Everyone should have a college bucket list to experience all there is to offer. This list should encompass the many perks of belonging to a university, and one of those benefits at Kansas State is group fitness, which are classes available throughout the day for anyone with a student ID at the Chester E. Peters Recreation Complex.
Certified fitness leaders oversee the classes and the sessions are free to K-State students. Classes include Zumba, Pilates, yoga, strength training classes, indoor cycling, H.I.I.T training and more. The wide variety of classes helps everyone find their fit.
To test out group fitness, I attended Dance Fusion, which is offered Tuesdays and Thursdays. The class takes upbeat songs and adds fun dance moves along with strength-training exercises.
Reagann, the instructor, clearly loves what she does and presented the moves in a manner where beginners could grasp the concept while more skilled members could challenge themselves.
Not only are the fitness instructors motivating, but with an already structured warmup and cooldown, it’s simple to plan your workout by following along to each instructor’s movements and exercises!
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Do not worry about going to the class alone. The dancing is done on an individual basis, so it makes little difference being with others because the focus is to challenge oneself. I was worried it would look like I had two left feet; however, each person works on improving themselves, so it really felt like I could dance like no one was watching.
By the end of the class, I was worn out both mentally and physically. As a runner and lifter, I am used to training speed and endurance. This mentality of working on coordination came as quite the shock.
I have even more respect for dancers than ever before because their mind has to be extremely focused to control their body. I did not complete all the moves in a pristine fashion like Reagann, but this makes it a challenge I hope to work on in the future.
Whether a student is leaving their high school sports realm or wants to begin their exercise plan, the Rec’s plethora of group fitness classes can make anyone have fun and feel energized! This experience was fully worthwhile and can go on any student’s bucket list. The schedule for group fitness classes can be found on the Rec website.
