Creative Classes That Inspire

The SCLA and Equinox fitness clubs in Los Angeles introduce members to the benefits of high-intensity, short-duration training with Shreadmill. This 30-minute workout, created by Felix Montano and Natalie Raitano, includes intervals of high-intensity walking or running on a treadmill. It begins with a walking warm-up and progresses to sprinting or speed-walking, with inclines and declines to elevate the heart rate to about 85%–95% of the participant’s maximum for a minimum of 90 seconds to a maximum of 3 minutes. The heart rate is then brought back down with a brisk walk to about 65% of maximum. Participants repeat this for 20–25 minutes and finish with abdominal work and stretching.

Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee, makes good use of its climbing wall with a class simply named Climbing. Billed as a “totally different group experience,” the class challenges “body and mind while building muscle strength and endurance.” A certified climbing instructor leads the all-level class, and covers the fundamentals while leading a strong workout.

Vibra is a fusion of Latin dance and international music offered by 360 Health Club in Reseda, California. The facility also offers Lyrical Fitness, a slow, lyrical routine that “shows how dance [combined] with fitness heals the body.”

Leash Your Fitness is a “multitasking workout you do with your dog. We combine cardio, strength, balance, yoga and dog obedience all into an action-packed hour,” says Dawn Celepino, who offers the class in San Diego. Participants and their leashed dogs move through 3-minute cardio segments that incorporate jumps, shuffles, sprints and other fun exercises. “In addition, the dogs are given commands throughout the class to keep them stimulated,” says Celepino.

IDEA member Stacy McCarthy also offers a canine-centered class in San Diego called Doga Yoga. This playful, multilevel yoga class is designed to create a bond between dogs and their owners. McCarthy leads participants through basic poses modified for dogs and simplified for people new to yoga.

YogaFit^® Club Series is showing up in facilities. These prechoreographed yoga-based classes offer a safe format for members to progress their knowledge and skills. Classes include Power YogaFit^®, YogaCore^®, YogaFit^® Cycle and YogaFit^® Seniors.

The Fort Sanders Health & Fitness Center in Knoxville, Tennessee, uses both ends of the swimming pool with Jointercize. This low-intensity aquatic class, designed by the Arthritis Foundation, focuses on joint mobility and range of motion from head to toe and takes participants from the shallow side to the deep side.

Have you heard of a creative new class? Drop us a line and share the buzz. Send an e-mail, a letter or a fax detailing the class. We’ll be publishing your ideas in upcoming issues.

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