Training on the elliptical or doing bicep curls for the hundredth time can quickly become tedious, and it’s hard to keep up a fitness routine when you’re uninspired. Taking up one of these fun gym classes might be just the thing you need to make your daily exercise something you actually look forward to.
Spinning
Spinning is one of those classes that can seem extremely intimidating from the outside. All you see is a room packed with sweating, exhausted people listening to a teacher yell like a drill sergeant over the blaring music. But once you’re in there, it really isn’t scary at all. Each bike has its own tension meter so you can make the experience as easy or as hard as you like. If you don’t want to feel like you’re going at a 30-degree incline, you don’t have to. You can use the instructor’s words as a guideline only, and go at a pace you are comfortable with. Working alongside so many others helps keep you inspired to improve your skills and work harder. And you’re sure to get a great cardio workout!
Kickboxing
Kickboxing is a great activity because it combines cardio and strength training. Your arms and legs will be worked in ways you never thought possible, and all the darting and weaving really gets your heart rate up. Muscles you didn’t even know existed will hurt for days afterwards. Throwing punches also gives you such a great sense of strength and power that you are bound to crave more of when you are done — and that makes it pretty darn easy to get yourself back in the gym!
Strength training
Many gyms now offer a variety of strength-training classes. Some involve 20-second intervals, others incorporate steps and weights, and some even have themes, such as “firefighter training.” Whichever one you choose, you are sure to pick up some new exercises that you can make use of when you are working out on your own in the future. And having a variety of exercises in your toolbox can keep you motivated for a long time to come.
Yoga
Now, yoga has its dedicated followers, and it has those who find it to be a waste of time. Whether you fall into one of those categories or you have never even tried it, there’s an excellent reason you should give a new yoga class a try: variety. Yoga originated hundreds of years ago, but it has taken on entirely new forms in recent years. There’s Vinyasa, which focuses on relaxed breathing; Ashtanga, which is more physically demanding; and Bikram, which is done in a very warm room. Or, if none of those tickle your fancy, some gyms are even coming out with “dance party” yoga classes that play modern music, or “half and half” classes that mix up cardio and yoga. Whichever your preference, there is a yoga class built just for you.
So, no more excuses for not going to the gym — sign up for a class and have fun, get fit and feel fabulous today!
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