Frequently Asked Questions

Absolutely.  Information about remote fitness, recreation, and other wellbeing opportunities for students, faculty and staff are listed on the Thrive Remotely web page.

In-person group fitness classes will be held in a few outdoor “studio” locations.  The classes will include yoga, Zumba, Zumba Toning, BodyCombat, BodyPump, CXWORX ( Core training class), Pilates, Bands & BOSU’s. 

In-person classes will also be live streamed for Demon Deacons who would prefer to participate remotely.

In-person group fitness classes will be held at a few outdoor “studio” locations.  This will provide a safer environment and permit more individuals to participate.

Participation for in-person classes will be limited to 24 people and participants must pre-register for classes.

Exercise classes will also be live streamed.  This will permit individuals who can’t or don’t feel comfortable participating in person to do so remotely.

See group fitness schedule and registration info here.

No.  WFU is encouraging faculty and staff to work from home, if they can.  We are also encouraging faculty, staff, and retirees to engage in group exercise remotely.

If an employee chooses to participate in group exercise classes in person, they must pre-register for classes and will need to have an active Wellbeing Center membership.

Absolutely!  Personal and small group training is available both in-person and remote virtually …whatever your preference is.  Check out the personal & small group training web page for more information.

With personal training, a trainer works with you one-on-one.  They are your personal fitness coach designing workout routines to meet your specific fitness and wellbeing goal (i.e., weight management, build strength, overall physical wellbeing, train for a marathon/triathlon, improve in particular sport).  And, like any coach, they are with you to motivate and encourage you throughout your workout and ensure your progress.

In small group training, instead of a one-on-one experience, the trainer works with a small group of individuals — typically around 6 – 8 people.  The training is focused on a common shared set of specific fitness and wellbeing goals.  And, there is much more personal attention compared to a group exercise class that can have dozens of participants.

ACE Personal Training Prep Course is accepting registration now online.  Group Fitness will also share training opportunities.  However, these have transitioned to how they are being delivered as a hybrid virtual and in-person blend. More information to come on the fitness training web.

Yes!  The Wellbeing Center will be open Monday to Thursday 5:30 am – 10 pm, Friday 5:3 am – 8pm, Saturday 10am – 8pm, and Sunday 10:00 am to 10:00 pm. The pool is open as well. 

However, out of an abundance of caution and focus on the health and safety of our students, many fitness and recreation programs will continue to be offered outside. Check out the Campus Recreation web page for program offerings.

Currently, NC is in Phase 2.5 and the weight rooms, the climbing wall, and the pool are open. Reservations can be made for 45-minute time slots. 

The Wellbeing Center is also offering students almost 20,000 square feet of study space.

Absolutely!  For the safety of all Demon Deacons, appropriate face covering will be required in the Wellbeing Center and all Campus Recreation programs both indoors and outdoors even when working out and engaging in other physical activity.  The only exception will be while swimming.

Due to health and safety concerns, cardio machines will be unavailable this semester.  Cardio machines create a significant amount of air turbulence.  Individuals using cardio machines, even if wearing a face covering, expel droplets.  The air turbulence propels the droplets a considerable distance thereby potentially putting others at risk.  There isn’t sufficient scientific research on how to safely offer use cardio equipment without the potential spread of viruses.

The climbing wall is currently open for reservations. 

While North Carolina remains under Phase 2.5, the locker rooms will not be available.  We will reconsider reopening locker rooms once NC moves to Phase III.

No.  In keeping with the University’s current policy, only students, faculty and staff with a Wake Forest University ID will be permitted entry into the Wellbeing Center.

No.  Only only students, faculty and staff with a Wake Forest University ID will be permitted to participate in in-person programs.

Anyone with a University wfu.edu email address may participate in online programs.

To appropriately limit capacities, reservations will be required for most Campus Recreation programs (i.e., group fitness classes, swimming pool).  However, reservations will not be required for students wishing to come informally gather and study in the Wellbeing Center.

The current operating hours are

Monday to Thursday 5:30 am – 10 pm

Friday 5:3 am – 8pm

Saturday 10am – 8pm

Sunday 10:00 am to 10:00 pm 

The pool is open. Lane reservations will be required; one swimmer per lane.

Check the pool calendar or aquatics web page for hours.

The pool will have different hours as compared to a typical academic semester. Check the pool calendar or aquatics homepage

for hours.

Pool use will be by reservation only.  And, only one swimmer will be permitted per lane.  Go to deaconrec.wfu.edu to make a reservation.

Locker rooms and the whirlpool will be unavailable.

There will be one SCUBA certification offering this semester. Check the aquatics certification page for more information.

The group and private swim lessons will not be offered Fall semester.  Check back in the Spring.

