By Elly Spencer
Reporter
Sweat and steam returned Tuesday to the Bearobics fitness program, but with a new slate of classes.
Taekwondo, JazzFit, Booty Camp and Cardio/Strength Circuit were added to the schedule for Group X classes offered at the McLane Student Life Center and Russell Gymnasium.
Bearobics, a semester-long fitness program run by student and faculty instructors for the Baylor community, now offers 56 classes each week, including the regular yoga, pilates, kickboxing and cycling classes seen in the past.
Van Davis, assistant director for fitness and nutrition, said the new classes and instructors were put in place largely to attract male students. The group exercise genre tends to attract more women than men and Group X’s goal is to involve guys as well, Davis said.
Male instructors and cardio classes help attract men and even out the female-to-male ratio, she said.
Chino Hills, Cali. senior Julie Henley is a staff member at the SLC and said the program has grown greatly in popularity since its inception 10 years ago when there was only Bear Cycling.
“People sign up for the Group X program everyday,” she said.
Those who sign up for the Group X and Bearobics program pay a fee of $50 for access to all classes offered, including the Bear Cycling classes, according to the SLC website.
“The payment is a really great deal for classes starting Sept. 2 going all the way through Dec. 7,” Henley said.
The SLC and Russell Gym provide 25 instructors for the classes offered every day and the classes average 45 minutes to an hour. The Bearobics instructing staff are mostly Baylor students with the occasional outside instructor.
Hot Springs, Ark. junior Samantha Smith is a Bear Cycling instructor and said she has been leading a fitness class for over a year.
“I teach three to five classes per week and average about four to 10 students in every class,” Smith said. “I’ve been fortunate enough to help multiple people reach their goals in my classes. There’s nothing more rewarding than that.”
For students who are uncertain about the program, a trial basis is allowed during the first week of school. Baylor faculty and students can attend the first week of Bearobics classes by simply showing a Baylor identification card.
Past the first week of school, students can attend any class for free if it is their first visit and if they present their Baylor identification.
A complete schedule of Bearobics events is available to pick up at the SLC.
