Am word did the workout so you don’t have to … sort of.

Heavenly honey hams, homemade pies, stuffing and the golden baked turkey.  From November to December everyone indulges in delicious foods they usually wouldn’t all the while preparing to loosen their pants. But once the ball drops on New Year’s Eve, the champagne toasts kick off the nagging obligation to make that same New Year’s resolution: this is the year I will go to the gym and lose weight.

This pledge is cliché for many, but still for others it remains important in developing and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. And now that January is over, how is the maintenance of that resolution coming along? Many people do not keep it because the resolution doesn’t fit in with their daily routines.  The stress-packed, late night ways of the college student make it much harder to commit to a fitness regimen. The diverse classes at our fitness center, however, are there to rescue your floundering resolutions. 

“During the holidays, [class sizes] actually decrease.  The attendance in the gym as a whole decreases,” said Brad Hoffeld, Health Fitness Supervisor at the Jacobs Fitness Center.  “I don’t know if its accumulated guilt for not coming in November and December, but it picks up in January.”

To keep strong as Valentine’s Day candy tempts you to stray, consider attending the Jacobs Fitness Center’s fitness classes.  They are divided into two categories: mind-body classes and group exercise classes.  Mind-body classes emphasize self-awareness and connection with your body.  The classes include Yoga, Tae Kwon Do and Aikido.

Lucy Strange, a sophomore in the School of Communication, takes Tae Kwon Do and attends several classes each week.  “It really helps balance out my academic schedule.  It is definitely a big stress reliever,” says Strange.  Strange likes these classes because they’re social so you don’t realize that you’re working out. Group exercise classes are offered to give everyone an option.  Such classes include Kickboxing, Spinning, Body Sculpt, Capoeira, Flow Yoga, Step and Sculpt, Hard Kick, Jazz Dance, Pilates, Quick Core and Samba. 

Jackie Kaplan, a junior in the School of Public Affairs, took spinning classes.  “I’ve always loved running, so I wanted to try something that would give me that same adrenaline rush,” she said.  “The classes were good to take once and a while to mix up my exercise routine so it wouldn’t get boring.”

During my quest to keep my own clichéd resolution, I decided to compare both types and so I took mind-body and group exercise classes.  I chose to take several kickboxing classes.  Kickboxing proved to be an intense yet invigorating class, which was the perfect combination of cardio and anaerobic exercise for toning and losing weight.  Next, I searched for something more low-key than the sweat-inducing, high energy kickboxing class.  I decided to take yoga, which turned out to be a calming experience and still beneficial for toning, flexibility and reflection. 

Mind-body and group exercise classes offered different methods to escape the stress of school and day to day life.  Kickboxing allowed me to throw punches and kicks to let out the aggression of a less than stellar grade, while yoga allowed me to clear my mind and meditate on non-academic topics.  Further, both made me feel healthy and got me into shape. 

Class sizes range depending on the class and time, but each can hold between 25 and 30 people.  Last semester, the most popular group exercise class was kickboxing, averaging 22 people per class.  Yoga was the most popular mind-body class, averaging 20 people per class.  In general, the muscle toning and Tae Kwon Do classes have fewer participants, averaging 10 people per class.

Each class is taught by instructors who are also often undergraduate or graduate students.  I found that most of them show enthusiasm, exercise safety and have experience.  

Each group exercise class is five dollars, however, you could buy a semester pass for 60 dollars and attend as many classes as you like. Mind-body classes can only be attended with purchase of an 80 dollar semester pass.  Sunday Yoga is the only mind-body “drop-in” class, which is five dollars per class.  

“If people say they’d like to see a new class, I try to bring that to people,” said Hoffeld, an administrator of the Fitness Center.  The development of new classes depends on the instructors’ availability and feedback from the students. 

This semester, the Jacob’s Center introduced three new group fitness classes: Samba, a Brazilian dance class; Hard Kick, a practical kickboxing class in which participants hit actual targets; and Jazz Dance, a dance class that includes swing and Charleston formats.

“Its fun to do it with friends and it gives you a reason to go in,” said Hoffeld.  “You won’t be exercising blindly; someone will be leading you through it.  It’s a community experience for group exercise.”