don's report archive
Wellness in the Headlines
(Don's Report to the World)
Monday September 30, 2002
Among the most popular of fitness industry exercise classes are step aerobics, spinning, kick boxing, circuit workouts and classes designated either high or low aerobics in general. All are designed to motivate, entertain and thus reinforce attendance at a sponsoring gym, club or other fitness center. All innovations of an aerobics nature are welcome trends, in my view, but the longer term goal should be self-sufficiency, a willingness to go out there alone when necessary and just do it, that is, work out daily whether it is fun or not because it is the right and sensible thing to do.
Just the same, I have to tip my hat to the aerobics innovators for their creativity and imagination. Consider the range of offerings invented by enterprising club owners and instructors to keep members coming through the doors. At Crunch Fitness Club in New York, there are aerobics classes with the names that signal all manner of enterprising options, such as B-Boying (don't ask-I have no idea what that is), Grooveology, Disco Yoga, House Groove, Funk and Latino Grooves. Also, four levels of Ballet Body Sculpt -- 5, 6, 7 or 8. Oh, they also offer an aerobics class designed to emulate musical dance rehearsal. That's for starters. Then there is The Matrix, Aerobics with Attitude and Abs, Circus Sports (featuring a trapeze) and the big favorite, Thighs and Gossip. The fact that the latter is taught by a guy in drag may or may not account for its popularity. (Source: N.Y. Times News Service, 12/31/00) There are also eleven kinds of yoga classes, a karaoke cycle class and a candlelight stretch class. These impressive workout menus are not just a feature of Crunch Fitness. Spokespersons in the exercise industry describe the Crunch model as common nation-wide.
My friend, Kathie Davis, who heads IDEA, a San Diego-based exercise accreditation organization in operation since 1982, explained that 70 to 80 percent of the population does no exercise, and these types of classes are creative ways to get people off their posteriors. IDEA tries to encourage those who sponsor such classes to include educational insights about nutrition, stress and weight management, sports conditioning, athletic and personal training, mind-body health, disease prevention and quality of life. (For more on creativity in making exercise fun and related information, write IDEA at 6190 Cornerstone Court East, Suite 204, San Diego, CA 92121-3773.)
IDEA and other fitness industry experts confirm a substantial increase in recent years in the range of aerobics and other classes offered by health clubs. One club owner said, "When I first started here in 1989, we offered eight different types of class and, at the time, we thought that was cutting edge. Now there are over 100."
So, is this a good trend? Of course! Anything that gets people moving that is not illegal, fattening or likely to stampede the horses is good, in my opinion. Offer whatever it takes. The trend will be even better if it results in long-term exercise patterns, even if all of most of those now showing up for Grooveology, Disco Yoga, House Groove, Funk and Latino Grooves migrate to other forms of activity, like swimming, walking/running and so on.
Meanwhile, I'm thinking about starting a few of my own aerobics classes for runners, swimmers and bikers. Watch for Triathlon Get Down Now!, The 10 K Boogie and the Au Natural Electric Swim Fest! Get fit, stay that way, be well and always look on the bright side of life.
(Note: This essay will be filed in the archives in the PHYSICAL DOMAIN under the skill area of exercise and fitness. Additional articles related to this theme may be found there.)
(Ed. Note: Views expressed in this and other columns are those of the author and not necessarily those of the SeekWellness Editorial Board.)
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