Ohio State students work up a sweat during Dance Fit, one of the new group fitness classes offered by the Department of Recreational Sports, on Aug. 29. Photo Credit: Beka Cagle | Lantern Reporter
Students will now have more opportunities to de-stress and get their bodies moving this semester.
The Recreational Sports Department has added new group fitness classes to its calendar to provide students with more options to stay active. Among the 37 fitness classes currently available this semester, five are new additions, including Circuit Cycle Barbell, Dance Fit, Hip Hop Yoga Flow, Late Night Yoga and Zumba Express.
Alice Adams, group fitness programming and education manager, said the selection of classes offered each semester is based on current trends and past popularity, as well as the availability of instructors, spaces and equipment.
“I think the classes all serve different purposes,” Adams said. “Zumba Express is great if you’re looking for a quick cardio workout. Our barbell classes are increasingly popular, so that’s why you see more of that on the schedule.”
Adams said staff in the department noticed classes offered later in the day always had high levels of attendance, which led to the addition of more classes in the evening, including Late Night Yoga.
“[Late Night Yoga] has a really approachable and relaxed vibe,” Adams said. “There’s just a different energy.”
Adams said she encourages students feeling lost or overwhelmed to try a group fitness class to help discover a sense of community. Group fitness is designed to help participants learn fitness basics, meet new people and feel supported and encouraged by peers.
“All levels are welcome to every class,” Adams said. “Our instructors are trained to be able to teach anybody who walks through the door. Whether it’s your first workout class or you’ve been working out for a long time, they’re going to give you options of how to meet yourself where you are or how to push yourself further.”
Sagan Kahler, a fourth-year in psychology, has taught fitness classes at the RPAC for two years. This semester, she is the instructor for Dance Fit, which incorporates elements from other classes such as Barre, Cardio Kickboxing and Shake It!, Kahler said.
“This class is kind of our own little unique mashup of stuff,” Kahler said. “All of my classes, no matter what I teach, are always to the song, which is kind of something different. Not every instructor does that.”
The department has not canceled any fitness classes due to low attendance in several years; however, certain classes are taken off the schedule when there is a lack of instructors qualified to teach them, Adams said. This was the case for Aqua Zumba, the only class removed from the schedule this semester. However, Adams said she hopes to bring it back in the near future.
Classes are first-come, first-served and spots are limited according to room size and equipment availability. Adams said she suggests arriving early to secure a spot, as well as bringing a water bottle and sweat towel.
This semester, there are a total of 114 class sessions offered each week, ranging from 45 minutes to an hour in length, Adams said. Classes begin as early as 6:15 a.m., with the final class wrapping up by 10 p.m.
All group fitness classes offered at the RPAC and the North Recreation Center are free to Ohio State students. Participants are only required to bring their BuckID. Class times, locations and descriptions can be found at recsports.osu.edu.
