Gym equipment can often intimidate newcomers to the gym, but a group fitness opportunity at the Center for Health and Wellness not only keeps participants motivated, but provides variety in what can become routine.
According to scientific and controlled studies conducted by LesMills, a new virtual program offered at the wellness center, participation in regular exercise yields decreased perceived stress and increased physical, mental and emotional quality of life. In addition, participants of group fitness classes report greater stress reduction and quality of life improvement than those who exercise individually.
While the local wellness center offers a strong group fitness program, efforts have been made to bring more variety through publishing a new schedule designed to provide more options for members, including LesMills Virtual, a program that releases new content each quarter to keep classes fresh and gives members access to group fitness workouts even when instructors aren’t available.
“Our newly published schedule is redesigned to provide more variety and options for members,” Amber Cava, vice president of marketing and community relations for Sampson Regional Medical Center, said. “Most members attend the gym at the same time every day. Our goal is to make sure throughout the week, they have different options at the same time each day.”
With many gym-goers intimidated by the equipment, or their lack of a workout plan to keep them focused, group fitness provides structured 30-, 45- and 60-minute workout sessions to help participants maximize their time in the gym.
“Group fitness helps gym-goers develop variety in their workout program so they can achieve results,” Cava pointed out. “The the Center for Health and Wellness’ new programming, members can enjoy a balanced approach to fitness.”
Additionally, group fitness classes, Cava said, are for everyone.
“Instructors provide modifications and options for beginners through advanced fitness levels,” she explained. “Participants control their intensity by adopting the modification or adjusting their equipment for greater resistance or weight.”
The new virtual classes give members access to group fitness workouts even when instructors are unavailable and give members an opportunity to experience more fitness options. Participants get high quality coaching, structured workouts, motivating music and a fun workout environment through the virtual program.
“For those who are new to exercise or don’t know where to begin, we recommend a consultation with our fitness specialists,” Cava explained. “As part of their membership fee, our members can benefit from goal consultation and customized workout plans. This is also beneficial to regular gym-goes who have hit a plateau and need to reignite their workouts to continue achieving results.”
The virtual program offers additional 30 and 45-minute class options that can appeal to those who are short on time.
“A well-deigned workout can still yield good calorie burn and conditioning in a shorter session,” Cava said. “This allows people to squeeze in a workout during their hour lunch break or when they only have a short window between work and family activities.”
The wellness center will continue to offer live programming when possible with plans to add additional live programs as new instructors can be hired. For the last 13 years, the center has continued to grow and change in an effort to better meet the needs of the members.
“The LesMills program allows us to offer things for the younger population,” Cava said. “We work hard to follow the fitness trends and watch to see what our members are interested in for their fitness goals.”
The Center for Health and Wellness is open Monday-Thursday from 5 a.m. – 9:30 p.m., Friday from 5 a.m. – 8 p.m., Saturday from 7 a.m. – 2 p.m. and Sunday from 1-5 p.m.
