With all the events happening on the USM-Gorham campus, there is plenty to do to keep students busy. From intramural sports, to outdoor concerts in front of Corthell Hall, to Thirsty Thursday in the Brooks Student center, USM provides students with plenty of activities to get them out, meet new students, and just have a good time.
The Fitness and Wellness department is doing exactly that, as they are combining a variety of fun and a solid workout to keep students fit in their Group Exercise Classes.
The Fitness and Wellness Department, which is part of USM Athletics and Recreation, offers 14 different exercise classes that cover skill levels from senior citizens to teens. Not only do these classes showcase an upbeat workout that stresses overall fitness, strength training, and cardio work, but they provide students and the general public with a fun alternative, replacing what can get to be a somewhat boring everyday workout in the gym.
“These classes give students another outlook on their workout, rather than the stereotypical workout they can get in the gym,” Robin Hoose, the Fitness and Wellness Coordinator said. “Incoming students can sometimes feel timid going into the main gym, but coming to our non-judgmental classes give them that sense of comfort and security around their peers that they can’t get anywhere else. We encourage students to bring a friend and get quality exercise while simply having a great time.”
Feeling comfortable while getting a workout is an objective that Hoose and her staff look to provide in all of their classes.
It gets better from there too. The classes are mostly taught by students in the Exercise Physiology program here at the university, which also creates that “safe” environment that gives students a chance to let loose and enjoy themselves while getting in great physical shape.
If your mornings are free, you can wake up with Rise and Shine on Mondays, which is a program that features an upbeat workout with basic step and floor aerobics combined with upper body toning, and focused abdomen work.
Or, you could show up to the ever-popular Core Power, which will chisel your mid-section with a mix between flexibility and basic strength training with the use of Bosu and Physio balls.
If you’re looking to show off your moves, then check out Zumba, which will give students a great cardio workout coupled with advanced lower body exercises to the sound of lively music.
And they haven’t forgetten the advance athlete either, as the High Intensity Training (H.I.T) class can provide functional and high endurance training to give athletes a full body workout.
Students comprise the majority of the classes, but it is something that Fitness and Wellness Assistant Coordinator Mark York says they are looking for more of.
“About 90 percent of the people who attend classes are students. We have had a great turnout so far in classes like core power, Zumba, and Bozu Buns, but the first two or three weeks are kind of slow for the other classes. Even though we average ten people per class, we are always looking for more and encourage students to bring their friends and family to make the atmosphere even better,” York says.
York applauds students who keep coming back after their first class and don’t just hop on the quitting bandwagon, because it pays off for them in the end. The theme in group exercise classes is that most students start a class and keep coming because they love it. This in turn motivates them to sign up for other classes and it becomes a physical fitness progression for them as they come out of it in the best shape of their lives.
For a student who is uneducated about the group exercise classes, flyers are posted all around campus that have the weekly calendar of all classes and the class descriptions on the back so that students can pick the class that pertains to their skill level. The calendar is also available on the academic calendar on the school’s website, and tells when and where (second floor, Hill Gymnasium, Group Exercise Room) the classes are.
As far as teaching the classes, Hoose and York wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Helping others on their overall fitness and reaching their goals is a great feeling and I love doing it,” York added. “Seeing our students having fun working out, and steering away from their everyday workout in the gym is great to see and we definitely hope to see more of it.”
So if you’re someone who is looking to get out of that colorless free weight gym routine that you dread, check out a fun alternative that offers a full body workout in USM’s Group Exercise Classes.
Besides, what else is there to do on those homework loaded weekday nights?