The university's on-campus fitness centers see a heavier load in the first few weeks of the spring semester than they do at any other time of the year, partly because of newcomers trying to get into a fitness routine, he said.

Harrison said some newcomers to the gym feel intimidated by the environment and then don't come back after the first few weeks of membership.

"Those are the people we're trying to grab," he said.

The six-week program began last week, but organizer Michelle Rockower, a strength coach assistant, said students and faculty can still join.

"If they still want to hop on, that's fine. Since this is the first time we're doing this, we're being very lenient in terms of registration," she said.

Classes meet twice a week, Rockower said.

On either Tuesday or Wednesday, participants learn techniques and are introduced to new equipment. On Thursdays, the classes of about six students perform the workouts they learned earlier in the week.

"This program's for everyone -- not just beginners," she said.

People who have been using the gym for years might be able to benefit from a more formal introduction to the fitness center, Rockower said.

"There's a lot of bad information out there," she said.

Her group is hoping to provide "good, quality information, with good foundations," she said.

In the first weeks of the program, participants will learn to use weight-stack equipment because free weights can be intimidating for some newcomers, Rockower said.

The third and fourth weeks will teach participants to use free weights. The sessions will cover a range of strength-training and cardiovascular workouts.

"The combination of strength-training and cardio is fabulous ... for weight loss," she said. "We reserved the last week for cardio."

The 45-minute sessions are offered at 3:30, 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. and will run until Feb. 19.

Interested fitness pass holders can register for the courses and select which time they want by inquiring at the fitness center's main desk in the White Building.

Rockower said the sessions are not lectures. Participants will be walking around the weight room as each new topic is introduced.

As the number of members using on-campus fitness centers rises each year, Rockower said one purpose of the program is part of an overall attempt to personalize the gym experience by introducing members to trainers and staff.

"They love when people ask them questions and ask them for help," she said of the trainers at the fitness center.

Trainers can help guide members in various workouts and can work to develop workout schedules for them, Rockower said.

Sharon Klimczyk (senior-crime, law and justice) said she has been using the MBNA Fitness Center since her sophomore year but has never had a need to consult with trainers.

"I had experience in high school, so I figured I could do it myself," she said.

Klimczyk said she thought the "Stick With It" program was a good idea for others, but jokingly said that if more students "stick with it," lines at MBNA may get even longer, tempting her to move to an off-campus facility.

Harrison said statistics show that about 10 percent of those using the fitness center at the beginning of the spring semester will not return after the first few weeks.

Despite this loss, "the majority of it is a group of fairly consistent students going after what they want to go after," he said.