You’ve been warned about the freshman fifteen, educated about eating well and exercising, and are up for the challenge of staying healthy in college. Maybe you have always been one to exercise regularly, or maybe you were an athlete in high school and want to keep yourself in shape in college. Now that you have this mindset, what are you going to do about it?
While UREC offers a variety of options for personal fitness such as weight rooms, a pool, and machines like ellipticals, sometimes the task of feeling motivated to work out can only come from doing so with other people. Luckily, there are group fitness classes every day of the week that structure workouts with groups of other interested students. Here is the rundown on which classes are best suited for different types of people looking to benefit from them and increase their fitness level.
For the former (or current) athlete: Athletic Conditioning
This class, reminiscent of several infamous at-home workout programs (think Insanity or P90X), is a serious challenge. High intensity interval training, circuits, cardio, and weights are mixed together for a sweaty, intense workout. “This class is a way better form of exercise than some of the other classes if you are physically fit enough for it!” freshman Maddie, who takes the class once a week, said. If you are looking to benefit from a strong cardiovascular workout and feel up to a challenge, try this class!
For those just getting into exercise: 20/20/20
If you are adjusting into a regular exercise routine and want to keep your motivation up, 20/20/20 is a great class to check out. It is structured in three parts, including two cardio segments and one strength segment. What makes it fun and motivational is that there is enough variety to never feel yourself getting bored. Also, if you find that you are getting tired of a particular exercise, the next segment will allow you to start fresh with new moves.
For any fitness level: Cycle Fit
This class, known outside of JMU as spinning, is a great leg, core, and cardiovascular workout. The great thing about it? It’s basically customizable. Each cyclist sets his or her own gears and can change them throughout the workout depending on how they are feeling. For example, at the beginning you will set a “flat road” gear, which can be as high or low as you feel comfortable. For each exercise for the rest of the class, the instructor will tell you how many gears above the flat road to use. This way, each participant gets a great workout suited to a personal fitness level.
For anyone bored with her workout routine: Boxing Fitness
If running or doing cardio circuits is getting old, don’t give up! Chances are that this class will be new to you. Participants don hand wraps and boxing gloves and spend an hour learning various punches and combinations, practicing them both on and off the punching bag, and then putting them together at the end. The class is also a great stress reliever– the last exercise of the class is simply one minute of continuous punching on the bag, using whatever punches or combinations you prefer. Simply being able to hit the bag as hard and fast as you can for a full minute is an awesome way to get rid of any lingering stress or tension in the body while getting in some last minute cardio.
For someone looking to tone up: On the Ball
If you aren’t looking for a cardio workout, but still want to work hard and tone your muscles, the class called On the Ball is a great option. This class uses a large exercise ball, which you will hold, sit on, roll, and use as a balance to complete various exercises. Do not underestimate the weight of the ball or the difficulty of this class; it requires some arm strength and will probably cause you to feel slightly sore the next day. Nevertheless, the new exercises and moves in this class will make time fly by, and before you know it you will have finished a full body workout!
The times and locations for all of these classes, as well as many others offered by UREC, are available on their website: http://www.jmu.edu/recreation/group-fitness/index.shtml.