Last week, I had a meeting with my peer leader to talk about how I was adjusting to NSU. We talked about academics, of course, but we also talked about our routines and well-being, and how we are staying active and taking care of our mental and physical health. I told her I go to the gym every week, but she opened my eyes to a new class that changed my way of working out.
This amazing class is the Spin, Sculpt and Stretch, which is offered at the RecPlex on Monday at noon and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. The timing is perfect since there are usually no schedule conflicts with classes. Plus, it combines spin, a cardio workout, sculpt, a strength workout and stretching, so you get the best of three worlds in a single class.
I decided finally to go to the class and try it myself. I was impressed and I loved it. It was a little harder than I expected, but I felt good. The instructor was so knowledgeable and encouraging, which is so important to me. It helped me to keep pushing myself and not slack off during class. She was also very mindful of the participants, telling us to take breaks if we needed and to listen to our bodies.
Aside from the workout being amazing, what I liked most about the class was how the instructor was always encouraging us. She gave very clear instructions and was very positive. She told us to focus on our bodies and feelings and let all stress, anxiety and negativity go. Throughout the class, she never once used weight loss or any other aesthetic reasons as motivation. She reminded us we were challenging ourselves to improve our physical and mental health, heart condition and overall performance. She reminded us to be grateful to our bodies for being able to exercise and do everything we do. She reminded us to eat well, hydrate and stay active.
I know sometimes we can get caught in the mindset that we need to work out to look good or to lose weight, but our biggest motivation to work out should be keeping our body healthy, not just right now but for our future selves too. When we exercise, we put our bodies in motion and make sure our muscles are strong enough to get us through our daily activities.
I also know that college can be stressful and that we almost always feel like we don’t have time to work out and don’t make it a priority. However, exercising can help release stress, improve anxiety and even help focus on school-related tasks. Make sure to register beforehand for the class on the IMLeagues app.
