YMCA Fitness Courses

Yoga focuses on breathing and flexibility.

The YMCA is a nonprofit organization with more than 10,000 locations across the United States. The Y offers many fitness classes for people of all ages and fitness levels. Although the exact classes will vary at each location, most YMCAs will offer the same basic classes. Check with your local YMCA to determine what is available to you.

Yoga and Pilates

Each YMCA facility generally offers a yoga or pilates class or both. Yoga is designed to help increase flexibility, strength and balance while engaging your core. There may be variations offered such as yoga flow and inner power yoga. Pilates focuses on using your abs and back to increase flexibility and have a stronger core. Your posture, breathing and balance will improve. Other classes include power pilates, maximum versatility exercises pilates and pilates on the ball.

Zumba

A relatively new class, Zumba is a Latin salsa and hip hop class that uses dance to burn a significant amount of calories. This class is generally an hour long and includes a warmup, cool down and stretching. It features aerobic and interval training choreographed in the dances to help tone and sculpt the body. It is a high energy class. Instructors are certified Zumba instructors and have received extensive training.

Step

There are many variations of the step class, and most YMCAs will offer one of these options, including basic step, power step and starting step. Step classes are a cardiovascular workout utilizing a step platform that helps to sculpt your thighs and calves. Depending on the class that you choose, free weights could be incorporated into the routine to help tone your arms, as well as dance moves to help you burn calories.

Abs

Generally a 30-minute class, many different abdominal classes are among the YMCA offerings. These classes focus on working the abdominal and back muscles to increase your core strength and improve your posture. Classes include awesome abs, core and more and cardio core, depending on your location.

References

• YMCA of Kitsap County: 68dad5b8cd798bb5.pdf
• YMCA of Coastal Georgia: NewGroupDescription.pdf
• YMCA of Coastal Georgia: NewYogaDescriptions.pdf

Resources

• YMCA: Find Your Y