Welcome back blog readers. Last week my fellow blogger Paige gave you the low down on five popular classes offered at The University Recreation Center (UREC). There are over 100 classes per week offered at UREC and I wanted to expand on Paige’s list so you have knowledge of all the group exercise classes that are available to you.
I will talk about the following classes that can be found on the UREC website:
- Body Sculpt
- High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
- Cardio Dance Party
- Boxing Fitness
- Core Training
- U-WRECK Outdoor Boot Camp
For the person that says, “I want to have an all-around toned body but I hate cardio.”: Body Sculpt
I hear people say all the time, “I want to have a perfect body where I’m not too skinny but I have some toned muscle that looks like I am fit.” If you have said this then this is the ideal class for you. Body Sculpt has a few different names such as weight training, resistance training or strength training. In this class you will work your muscles by using your own body weight with some additional weight if you are more advanced or want to challenge yourself. This class will help you get in shape, tone the body and lose weight all in the matter of one hour. Body Sculpt classes at UREC typically uses exercise bands, bars and weights and you don’t have to have experience with this equipment to check out the class. The instructor will show you how to properly use everything at your comfort ability.
For the person that says, “I want to workout but I don’t feel like doing the same old workout that I do everyday”: High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
I hear people say all the time, “I don’t feel like running on the treadmill for an hour and then lifting just like I have been for the past five days.” HIIT is a class that is good for people who get bored doing the same exercises all the time but don’t know any other ones to do to work muscles and burn calories all together. This class will break that repetition but you will still get a full body workout with cardio and weights. In a 45-minute class you will go back and forth from a cardio exercise such as jumping rope or jumping jacks to a weight training exercise to slow your heart rate down. This class will feel like a quick workout but your body will feel like you did your long cardio and weight routine.
UREC HIIT class in action
For the person that says, “I want to go to the gym with my roommate and workout together.”: Cardio Dance Party
Who wouldn’t want a workout partner? I used to go to the gym with my hallmates all the time but we didn’t always want to be so serious about getting the workout in. So we would go to the Cardio Dance Party class that UREC offers. Not to mention I have no rhythm, but my hallmates and I would have a blast while getting in an hour of cardio. The fitness instructor teaches you basic dances to popular songs. I definitely learned some dance moves that come in handy.
For the person that says, “I need to learn some self defense tactics.”: Boxing Fitness
Some people might feel safer walking around campus at night knowing that they have the knowledge and ability to physically protect themselves. Boxing Fitness is a one-hour, high fitness level class that the instructor teaches you proper boxing techniques such as the boxing stance, jabs and power punches. The class will be set up with punching bags and the use of boxing gloves. One thing that I would note about this class is that it is a high fitness level class so I wouldn’t do this on a day when you’re looking to do an easy workout.
For the person that says, “I’m working on my spring break body all year round.”: Core Training
I know I tell myself that by the time spring break comes around I want to have a flat stomach, so why not start now? It’s already October. Or at least taking the Core Training class will force me to start now. This 30-minute class works your abdominals and back muscles. You have the option to use light weights for some exercises to challenge yourself and work on strengthening and stabilizing your core and back. Keeping your core strong is important for everyday activities; for example, sitting at a desk for multiple hours with proper posture can be a benefit of keeping your core strong. I would recommend this class to everyone since the abdominals are such an important set of muscles.
For the person that says, “I’ve been going to E-hall too much and I’m starting to see it on the scale.”: U-WRECK Outdoor Boot Camp
This happened to me freshman year. I used to go to the dining halls with my hallmates at least four times a week. We would get at least four plates each, every time we went. And of course, I couldn’t resist the E-hall cookies so I took at least two of those when I was walking out the door. To put the amount of food I was eating into perspective, I was probably eating at least three or four servings of food in one sitting. By the time I went home for Thanksgiving Break and I weighed myself I was not happy. I knew I had to change something. When I got back to school I signed up for the U-WRECK Outdoor Boot Camp to kick-start a new exercise routine. In this hour-long class I did a combination of body weight exercises and interval training. The instructor for the class, as well as the class itself motivated me to get back into an exercise routine that made me not want to eat those E-hall cookies.
UREC’s mission is “Motivating Madison Into Motion”
Writing about the variety of classes that UREC has to offer makes me want to go to the gym. I’m going to register for the Core Training class to start early for spring break.
Thanks for reading.
Peace, Love and DDP,
Rachel
JM(takecareof)U 