I don’t know about you, but I always find myself in the gym, wondering what fitness classes are going on. I see groups of people going in and out of workout rooms all the time. I even peek through the windows, trying to catch a glimpse of whatever exercise routine they may be doing. So, after feeling like a creep for too long, I decided to do some research into the fitness classes offered at Duke’s Wilson Recreation Center.
The best class by far that I’ve taken in Wilson has been spin class (they call it Group Cycling). The gym offers this in the morning, afternoon, and evening for maximum attendance. It’s great because depending on when you go, you can always end up with the same teacher. All of the teachers that I’ve worked with have been incredibly motivational. They push you and push you until you feel like you’re about to faint and fall off of your bike, and then they give you a break. I’ve never appreciated a good sweat as much as I did during my spin class sessions. They play great “pump it up” music so that you can get a good rhythm going, and they don’t mind if you move at a different pace than the rest of the class. As long as you’re getting some exercise out of the class, that’s all that matters.
That being said, you should try your hardest at this class. It really pays off—you leave the gym feeling skinnier. I always leave on a mental high from this class, and then I can go to the library without feeling as sorry for myself.
Another great class that many Duke women (and men, too) love is Cardio Dance. Most of the time it’s taught by the bubbly Morgan Carney. It’s incredibly fun, but not stressful at all. You don’t realize how much exercise you’ve actually gotten out of the class until you stop, or until the next day when you feel the burn.
Cardio dance is a great group activity. You have so much fun dancing, laughing, and puzzling through the dance moves. When you go with friends, it’s great because you can all help (and laugh at) each other.
Yoga/Pilates is another wonderful opportunity brought to us by the Wilson Recreation Center. Make sure you have a mat, and get ready for an oddly difficult experience. I assumed that yoga would be easy—I was wrong. Your body stretches in ways that it definitely ISN’T supposed to stretch. But, when you’re done, you feel so much better. It’s a great relaxant during a hard week of exams.
Photo Sources:
http://ultimatefit.net/2011/09/24/new-beginning-intermediate-spin-class-tuesday-9-10am/
http://www.healthaccord.net/fitness/hate-cardio-how-about-a-dance.html/a…
http://trialx.com/curetalk/2010/12/scientific-evidence-for-the-benefits-of-yoga/