Rec sports ups its game with new workout classes this spring

Shanti Lerner
Tue, 20 Feb 2018 03:19:19 +0000
Arts & Life, News, barre, barre express, buckeye metcon, cardio kickbox express, dare to fly, department of recreational sports, get up and move, intro to boxing, kettlebell resistance training, rec sports, ropes and rowers, yoga fit

The Department of Recreational Sports at Ohio State is introducing new and updated group fitness classes, including Cardio Kickbox Express, Barre Express, Ropes and Rowers, and Yoga Fit. Credit: Courtesy of OSU Rec Sports

The Department of Recreational Sports at Ohio State has updated fitness group classes and personal development workshops to keep Buckeyes fit this spring.

Students have four new fitness group classes to choose from that will cater to a variety of fitness goals and school schedules. The additions will include Cardio Kickbox Express, Barre Express, Ropes and Rowers, and Yoga Fit. Students will have the opportunity to participate in weeklong progressive and private group workouts offered throughout the spring.

“We offer 116 classes a week at all different hours of the day and formats, whether you are into mind-body, strength, cardio, or whatever it might be, we always hope there is something you can find,” said Alice Adams, a group fitness coordinator. “We always encourage people to drop in and try something new or people who are looking to switch up their workout routine or get general guidance and work out in the community.”

Ideas for new classes are often suggested to the coordinators by student instructors who lead the group fitness classes at Ohio State. One of these classes is Yoga Fit, a class targeted toward people who normally attend cycling, strength and cross-training classes but do not usually practice yoga. But this class also is for Yogis who want a bit more of a challenge.

“For Yoga Fit that was an idea that one of my instructors brought to me and it’s something we wanted to do for a while,” Adams said. “Essentially it’s a lot similar to yoga but for people who are looking for a little more of a workout and a physically challenging class with a little bit of mind-body and less of the mind-body breathing.”

Another option for students who want to participate in group classes but have busy schedules is express classes offered weekly by rec sports, such as Barre, which now has an express option.

“It’s going to be a mix of pilates, yoga, and ballet bar type movements but 45 minutes instead of an hour,” Adams said. “Again, it might move a little quicker, and you’ll get more of an express workout if you are limited on time.”

Aside from group classes, students who are interested in achieving a more focused fitness goal also have the chance to get personal training, during which they can hone in on certain skills and get more individualized instruction.

“Even though [a small group and instructional class] is a group of 30, the training is still individual,” said Alycia Israel, personal training coordinator for rec sports. “These group event classes are meant to achieve a goal, so it’s not just drop in and leave.”

Some of the progressive workout classes include Intro to Boxing; a body mechanics workshop called Get Up and Move; Dare to Fly, an arm balance and inversion intensive workshop; Kettlebell Resistance Training; and Buckeye Metcon, a six-week course where students can learn the basics of Olympic weightlifting.

“You just gotta find something you love and stick with it and that is all we want is to help people find how they are going to continue a healthy lifestyle for the rest of their life,” Adams said.

Group fitness schedules and instructional progressive program registration can be found on the rec sports website and are offered at the RPAC and North Recreation Center.