Nutrition and fitness are not always top priorities for students during the summer, but GroupX and specialty classes at the UREC Student Recreation Complex aim to keep students healthy and active.
The UREC currently offers 30 GroupX and specialty classes ranging from yoga to cycling. Each class is 30 to 60 minutes and is led by a certified instructor.
Lacee Breeden, UREC healthy lifestyles coordinator, said the most popular class is the fast-paced, Latin-inspired Zumba.
Natalie Whittington, animal science senior, said Zumba is her favorite class because it “makes working out fun.”
But only the most popular classes fill to capacity during the summer.
“As compared to the school year, of course summer participation is lower,” Breeden said. “But I still feel an adequate number of students are taking classes and interested in wellness and nutrition.”
Rachel Neumeyer, biology senior, said securing a spot in the Zumba class can be challenging.
“We have to wait forever to get into [Zumba], and there are only 40 spots,” Neumeyer said.
Molly McGehee, psychology sophomore, says it’s hard to find the drive to exercise, even with the UREC’s specialty and GroupX classes.
“I find it harder to find the motivation to work out during the summer because summers tends to be more laid-back and lazy,” she said.
Philip Haberstro, executive director of the National Association for Health and Fitness, said the U.S. Surgeon General recommends 30 minutes of physical activity a day, and students and adolescents without an active schedule often remain sedentary.
“The way to motivate young people to exercise its to find ways to make it fun. Applications on smartphones can also help to motivate,” Haberstro said.
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Contact Kaitlin Torke at [email protected]