Welcome to my passion blog!! In this blog, I hope to review different exercise classes featured each week at the gyms here on campus. I live in East, so most of these classes will be at the IM Building, however the classes are offered at all gyms on campus (including the White Building and Rec Hall).

I’ve always been into exercising, but not by choice. My dad has always been crazy about running and loves signing up for marathons and Iron Mans. So as soon as I was old enough to run, he would take me to the local college track and we would run together. It was a hobby I began to enjoy. Coming into college I was so excited that there would be a gym nearby, although I did not realize that the heavy workload of college classes would hinder me from exercising as much as I wanted to. So, my resolution for 2015 was (just like the rest of the population) to try to live a more active and healthy lifestyle.

After awhile, running everyday can grow boring. Classes at the campus gyms can help to switch up your exercise routine and introduce you to new forms of activity you wouldn’t have otherwise tried.

This week, I tried out a cycling class. My friend Emma is really into cycling (she even went on a biking tour all over France!!), so she convinced me to come to class with her on Monday. I had only ever done cycling one other time a couple years ago, and it had not been a fond memory. It was sweaty, difficult and full of tears. So for this class, I wasn’t expecting much.

To get the most out of class, you have to make sure your bike is adjusted well. That whole process kind of confused me, so I pretty much winged it. I don’t recommend that. After everyone was all situated and ready to ride, our instructor turned on some great jams. She explained the basics, like how to increase your resistance. Shoutout to her because she had a cast on her leg and was still cycling??!?!?! A miracle, I tell you.

Cycling class works through a series of circuits. The first circuit we went through was focused on intensity. At first we did a minute of low intensity sitting down on our bikes, and then thirty seconds of cycling while standing up. Then we sat back down and “surged” and went as hard as we could for thirty more seconds. Each time we went through this cycle, we were encouraged to increase our intensity. Eventually, we were all breathless while surging for a whole minute. That was exhausting. Luckily, we had a few minutes to cool down and catch our breath.

The next circuit was focused on speed. Our instructor gave us four minutes to cover a mile. If you finished before the four minute mark, you could use the rest of the time to relax. So the stakes were high because a quick period of relief was on the line. The instructor kept decreasing the distance and the time allowed, while we increased our speed and resistance levels. This circuit was also challenging, but definitely rewarding when you finished with time to spare.

Cycling was hard, so I’ll probably stick to running as my main form of cardio. But, I definitely recommend this class. It’ll give you a great workout and you can stick to your own pace because you’re in control of your own speed/intensity. The class will be as difficult as you want it to be.

Tip: Make sure you bring a towel or you might not be allowed in.

^^ how are they smiling and not sweating in the middle of class????? Definitely not what I looked like.