that begins today.

Matt Coleman, a Villa Hills graduate student and a graduate assistant for Health Services, said they started the event last year and decided to hold it again because it was popular with students.

“It is good to have a health fair based on student needs,” he said.

Today’s events, which include two mass aerobics classes, “awesome abs” and kick boxing, will take place at the Preston Center from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

During Healthy Days, “awesome abs” will be held from 4:30 to 5 p.m. Kick boxing will be held from 5:15 to 6:45 p.m. Both classes will be taught on the blue basketball courts.

Edgewood sophomore Rachel Kirn, who attends the kick boxing class regularly, said she plans to go to the mass class.

“I think it is a good idea to have kick boxing as a mass class, because I’m sure people who have never done the class will come out and try it,” she said.

Other scheduled events today include assessments of certain fitness areas, such as body composition, blood pressure, body fat and flexibility.

There will also be fitness competitions that include a 40-yard dash, an agility shuttle run, push ups, sit ups, long jump and free throws.

Todd Misener, assistant director of Intramural and Recreational Sports at the Health and Fitness Lab, said the competitions were chosen because most people are familiar with them.

“I hope students will have fun and that it will draw more people to continue working out at Preston,” Misener said.

Wednesday’s events will be held outside in the courtyard of the Academic Complex from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The events will be moved inside if there is bad weather.

The events for Wednesday include free HIV testing, blood pressure screening, a beer goggle sobriety test and information tables. The tables will have information about nutrition, exercise, smoking, stress and depression.

They will also have spring break tips about travel safety, tattooing, piercing and alcohol.

Owensboro sophomore Melissa Shoemaker said, if the weather is nice, she plans on stopping at the tables outside to see what tips Health Services is offering.

“I don’t know if I will use the information I get from the health fair, but I will be glad to learn something new on the different topics affecting me and other students,” she said.

Students who attend any event during the two days will receive a free T-shirt.

Students will also receive a spring break kit if they attend on Wednesday. The kit includes: band aids, deodorant, sunscreen, a tooth brush, tooth paste and an alcohol tip card.

Reach Kara Kozusko at [email protected].