• Children 13 years & under are not allowed into the Fitness Center.
• Personal items, including any type of bags, jackets, and purses are not allowed in the FC. Lockers are provided outside of the FC, in the lobby area and in the locker rooms for your convenience. Keys for lockers are available at the Preston Center control desk for check out. Do not leave your belongings in the locker overnight. All lockers will be cleaned out daily at 10:30pm.

• Clothing that fully covers the torso and mid section (sports bras should be worn underneath shirts)
• Appropriate gym footwear must be worn at all times (no sandals, flip flops, croc style shoes or bare feet)
• No jeans, cargo pants or cut-off shorts are allowed
• No open beverage containers, food, gum, or tobacco products allowed. Sealed top water bottles are allowed.
• Talking on a cell phone is strictly prohibited in the Fitness Center. Text messaging is prohibited while using cardiovascular machines.
• Profanity, excessive loud and suggestive language, and sexual harassment are prohibited. Western Kentucky University is committed to providing a working and learning environment that is free from sexual harassment and it is the policy of this University that sexual harassment in any form will not be tolerated.
• Please be courteous to others in the FC at all times. Share equipment and allow others to set in.
• Report any injury immediately to the FC attendant.
• Report any equipment problem immediately to the FC attendant.
• Clean machines after each use by spraying solution on towel and wiping down equipment. (Please do not spray solution directly on machine. Do not wipe down the LCD display on the cardiovascular machine!)
• Ask FC attendant for assistance or demonstrations.
• No outside personal training is permitted in the FC or Preston Center. Personal training can be arranged through the Health & Fitness Lab.
• Preston Center is not responsible for any lost, stolen or damaged items. Any lost and found items will be held at the Preston Center for one semester. After this time all items will be donated to charity.
• Safety clips are mandatory while on treadmills.
• When FC is crowded, please limit your time on the cardiovascular machines to 30 minutes.
• Collars are mandatory in free weight area.
• Please, do not monopolize more than one piece of equipment/barbell/set of dumbbell.
• Slamming, dropping or bouncing weights (machines or free weights) is prohibited.
• The use of a spotter is highly recommended.
• Return all plates, bars, dumbbells, and accessories after use.
• Do not remove any equipment from FC including free weights, plates, stability/medicine balls or cable accessories. Dumbbells should not be removed from free weight area.
• Weight gloves and wrist straps are allowed. The use of chalk is prohibited.
• Be considerate to others – do not sit and socialize on equipment.
• Policy violations will be reviewed by facility staff. Appropriate disciplinary actions, including verbal warning, removal from FC, restricted use of facilities, and loss of membership privileges, will be administered accordingly.

• The gymnasium at the Preston Center is available for open recreation at all times except when it conflicts with academic classes, intramural events, or pre-approved special events. All open recreation courts are available on a first-come first-served basis.
• Individuals conducting themselves in an anti-social manner will be asked to leave the building. This includes, but is not limited to, un-sportsman-like conduct, profanity, and equipment misuse. 
• Due to potential slip hazards, beverages are not allowed on the hardwood or synthetic surfaces. This includes liquids in sealed tops. Under no circumstances are glass containers allowed in the Preston Center. 
• Any individual who dunks, attempts to dunk, hangs on or breaks down the rims of the basketball goals will be asked to leave the building and must show a Big Red I.D. before leaving the premises. Repeat offenders will be suspended from the facility. 
• Non-marking court shoes must be worn when using the gymnasium. No street shoes, boots, or sandals are allowed. No individual will be allowed use of the courts when barefooted.
• Due to danger to other patrons and potential damage to the building, some unorganized activities are prohibited. Examples are, but not limited to, soccer, baseball, roller hockey, lacrosse, rugby, and football. The equipment associated with these activities is prohibited. 
• Due to the high number of activities during weekdays, tennis and badminton nets will only be available from Friday afternoon until Monday morning each week. Badminton equipment (racquets, shuttlecocks, etc. are not available for checkout).
• Policy violations will be reviewed by facility staff. Appropriate disciplinary actions, including verbal warning, removal from FC, restricted use of facilities, and loss of membership privileges, will be administered accordingly.

These policies are in place to ensure a safe, welcoming, and enjoyable environment for all participants. Failure to comply may result in removal from the facility and further disciplinary action.

Facility Entry & Conduct

• All participants must enter and exit the Natatorium through the locker rooms only.
  Emergency exit doors and glass doors leading to the gymnasium are not permitted for entry or exit.
• Admission may be refused to individuals with contagious diseases, open wounds, infectious conditions, or those under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or exhibiting unsafe or erratic behavior.
• Personal conduct must not jeopardize the safety of oneself or others.
• Running, rough play, or boisterous behavior is not permitted, except during supervised aquatic activities.
• Unsupervised solo bathing is strictly prohibited.

Hygiene & Health Requirements

• All swimmers must shower before entering the pool.
• Spitting, blowing the nose, or otherwise introducing contaminants into the pool water is prohibited.
• Animals are not permitted in the Natatorium.

Attire & Personal Belongings

• Proper swim attire must be worn at all times.
  Swimsuits or equivalent swimwear are required. Cutoffs and gym shorts are not permitted.
• No street shoes are allowed on the pool deck unless approved by the facility supervisor.
  Flip-flops and sandals are permitted.
• Towels may be placed on the bleachers.
• All other personal items must be stored in lockers located in the locker rooms.
• Food, drink, gum, tobacco, glass, soap, or any other hazardous materials are not permitted on deck or in the pool area.

