This semester, I set a big goal for myself: work out more consistently. And guess what? Mission accomplished. You could catch me almost every day sweating on the stair master or logging miles on the treadmill.
But now? The routine’s starting to feel a little… meh. The same cardio and playlists are starting to get boring. I’m ready to shake things up and bring the excitement back to my workouts. So, to break out of my workout rut, I decided to mix things up and try out some of the workout classes MizzouRec has to offer.
Spoiler alert: they are way more fun than 30 minutes alone on the stair master. Here’s what I thought of each class.
Cycle rhythm
Cycle Rhythm is a high-energy cycling class that syncs your ride to the beat of the music. Walking into class, I initially felt overwhelmed and nervous. Everyone else was adjusting their bikes like pros, and I had no clue what I was doing since it was my first-ever cycling class. Thankfully, I didn’t suffer for long — the instructor gave extremely helpful instructions on how to best adjust your bike.
After some trial and error getting my bike set up, the instructor dimmed the lights and cranked up the music. I really appreciated how they took the time to walk us through the basics, like adjusting resistance, understanding RPMs and getting comfortable on the bike before jumping into the workout.
What I liked most about this class was the low lighting. I could still see the instructor clearly enough to follow along, but the dim room made it easier to focus on myself instead of comparing my pace or form to everyone around me.
This class mixed things up with a variety of exercises that kept me engaged and motivated the whole time. We rotated between sprints (basically pedaling like you’re being chased), high-resistance climbs that made it feel like I was pedaling through a massive pile of dirt and out-of-the-saddle work where you rise out of your seat and pedal while somehow using every muscle you didn’t know biking required.
It was great to switch things up throughout the class, so I wasn’t targeting the same muscles the whole time. Some exercises focused more on the glutes, others worked my quads. We even threw in some Pilates-inspired arm movements for good measure.
If you like cardio heavy workouts with a side of loud music and an absolutely killer leg workout, this class is for you.
dance fitness
I haven’t danced since the eighth grade, so I figured it was time to dust off my old moves and embarrass myself in a Dance Fitness class.
This class combines heart-pumping dance moves with killer beats, giving you a fun, high-energy workout that boosts your metabolism and leaves you sweating. This class doesn’t require any dance experience, so luckily, my signature move — awkward flailing — wasn’t a dealbreaker.
Each song kicks off with the instructor teaching the choreography step-by-step, and then you try to keep up without tripping over your own feet. The steps were easy enough to catch on to, so by the end of each song, I was more focused on getting a good workout and less on whether or not I was doing the moves right.
I wasn’t expecting to get a major cardio workout in this class, but wow, was I wrong. Between galloping across the room and jumping around in hip hop choreography, I was definitely getting more of a workout than I signed up for. My legs were questioning my life choices by the end.
This class incorporates a variety of different dance styles. From hip-hop to jazz and even some line-dancing inspired choreography, it kept things exciting and made the workout feel like less of a routine.
Did I look good while dancing? Probably not. But the high-energy, great music and cardio-packed moves had me hooked and ready to sign up for the next class.
abs and arms
I’m usually not excited to tackle my abs at the end of a workout, so I thought this class would give me the push I needed to actually get it done.
The Abs and Arms class targets your abs and upper body, using a mix of equipment and bodyweight exercises to strengthen your abs, arms, shoulders, chest and back for a total upper body workout.
In this class, you use one light and one heavier set of weights, depending on the exercise. Most people stuck with weights no heavier than 10 pounds, and I’ll admit, I was skeptical about how challenging it could be. But let’s just say, I definitely shouldn’t have doubted it. Each exercise is repeated three to five times, with a high number of reps. So yeah, my arms definitely felt the burn.
I can sometimes feel intimidated by the weight section, but I really appreciated having an instructor guide me through each exercise and show me the proper form. And even though I usually dread ab workouts, I loved how the ab exercises were spaced out throughout the class, so I wasn’t just suffering through one intense section.
What I really enjoyed about this class was how it didn’t just focus on one muscle group at a time. We would switch from arms to abs and back again, giving each muscle group a brief break while still keeping my heart rate up. It felt like a balanced workout, where I wasn’t just killing one area, but targeting my whole upper body, which kept me engaged and made the time fly by.
By the end of the class, I was definitely feeling the results—my arms were sore, my abs were on fire and I had a sense of accomplishment I didn’t expect to get from a class that started with me doubting whether those light weights could even challenge me. It’s a great class for anyone who wants to add strength training into their routine without the intimidation factor, and I left feeling stronger than when I walked in.
so, were the classes worth it?
Trying out these work out classes was the reset I didn’t know I needed. Taking classes filled with energy, loud music and movement brought my workouts back to life. Each class had its own unique twist, and whether I was cycling to the beat, dancing like no one was watching or actually enjoying an ab workout (who knew?), I found myself looking forward to getting active again — not just checking a box off my to- do list.
More importantly, I realized that pushing yourself out of your comfort zone (yes, even into a room full of strangers doing coordinated dance moves) can be incredibly rewarding. I left each class feeling stronger, more confident and excited to come back. So if your own gym routine is starting to feel a little stale, I highly recommend giving group classes a shot. You might just surprise yourself — I know I did.