Off-the-Chart Classes

MVP Athletic Club in Rockford, Michigan, offers Back Splash for members who have issues with back pain. According to the online schedule, this aquatic-based class is designed “for the individual with a history of back pain or a recent injury. It covers the principles of stabilization, flexibility, strengthening and conditioning.”

IDEA presenter Patrick Goudeau created #1’s as “the ultimate dance party.” This dance-oriented offering includes simple combinations that follow the chorus, verse and hook to the top-charting hits from as far back as most participants can remember.

S.E.L.F. stands for Simply Enhancing Lifelong Fitness and is a mainstay at the Eden Prairie, Minnesota, community center. This class focuses on strengthening the muscles and heart through cardiovascular and strength training work. According to the class schedule, the workout is designed for participants 55 and older who “want a little extra kick [added] to their workout.”

The Washington Athletic Club in Seattle proudly presents Buff, Bike & Balance. This express workout combines 4-minute intervals of cycling, weights and core balance practice for an “intense fat-burning, cardiovascular and sculpting workout.”

Martial arts–minded patrons take RyuTe®, a 2-hour class offered by the National Institute for Fitness and Sport in Indianapolis. According to the online schedule, one goal of this “ancient life-protection art” is to help stop conflict before it starts. The class teaches striking, kicking and blocking, as well as grappling, locking and escape techniques.

Crunch Fitness continues its corner on unique, niche classes with Flylates and Figure 8 Pilates. The former class is done on a rebounder and offers “cardio, strength and toning all in one high-flying session.” The latter fuses the fundamentals of Pilates with figure-skating training principles. “We can’t promise that you’ll nail that triple-axel,” states the class description on the Crunch website, “but you will have lean, strong and toned legs.”

The YMCA of Greater Tulsa in Tulsa, Oklahoma, gets its micro members moving with Tween Fitness. This fun-filled class features “age-appropriate fitness and athletic activities for kids ages 8–12. “Maximum participation games” are
designed to increase kids’ overall fitness levels and introduce a lifelong habit.

Aqua Cuts is just one of many water-fitness classes the Beverly Hills Club in Beverly Hills, Michigan, has on its schedule. This class combines strength training and plyometrics to create the “ultimate aqua workout.” n