Water Safety Rules

• No diving is permitted in shallow water.
• Caution must be exercised when using diving boards.
• Hypoxic or breath-holding training is prohibited at all times.
• Flotation devices must be approved by aquatic staff.

Youth Supervision Policy

• Children under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult.
• The approved supervision ratio is one adult per child.
• An exception may be made for children under 14 who:
  • Can swim one full 25-meter length without stopping or using the wall, and
  • Do not require a flotation device, and
  • Successfully complete a swim test administered by aquatic staff.
• Even with an approved exception, the child’s guardian must remain inside the Preston Center at all times.
• Guardians may not leave the facility while a child under 14 is present.
• If a child cannot pass the swim test, the guardian must be in the water with the child.
• Questions regarding this policy should be directed to the facility supervisor on duty.

Diving Board Policies

Diving boards can be opened for patron use upon request. 

• If the three lanes closest to the diving boards are not in use and no rental groups are present, lifeguards may adjust lane lines and open one lower diving board.
• Opening of the diving board is at the sole discretion of the lifeguards on duty, based on pool usage and safety considerations.

When diving boards are open, the following rules apply:

• One person on the diving board at a time
• Only one bounce is permitted
• Divers must enter the water forward only
• No inward, backward, reverse dives, flips, or twists
• No flotation devices, masks, goggles, or equipment on the board
• Fulcrum settings may not be adjusted
• No swimmers allowed in the diving well while boards are in use
• No sitting or hanging on rails

Enforcement

Any individual who violates Natatorium policies may be asked to leave the facility and may be subject to additional disciplinary action.

Dependent children and grandchildren, 18 and under, may obtain a membership under the condition their legal guardian(s) are members of the Preston Center.

An adult must accompany a dependent child or grandchild who is 14 years of age or under. Children 4 years and under may not be left unattended.

Free memberships are available for children & grandchildren 4 years of age & under.

Children 14 years & under are not allowed into the Fitness Center.

Children 14 years & under must be accompanied by an adult in the Natatorium. All children must pass a swim test to go off of the diving boards.

Children 14 years & under must be accompanied by an adult on the track.

Children 14 years & under can not sponsor a guest.

All guests under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a legal guardian or have a signed consent form on file in the Campus Recreation & Wellness Office. Consent forms are available in our office or below.

Dance Studio:

No food or beverages are allowed in the studios, except for water in a closed plastic container.

Participants are highly encouraged to arrive to class on time. Late arriving participants may be denied entry to any class, at the instructor's discretion, due to the importance of a sufficient warm-up period.

It is highly recommended that participants stay for the entire class to ensure the proper cool-down phase of class.

All participants in group fitness classes must be 14 years of age or older.

Soft-soled, closed-toed athletic shoes are required for all cardiovascular and resistance training classes. Hard-soled, closed-toed athletic shoes or cycling shoes are recommended for all cycling classes. Shoe removal may be appropriate in yoga and pilates classes.

Personal belongings are not allowed in the fitness studios. Coin return lockers are located on the first floor and daily lockers are available in all locker rooms. The Intramural-Recreational Sports Staff is not responsible for lost or stolen items.

All accidents, injuries, or equipment irregularities must be reported to the Building Supervisor immediately.

Towels are recommended for all classes and may be picked up from the front desk.

Water bottles are highly encouraged for Cycling classes.

All patrons must comply with staff requests. Instructors have authority over all room conduct and use of equipment. Failure to comply may result in suspension of facility privileges.

All equipment must remain in the studios and must be returned to its proper location after use. Equipment from other areas may not be brought into the studios. All equipment should be used for the manner for which it is designed.

To enter a class, participants must wait outside of the of the studio until the instructor allows everyone inside. Please form lines going toward the end of the hallway; participants may not save spaces in line for friends or save equipment.

Class entry is on a drop-in basis and will be open on a first-come, first-served basis. Class size is limited to 21 participants in Cycling classes, and 75 participants or instructor's discretion in all other classes.

All Group Fitness classes are free and only require proper access to the facility.

Intramural-Recreational Sports Department reserves the right to cancel any class on the basis of low attendance or registration.

Yoga Etiquette:

Please do your best to arrive on time. The breath work at the beginning of class is crucial in allowing us to clear our minds of the daily clutter and prepare mentally for class. The warm-up series is extremely important. Practicing our Yoga Poses when muscles are adequately warm is proven to increase flexibility and greatly lowers the risk of injury.

If you must arrive after class has begun, (door is closed) please wait for opening meditation to conclude, (when you hear movement) before entering and then do so as quietly as possible.

Class will be closed to late comers 5 minutes after class has begun. The warm-up is extremely important in order to practice safely and without injury.

Please turn cell phones OFF, no exceptions. There is no acceptable circumstance for a ringing cell phone during the class. Since we know that our yoga practice is about building stronger minds as well as bodies and learning to tune into our bodies communication, ringing cell phones can be very distracting to other participants.

If you must leave class before the class is over, please take an early relaxation, which will alert the instructor of your planned early exit.

Please wipe down borrowed mats after each use with gym wipes provided. This helps to cut down on the spread of germs and is respectful to the next person who uses that mat.

Indoor Cycling:

Due to limited class size, please be on time to class. The warm-up is an important part of the class and aids in the prevention of injury. Lateness to class is both a safety issue and a distraction to others.  

DO NOT ENTER A CLASS IF YOU ARE MORE THAN 10 MINUTES LATE.

At the end of class, each participant is required to wipe off the bike seat, handle bars, and frame. Please use the gym wipes provided in the Dance Studio.

If you are new, pregnant, or have any injuries, please inform the instructor prior to class.

Remember to always work at your own pace.