With Spring Break just around the bend, the GW student body is hard at work trying to tone up and lean down. While many students make daily or weekly visits to the Lerner Health and Wellness Center (“Hell Well”), for others, it is an annual event reserved almost exclusively for the winter weeks following an indulgent winter break, and preceding what is sure to be an equally enjoyable spring vacation.

“I usually come here for breakfast (at Einstein’s Bagels),” said sophomore Karla Lazo, who only worked out once last year. “But now Spring Break is around the corner.”

Gym newcomers, fueled by looming New Year’s resolutions and thoughts of beachwear, are the major contributors to what is a traditional winter rush. During this time, the “Hell Well” is flooded with students looking to get into shape. The increased traffic, however, can be frustrating to gym regulars, who must now wait to use certain equipment.

“Sometimes it gets annoying,” said sophomore Meghan Allen, who comes to the gym six days a week, year-round. “I just avoid coming during the peak hours.”

Between the hours of 3:30 to 4 p.m. and around 7 p.m., the gym is usually filled to capacity, Assistant Athletic Director Andre Julien said. In the past, Health and Wellness staffers have received many complaints of overcrowding and have made several changes in response.

Most notably, Lerner has extended its hours of operation, accommodating exercisers Monday through Friday between 6:30 a.m. and 11:30 p.m., Saturday between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m., and Sunday between 11 a.m. and 11:30 p.m. Additional cardio machines have also been added, with several treadmills, elliptical trainers and stationary bikes located on the third floor.

The winter gym blitz that hits GW reflects a nationwide trend in gym activity. Nearly one-third of all new gym memberships opened at U.S. clubs in 2001 were sold in January (12.4 percent), February (9.5 percent) and March (8.7 percent), according to a study done by the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA), a Boston-based trade group. April, on the other hand, accounted for the fewest new memberships, with only a 6.9 percent gain.

“This is a big time of year for the industry,” said Rob McCurry, membership consultant for the Washington Sports Center (WSC) on K Street. “January is typically a hot time, but we’ve seen more new members in February this year.”

Many privately-owned facilities, like WSC, offer promotions every few months exclusively to lure in newcomers. For prospective clients, the special rates “seal the deal,” WSC trainer Adam Brack said.

“Most gym memberships are sold for three-year increments,” said GW exercise science professor Patricia Sullivan. “They know you won’t make it past three months.”

Research seems to support Sullivan’s claim. In 2003, an IHRSA study found there were 39.4 million U.S. health club members, yet only 15.7 million “attended” for 100 or more days. In other words, less than half of U.S. gym-goers made good use of their memberships.

“Some people are in for a quick fix,” said Brack. “They grab the information and go and end up hurting themselves later.”

Binge exercising is de-motivating in itself, as it holds a greater potential for personal injury, Sullivan said. Gym newcomers, unfamiliar with the equipment and their own limits, may place a great deal of strain on their muscles.

“The potential for experiencing pain the short term keeps you away for the long term,” Sullivan said.

While the sudden influx of gym-goers in the winter months is a widely recognized pattern throughout the fitness industry, the secret on how to increase retention rates for newcomers remains a mystery.

“People are motivated for short periods of time,” Sullivan said. “It’s the reality of the human condition.”

Long-term motivation is elusive for those who work out for non-health related reasons, added Sullivan. Motivation springing from vain ambitions is rather short-lived.

McCurry, who personally calls new WSC members who suddenly vanish, said the key is “to make them see fitness as something they need.”

Until then, however, elbow-to-elbow workouts during the winter months will remain an undeniable reality for all gym-goers.

“I doubt I’ll come back after (Spring Break),” Lazo said. “Maybe I’ll come back in May to get ready for summer.”