Diamonds in the rough

You would think that a weight room, an indoor track, three basketball courts, racquetball, a rock climbing wall, a sauna, and an endless sea of stationary bikes and treadmills would be enough for a college Rec center. UNCG begs to differ. On top of all of the above, the Rec also offers a wide variety of fitness and exercise classes for students.

There are many different types of classes that you can take at the Rec, but the ones that offer the largest variety are the group exercise classes.

The group exercise classes are offered Monday through Friday, as well as a few on Sundays. Almost all of the classes are free to students and SRC members, with the exception of Yoga, kickboxing and Pilates, which carry fees.

There are classes offered that allow you to work out just about every single part of the body in different styles and intensities. For people looking for intense workouts, there is a class called "Power Cut 30". In this class you go through a series of stations in one or two minute intervals. Each station focuses on aerobic and muscular conditioning by doing line sprints, curls, squats and jump rope.

There is also an aptly named class entitled, "Boot Camp". In this class you do plyometrics, jump rope, running drills, and abdominal exercises all at very quick pace much like boot camp itself.

If that's too intense of a workout for you there are classes that move at a more leisurely, lazy college kid pace. There is a class called "Happy-Hour" that mixes a variety of workouts into a one hour block, the website itself describes it as something for everyone.

The Rec also offers exercise classes that allow students to do things a little out of the ordinary when it comes to fitness. A class called "Move n' Groove' mixes dance and exercise into a one hour workout, there is also a class called "Funk" which is along the same lines. So for those who like to dance, but just dancing isn't enough, then those two classes would probably quench your thirst for shaking it, or whatever it is you do when dancing.

In all there are 22 group exercise classes offered by the Rec, which are sure to meet the fitness needs of just about everyone. To check out the schedule of classes, as well as a description of each one check out the website at campusrec.uncg.edu/fitness/classes.

Now for those who don't enjoy exercising with a large group of people, but still need guidance, then the Rec also offers personal training, fitness orientations, as well as fitness assessments.

Fitness Orientations are classes that help teach you the basics of fitness and the right way to exercise if your are a novice. Personal Training is offered in a variety of different packages that are discounted for students and Rec members. A single session costs $39 and includes a two-hour session and a fitness assessment.

For those wondering what a fitness assessment actually means, all they do is check your height, weight, blood pressure, body composition, muscular strength, flexibility, and endurance. This in the end means they are going to tell you how out of shape you are, and that you need to stop eating Ramen Noodles and Hot Pockets.

There are also basic training packages that range from three sessions to 15 sessions. The 15-session package is $299 for students, which is very affordable compared to the 449 bucks it costs non-students. There is also a specialty package that costs $115 that includes three sessions plus an hour-long massage.

Energize your life is another helpful program offered by the Rec. Here you are guided by registered dieticians and exercise specialists to help you improve your nutriton, exercise habits, and also help you lose weight. This program doesn't start until January, and carries with it a fee of 50 dollars for students.

Certified trainers or bona fide professionals teach all of the classes. Many of the trainers are students here at UNCG themselves, ranging from sophomores to graduate students. If you're interested in becoming a trainer yourself, there are classes available to train you. A Personal Training class offered by Ace Fitness helps train and prepares you for the National Personal Training Certification exam. Currently this class is full, but it is offered, so be on the look out for it again next year. There is also a Group Exercise Instructor course that also begins in January at a price of $50 for students.

So next time you are in the Rec shooting Basketball or playing ping pong for the millionth time, remind yourself of the wide variety classes that the Rec center offers. To see information on every class, as well as the instructors who teach them check out their website at campusrec.uncg.edu/fitness.