This semester, in an attempt to work out 3 times a week, my roommates and I invested in the Group Fitness pass that Northeastern offers for classes at the Marino Center. The student-led classes are typically 30 to 90-minutes long and range from things like Cycling, to Barre and Yoga, to full-body workouts such as Cardiosculpt or Total Body Sculpt! Passes are $50 each, and we calculated that if we go 3 times a week over a 16 week semester, we are only paying about $2/per class. This is a great deal for those looking to tie in weekly exercise to their schedules at a cheap price compared to the average $25 people spend on a standard workout class.
Here is a list of the workout classes we have tried over the past few weeks and my takeaways from them:
- Cardiosculpt
For the first day, we decided to start with something that looked relatively easy and would get our whole body moving. Cardiosculpt ended up being the perfect option for that! The class rotates with rounds of strength-building followed by a round of cardio. This was a full-body cardio workout that got our blood pumping, but it was a lot of fun. My roommate, Jen, enjoys Cardiosculpt the most and says “It’s a great option to ensure that your whole body is getting a strong workout,” it’s one of the classes that we sign up for the most often now. The first Cardiosculpt class we did even ended with Taylor Swift’s “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version)” as our cool-down song.
- Box 30
Box 30 is incredibly popular and occurs weekly on Saturdays at 9:00 am. Since there are only 8 punching bags, it is difficult to get a spot. We realized that signing up the Saturday before the boxing class you want to complete is the best way to ensure a spot. Although we have gotten off the waitlist for other classes, this one is a bit more competitive. Those who do go are committed to it since it’s offered early on a Saturday morning, but it’s a great way to start off a productive afternoon. You start off with a warm-up with boxing gloves and everyone gets a bag to complete punch and kick combinations. The movements have one-two combos and jabs at the bag. It’s a mix of a solid workout, especially if you’re looking for something different. My roommate, Cecilia, makes an excellent point, “It requires a lot of thinking because you have to remember combos the instructor is telling you, doing that gets you mentally tired as well as physically tired.”
- Interval Burn
The Interval Burn is exactly what it sounds like, but it is a great workout if you are looking to sweat. The workout is split into a pyramid rotation, completing one exercise four times and adding a new one each time until you complete the pyramid. The allotted time of the exercises only totals to 4 minutes, but it is no joke. There are 20 seconds of exercise and 10-second breaks in between the workouts. Despite no weights being involved, the high intense combinations of the pyramid target the upper and lower body. We have only done this workout class once, but it is great if you are looking for a challenge.
- Yoga Flow and Restore
I ended my Friday with this 65-minute class and like the barre, yoga surprised me too. There are several Yoga classes offered at Marino with Flow and Restore and Vinyasa Yoga being offered at beginner or advanced levels. Everyone is required to bring their own yoga mat, but cheap ones are available on Amazon and are great for anyone looking to give it a try. Although this class required a lot of balancing and was challenging, the instructors have foam blocks available to use as an aid during the stretches. This was a relaxing way to end out my Friday and my mind felt clear afterward. The class is about half an hour longer than the normal ones, but ending your week with something like this is good not only for toning but to give your body a break.
- Cycle 45
Cycle 45 is a 45-minute cycling class that involves riding at different gears of high or low intensity to complete sprints, build hills, etc. One thing that makes these classes super fun is that most of them are themed rides or you can suggest songs to the instructor. From Euphoria-themed rides to Breakup Anthems, there is something for everyone and it has become a weekend routine for Cecilia and me. There is a Cycle 45 that has 15 minutes of abs included at the end. One thing we have noticed after completing the classes that incorporate the abs is that we wish the instructors started with the ab workouts. By the end of a cycle workout, your legs are exhausted and many of the ab and core engaging exercises involve leg movement. Despite that, the cycling classes are very energizing and a mood booster.
- Barre 45
Barre 45 is a 45-minute class and lower body-focused, with techniques from ballet, dance, yoga, strength training, and cardio. Overall this is a very well-rounded workout, but boy did my roommate and I find it challenging! Barre is great for strengthening and toning the lower body regardless of if you have a dance background. The instructor provides a blue exercise ball, resistance band, an option of 1 or 2-pound weights, and of course incorporating the barre for stretching and movement. The instructor provides variations of intensity from beginner, intermediate, and difficult that include changing or adding in different things such as pulsing or pointing your heels up to make it more challenging. Don’t let the low weight fool you though, these exercises are high repetition for 1-2 minutes consistently, and did we underestimate how much we would feel the burn. Although this was a difficult class for my roommates and me, we did appreciate how the music selection varies in each class, such as Mamma Mia Soundtrack or Harry Styles-themed classes
- Total Body Sculpt
Total Body Sculpt is a dynamic full-body workout with weights. Some of the ones included are body bars, dumbbells, exercise balls, and Dyna-discs. All muscles are worked in this 55-minute class and it is great for those looking to expand on strength and conditioning or try it out for the first time. The style of the class makes it easy to pick up on muscle-building movements without any prior experience, but it is also flexible by offering a variety of dumbbell weights, body bar weights, and levels of resistance bands. This is one of my favorite classes and it is the perfect way to tone up.
There are several honorable mentions that are either classes we have not tried yet, what’s great is the schedule is always changing with new options: Hiit Dance, Kettlebell, Mat Pilates, Step 45, and Thighs, Butts, and Guts. One of my favorite things about attending Group Fitness for the past month and a half has been how accommodating every instructor has been. Regardless of your skill level, all instructors offer accommodations to make the workouts easier or more difficult. If you are debating getting the Group Fitness pass, it is definitely something that has become a part of my weekly routine that is a fun activity for friends to participate in while taking classes or on Co-op.