As we shift towards fall and midterms are at hand, the urge to lay in bed and watch movies sounds enchanting, but the often inevitable seasonal sickness is upon us.
A group fitness class is a great way to stay mentally engaged while promoting a fun, healthy and active lifestyle.
Luckily, right at our fingertips, the Recreation Center on campus offers free group fitness classes for full-time students including but not limited to cycle, yoga, total body strength, barre, kickboxing, High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and aqua pilates.
If you’re a student at Boise State, take advantage of these classes. They are completely free as long as you are a full-time student and part-time students can also get a membership starting at $55 each term.
In the Boise area, a typical barre or yoga class averages around $20 per class and $25 per cycling class — not including monthly specials. Regardless of your student status, you can avoid these high costs by utilizing the Rec as a great affordable option for your fitness needs.
“Being someone who didn’t work out in a sport, I had to find a different way to stay fit and be healthy,” barre instructor Grace Anderson said. “Being able to be in a group fitness environment really made me feel confident and comfortable in my own body.”
Group fitness classes are a great way to hold yourself accountable in a group setting, connect with new friends and engage yourself both physically and mentally.
To attend these group fitness classes, sign into your student account on myrec.boisestate.edu, select a set time around your schedule and sign up for the fitness class of your choice.
Something that most students attending the Rec on a regular basis often complain about is the overcrowdedness. Leaving many students swamped, losing workout time to wait on a machine.
As group fitness classes have a capacity on the number of people in a class, you will never have to feel overcrowded and unable to get a good workout in.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Instructors in these group fitness classes have a mic for demonstrating exercises in the front of the class, and the classes take place in a vibrant room full of LED lights with music blasting anything from Taylor Swift to Eminem, creating a full, exciting experience rather than just a workout.
“I find myself really funny, my jokes really come out during barre,” Anderson said. “I have so much fun seeing people giggle. That’s how I know I did my job.”
Anderson has been working at the Rec for a year as a trained fitness instructor leading barre and total body strength.
Anderson incorporates glimpses of her previous experience in ballet and cheer in a less intense way that brings in necessary fitness components, engaging your mind and body, even if you don’t know how to workout.
Classes are 45 minutes, with the earliest starting at 6:20 a.m. and the latest ending at 8:15 p.m. to cater to any schedule. Classes include students, staff and anyone with a membership.
WHAT CLASS TO TAKE
Classes are available in different levels of intensity and can be mediated depending on the class to push yourself from beginner to advanced.
“If you want to start weight training I recommend total body,” Anderson said. “It’s a great intro into how to safely use weights before going into the gym or HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) which is a great way to really have that push day if you’re looking for cardio or strength.”
“Total body strength” is a full body strength workout. Participants will use various equipment such as dumbbells, sand bags, and body bars.
“High Intensity Interval Training” (H.I.I.T) combines various equipment ranging from free weights to suspension trainers to create a high energy cardio and muscular endurance workout.
“Barre” is a fusion of strength training, ballet, and pilates. That pairs light dumbbells with your own body weight and high repetitions to give you a great muscular endurance workout.
“Aqua Pilates” is a low-impact and dynamic fitness class combining pilates and aquatics for a refreshing new fitness class. You’ll experience a low-impact and dynamic workout that is designed to help you build core strength and power, while enhancing your balance and flexibility.
“Cycle” takes you through different hills, flats, and drills that incorporate endurance, power, and speed to give you a great workout.
“Kickboxing” utilizes different boxing moves and strength exercises to upbeat music. Throughout this high energy class you have a chance to challenge your coordination, mental focus, endurance, and strength.
“Yoga” engages your core, challenges your balance and increases your flexibility.
Look no further into starting your healthy active lifestyle. Check out the Fitness Class Schedule at the Rec to see what works best for you and sign up today.
