Fitness classes at Fairfield?
“I had no idea they were even taking place,” said junior Chris D’Agostino.
A mystery for some, and a daily routine for others, Fairfield University’s RecPlex offers a wide range of fitness classes from a variety of yoga classes to belly dancing classes.
If you haven’t heard of the fitness classes, don’t feel bad. Yoga instructor Jeannie Stevens admits they are poorly advertised. “I’ll be teaching at other places, and people are like, ‘You look familiar, I’ve seen you at the University,’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, I teach yoga there,’ and they say, ‘I didn’t know they had yoga there!’”
Sarah Putnik ’13, a veteran of the Abs & Sculpting class, commented on her experience. “The instructor was very nice and very energetic. You’d do different things, like first start out with weights, then she’d switch it up with those bouncy balls so it wouldn’t be so monotonous.”
She also explained how its easier to push yourself because of the class environment and that the classes are a fun alternative to working out by yourself. “It wasn’t intimidating at all, and the instructor could help you one-on-one if she saw you struggling,” Putnik said.
Sophomore Kirsten Yerger currently attends Tuesday’s Yoga Flow class and said: “It’s really relaxed. The teacher was aware that not everyone was a pro at yoga, so she slowly worked more advance moves into it.”
Stevens began teaching classes at Fairfield in 2004. She talked about the environment of her classes here at the RecPlex.
“I go by the energy in the room. I focus on what their needs are,” Stevens said. “If their energy level’s really low, and they want a chill class, I do that. It’s a flowing class, you hold poses, you’re going to build strength, flexibility, focus. You get that nice peace of mind everyone is looking for.”
If you think that yoga and body sculpting might not be appealing to the guys, you would be right. “I feel like there’s a stigma for guys to go to anywhere in the Rec Plex except for the weight room,” offered Yerger.
The list of fitness classes offered doesn’t exactly excite most male students on campus. “I probably wouldn’t go to one of those classes, I just like lifting by myself,” said D’Agostino. However, he did say that if there were a class more geared toward men, he’d consider it.
While they do not appear to be popular with male students, the low prices make them an appealing option for many.
Prices for the semester start at $40 for the weekly classes. “I thought the pricing was good because you pay for the class for the entire semester,” said Putnik.
Yerger also expressed her approval of the prices, but also her distaste in class flexibility. “It’s less expensive than going to a yoga place, but it’s not unlimited. You’re stuck going at that one time.”
Although there might be some room for improvement, the fitness classes at the RecPlex offer options for those who are tired with their current routines and can be a fun way to mix things up.
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