The SUNY Cortland Group Exercise Program is a great way to become more involved at the Student Life Center here at Cortland. Ranging from Yoga and Meditation to Cardio Hip Hop and Indoor Cycling, Cortland’s Group Exercise Program offers classes for everyone.
One of the biggest challenges people have with exercise stems from sticking to a plan and practicing accountability. The Cambridge Dictionary defines an “accountable person” as “someone who is completely responsible for what they do and must be able to give a satisfactory reason for it”. It is important to practice accountability in order to build trust, boost self-confidence, and stay focused on your goals.
An easier way to hold yourself accountable in terms of exercise is to attend group exercise classes. With a group fitness class, there is a set time, date, and location for you to exercise, eliminating the uncertainty of figuring out where and when to work out, along with what to actually do during the workout. Instead of constructing a workout routine, group exercise classes make it so all you have to do is show up and follow the instructor!
Attending group exercise classes is also a great way to build community in various ways. The social support a group exercise class has can be enough to motivate members to show up to a class. It is important to use the time before and after class to connect with others and create personal relationships. During class, simply encouraging and supporting others can create a sense of community among participants.
Adding variety into your workouts is important in order to give your body well-rounded training, decreased injury risk, and reduce boredom. A lack of variety in exercise could overwork certain muscles or joints while engaging in different forms of exercise helps allow different muscle groups to recover and repair themselves. Switching up the type of exercise you do also helps keep your brain engaged and your muscles challenged. Consider trying a new form of exercise with one of SUNY Cortland’s Group Exercise classes!
All in all, these classes are an excellent way to promote teambuilding, accountability, and add variety to your workouts!
SUNY Cortland’s Group Exercise Program offers an assortment of classes over the course of Monday through Friday. You can find the Spring 2024 schedule here. The earliest class begins at 6:30am while the latest class starts at 8:15pm. The class times are spread throughout the whole day in order to give as many people the opportunity to attend as possible.
The group exercise classes are held in different locations, which are depicted in the Spring 2024 schedule, based on the type of class. The Spinning Room, located on the first floor of the Student Life Center, is used to hold Indoor Cycling classes. PumpFit, Zumba, Cardio Hip Hop, Pilates, and Group Strength are all held in the Group Exercise room on the second floor. The Mind and Body Room, with ambient lighting representing the constellations, is utilized for yoga and meditation classes while Swim Aerobics is undoubtedly held in the Pool.
To join the SUNY Cortland Group Exercise Program, simply head to the Group Exercise page of SUNY Cortland’s website and click “Purchase Group Membership” or visit the Student Life Center to purchase your membership at the check-in desk. Membership for students costs $45/semester and $65/semester for faculty and staff. If you are interested in the Group Exercise Program, but want to try out a few classes before committing, consider trying out a class for $5/class for students and $10/class for others. Be sure to bring your Student ID to all Group Exercise classes to prove membership.
To stay up to date with SUNY Cortland’s Group Exercise Program, follow them on Twitter and Instagram @Cortland_Rec.