"This is the best way to spend your spare time," said Özgür Torlak, a recent Bilkent Tourism graduate.

No, Özgür wasn't talking about watching football matches on TV, playing video games, or sipping beer at his favorite cafe. Pushing his nearly exhausted muscles close to the point of pain by lifting a weight-laden barbell while soaked in sweat is what Özgür's talking about. And he's not the only one. An increasing number of Bilkent students claim an addiction to workouts in the Fitness Room of the Main Campus Physical Education and Sports Center. Why? You'll feel great, have more energy to devote to your studies, gain a bunch of new friends, and have less stress, according to a group of Fitness Room regulars who gathered on a recent afternoon to talk about the benefits of their exercise regimens.

"I come here just for the feeling of being fit," said third year management student Hakan Topsal. "Working out makes you feel good, strong, and gives you more energy."

Not only does fourth year Translation and Interpretation student Neyran Şen walk away from her workouts feeling good and full of energy, she also finds herself more relaxed. "When I come here I forget everything. I concentrate on my workout. You let the stress go and feel happy." Workouts are also a great social outlet, she said. "I have made many friendships here. You can socialize here with students from other departments you wouldn't otherwise see."

For many students the benefits of regular workouts extend beyond the physical and social. Committing himself to a regular workout schedule has helped Özgür manage his time better and bring order to other parts of his life. "To work out regularly, we are disciplining ourselves," he said. "This helps in other areas, too."

All the pluses have these students hooked. "I love fitness," said second year Tourism student Özgür Özçelik. "Now I come here almost every day." Neyran knows the feeling. "It's like an addiction," she said. "It's like a must."

With those kind of rave reviews it's no wonder that nearly five times more people use the fitness room each day this semester (about 100) than did just four years ago. However, many students wonder why even more aren't participating, especially women.

"Not many women come here," said Neyran, who has been a Fitness Room regular for the past two years. "They usually think fitness is a man's thing and maybe they think they won't feel comfortable here. But the men here are very helpful. I advise the women to come. It is something very interesting and encouraging."

In general, many students just lack the drive to push themselves to work out enough to realize the benefits, said Özgür Torlak. "When they come here they feel some pain and then stop," he said. "But no pain, no gain," added Hakan.

While the regulars are quick to point out that Bilkent's Fitness Room is one of the best among Turkish universities (Hakan said it is the best), all have suggestions for improvement, including a larger room, bicep training machines, a better selection of smaller weights, and a pool. Many of these improvements will come once the new and currently under construction physical education complex is complete, perhaps sometime next academic year.

For the most part, however, this group of workout devotees is very happy with the fitness facilities and their wish is to share their addiction with everyone. Said Hakan: "To feel good, get a good posture, and to have a good time, come here."

Try It Yourself

• The Fitness Room is on the bottom floor of the Main Campus Physical Education and Sports Center and is open from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. every day.

• Experienced trainers are on duty in the room from noon to 8 p.m. every day to answer workout questions and help you design a workout plan that meets your goals. A basic workout plan for beginners is available in writing.

• While workout schedules may vary, generally you should work out three times a week.

• Generally, workouts should last no longer than one hour.