Josh Falcone – General Assignment Reporter
The Southern Connecticut State University Fitness Center is offering free classes to all students all week during the first week of finals.
The classes being offered are almost identical to the ones the Fitness Center normally offers, according to Graduate intern Abby DeLise.
“It’s pretty similar to our regular one but we did change the names to make them winter themed,” DeLise said.
The classes being offered are a varied selection with names like All I Want for Christmas is Abs, Yuletide Yoga, and Icicle Cycle.
“We offer weight training, yoga, something called Piloxing, cycling, Zumba, the list goes on,” DeLise said.
Fitness Coordinator Jessica Scibek said one such program being offered is Raging Around the Yoga Tree.
“So there is a little of everything, Kristina Santoro is one of our yoga instructors and she has wanted to try something new so she is going to do an electronic dance music yoga class,” Scibek said.
Raging Around the Yoga Tree could offer those who have not cared for yoga before, Scibek said, a fresh spin on the exercise.
“So some people are intimidated by yoga, some people find it too mellow, so this might be a new way to put a new twist on yoga, try something different, relieve some stress,” Scibek said.
The lineup of classes being offered during finals week will give students a chance to exercise some stress away, Scibek said.
“We try to have a balanced class schedule and we want all students to participate because we know now people are going to have a little more free time or need a break from the studying,” Scibek said. “It’s important to take a break and do something physical, reset your body, reset your mind. And have a little fun during a stressful week.”
The free classes also offer the Southern community the chance to attempt a class they haven’t had the chance to try before and might want to next semester, Scibek said.
“It’s a good time for people to try a class if they have been wanting to try and they can know kind of what to expect in the spring semester,” Scibek said. “So that’s another way for people to get excited about what they can do in the New Year.”
Scibek added that the free classes could give people a head start on a class.
“If they didn’t have the time this year, at least they know it’s not too late, they can try it and that way they can get a jump start on the spring,” Scibek said.
Scibek and Delise said the Fitness Center is holding interviews to add new instructors in the New Year.
“We are going hopefully to be adding a new type of dancing class to our schedule,” DeLise said.
Scibek said the Fitness Center has a plan in place to have DeLise gain “Insanity” certification, so they can bring the “Insanity” name to the campus.
“We cannot wait for Abby to get certified and bring it to Southern,” Scibek said. “I think all types of students would really like it and it’s a workout where even though it’s challenging, there are so many different ways to do the exercises no matter what level, if you’re just starting, you’ve never exercised or you’re an athlete. You can do it and get a great workout.”
The Fitness Center will be restructuring the yoga class they offer, DeLise said.
“So for next semester our yoga class, we are going to make it a intro to yoga class, we are going to split it into two sessions,” she said. “Just to give people the opportunity to watch themselves progress through learning yoga.”
Scibek said the plan would be for intro to yoga to last for six weeks then start another intro to yoga.
“Because by the end of six weeks the people who have been doing intro will now no longer need intro,” she said. “But all of the classes are drop in so when students are members all the classes are included all semester long and you don’t have to sign up and take all six weeks worth of yoga, if it’s three weeks in and that’s when you finally get a chance to first come in, you just come to the desk and let us know you are here for class and we’ll sign you into the class.”
Scibek said people would not have to make a commitment to attend every class but that it is not a bad idea.
“So you don’t have to make a commitment to attend every week but it’s a good idea to try to make that commitment to come in every week because if you have a consistent schedule, if you put it on your schedule like it’s one of your academic classes than you know you are going to be getting that relief, that break, that conditioning benefits of muscular strength and flexibility and just feeling better.”
The Fitness Center’s goal is that students will make the classes an essential part of their schedule.
“So we hope that students will put these classes on their schedule every week but I don’t want anyone to be afraid that well if they go to one they have to go to them all,” Scibek said.
In addition to the special free classes being offered during finals week, the Fitness Center has and will offer in the spring, a free yoga class.
“Our Friday yoga class is always open to students, this semester and next semester, so that one’s just free whether you’re a member or not,” Scibek said. “Sometimes at the end of the week it’s nice to just be able to drop in and take a yoga class.”
The Fitness Center has special events at different times during the semester, such as a giant Zumba class or big yoga class in the Adanti Student Center ballroom for free or as a fundraiser, so Southern students are encouraged to check out the SCSU Fitness Center Facebook page.