The Wake Forest Masters Swim program will continue to be paused indefinitely due to COVID-19. Current university policy limits campus access to students, faculty, and staff. We will restart the program once the campus access policy has been lifted.

There will be no lifeguard certification classes this semester. Check back in the Spring.

Outdoor playing fields will be available.  However, students are expected to comply with University Covid-19 policies (i.e., wear a mask, remain at least 6’ apart…further if engaging in physical activity).

Some of the playing fields are also being used for fitness classes and have tents that students can informally gather during the day and reserve for student organization meetings and activities in the afternoon, evening, and weekends.

Absolutely!  Walking, jogging, running and biking are terrific outdoor activities during the pandemic.  Check out the various campus trail/route maps.

Absolutely!  Tennis and pickleball are terrific outdoor activities during the pandemic.  Since players are sharing objects (i.e., ball) proper precautions should be taken to wash hands or use hand sanitizer immediately prior to and following play.

Absolutely!  Disc golf is a terrific outdoor activity during the pandemic.  There is a wonderful disc golf course on campus.  If you need equipment, you can check some out from Recreation G.O. on Hearn Plaza.

Outdoor basketball and volleyball courts are not available.  Currently, participation in such competitive team sports is not advisable during the pandemic.

Demon Deacons will have the opportunity to participate in over 2 dozen intramural sports competitions during the fall semester.  They will be a wide variety of primarily 1-vs-1 and 1-vs-2 competitions and eSports.  Check out the full offerings on the intramural sports website.

Wake Forest has a proud tradition of having one of the largest collegiate intramural sports programs in the country with almost half of Demon Deacons participating each year.  For the fall semester, the majority of intramural sports offered will be 1-vs-1 and 1-vs-2 competitions and eSports.  Competitive team sports such as basketball, soccer, and flag football will be offered in the spring, if it is safe to do so.

Wake Forest offers one of the largest collegiate club sport programs in the country.  Demon Deacons participate in over 3 dozen different recreational and competitive sport clubs.  For the fall semester, for safety reasons, some competitive club sports will not be offered and those that are will operate under proper safety protocols.  Information pertaining to each sport can be obtained by contacting the specific club.

Wake Forest has reviewed each individual recreational and club sport to determine which can reasonably be offered within guidelines from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), NC Department of Health, American College Health Association (ACHA), the National Intramural Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA), and other fitness, recreation, and sports professional associations and leagues.  The evaluation determined which sports can and cannot be safely offered for the fall semester and, if they can, what safety protocols are necessary.

The University is only permitting essential travel, so competitive sport clubs will not be traveling for the fall semester.  Additionally, Wake Forest is limiting guests on campus, so other collegiate club sport teams will not be permitted to come to campus.  Most other colleges and universities in the region are also not permitting their competitive club sport teams to campus or permitting other university club sport teams to travel to their campus.

Yes.  Reservations are still required for clubs to use outdoor fields and courts. Reservations will also be required for indoor gyms and multi-purpose rooms.

We are offering many activities on campus, check out the Recreation G.O. page for more information. 

The University is only permitting essential travel, so there will not be any off-campus outdoor recreation trips for the fall semester.  There will, however, be lots of opportunities to engage in outdoor recreation activities on-campus.  Check out the schedule of offerings on the Outdoor Pursuits web page.

The climbing wall is currently open for reservations. 

Absolutely!  Our popular bike share program that rents bikes to students to use for an entire semester will be operating again for fall semester.  For more information, check out the Bike Share web page.

Absolutely!  Virginia and the Carolinas offer a plethora of outstanding outdoor recreation opportunities.  And Outdoor Pursuits’ gear rental center has all the equipment you need to have a fun time in the great outdoors.  We’re even available to provide consultation if you need recommendations on where to go hike, bike, camp, canoe, kayak, or whatever if you  are using our gear or your own.  Check out the OP Gear Rental Center web page.

Current university policy limits campus access to students, faculty, and staff.  Once employee family members are welcome back on the Reynolda campus, we will revisit when to restart Deacon Family Hours.  In the meantime, there are family-friendly activities that Demon Deacons and their kids can participate in remotely on the Thrive Remotely web page.

Current university policy limits campus access to students, faculty, and staff. Once retirees are welcome back on the Reynolda campus, we will revisit when to allow access to the Wellbeing Center.  In the meantime, retirees are  In the meantime, there are remote activities that retirees can engage in remotely on the Thrive Remotely web page.  Retirees may participate in group fitness classes on the Campus Recreation  web page.

Current university policy limits campus access to students, faculty, and staff.  Once partner/spouse/dependent members are welcome back on the Reynolda campus, we will revisit when to allow access to the Wellbeing Center.  In the meantime, there are activities that Demon Deacons and their partner/spouse/ dependents can participate in remotely on the Thrive Remotely web page.