This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Mass Amherst chapter.
Staying in shape in college can be tough with most of our time devoted to classes and an unlimited supply of food at the dining hall. But worry not, the fun and engaging group fitness classes of the Recreation Center will make it a lot easier! Here are five of my favorite classes that are sure to help you reduce stress and burn those calories in a short amount of time!
1. Spinsanity
- When: Tuesday 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM, Wednesday 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM, Friday 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM
- This class is a combination of spinning and Insanity, a high intensity interval training workout. The first 45 minutes are a difficult spinning workout filled with hills, sprinting, and jumps. The second part of the workout is made up of three blocks of insanity: a cardio block, a strength block, and an abs block. This class is 30 minutes longer than the normal class, but it’s absolutely worth it. You are sure to be drenched with sweat by the end of it!
2. Total Body Tabata
- When: Monday 8 AM – 9 AM, Friday 9 AM – 10 AM
- Tabata is a style of training where you do the exercise for 20 seconds and get a 10 second break. There are two cardio blocks followed by a strength and abs block where the Tabata format is followed. The 10 second break keeps your heart rate up from the 20 seconds of work and get you absolutely exhausted. Since this class is earlier in the day, you do not have to sign up for it in advance, you finish your workout early, and kickstart your metabolism to burn extra calories the entire day!
3. 30 Minutes Abs
- When: Tuesday 12:30 PM – 1 PM, 7:30 PM – 8 PM, Wednesday 7:30 PM – 8 PM
- This class is a concentrated thirty minutes of ab exercises and by the end will make you feel like your abs are on fire! The nonstop circuits of ab exercises target upper abs, lower abs, and obliques. This workout is best paired up with some cardio that you can do on the machines by yourself, the combination of core strengthening and cardio is most effective.
4. Zumba
- When: Lots of times, check on the schedule below!
- Zumba is excellent cardio and you’re sure to be drenched with sweat by the end of it! Zumba requires coordination, fast movements, and fun music. All the instructors incorporate fast dancing as well as squats and slower movements to tone muscles as well as shed fat.
5. Power Vinyasa Yoga
- When: Lots of times, check on the schedule below!
- Power Vinyasa Yoga is offered all throughout the day, multiple times a week, and is an excellent way to reduce stress and stretch out your entire body. Lots of the traditional yoga poses are practiced and held for a long time so you really strengthen your muscles in this class; it is not easy!
Be sure to check out the Rec Center Schedule to see all the great classes they offer!