In my last post, I discussed the top tactics I believe us Hawkeye ladies should begin to focus on to reach their health goals. Here are a few more specific activities that will allow us to stay active during this freezing cold week (high in the mid-twenties until Sunday, unfortunately).
If you are brave enough to face the cold, there’s some neat classes offered at both the Recreation Center and the Field House you can try out this week. My favorite benefit to these courses offered throughout the semester is the majority are free for full-time students. (Ever check out that tuition bill? Everyone is paying for this brand new Rec Center, so you might as well use it.)
For the early birds out there, the Recreation Center offers morning courses each weekday starting at 6:45am. One called “Wake-Up Call” deals with aerobic and anaerobic exercises guaranteed to brush the sleep out of your eyes just as well as your normal hot coffee. Another called “Powerhouse” promises invigoration, not exhaustion, after a core workout.
If you have more energy and free time during afternoons, then old-school “Studio Cycle 45” is available at the Field House around 12:15pm. However, if you prefer to end school days with a workout, there a number of courses such as “Step N’ Tone,” “Yoga Fusion,” “Bootcamp,” and “Hip Hop.” Instructors are able to, not only show the correct positions for exercising trouble areas, but also push you to stick through the exercises in order to see the best results for your effort. (Another plus is the jamming music played during the courses—you might be transported to 90s club days.) More courses can be found at the University’s Recreational Services site. The site has the most up-to-date information on all instructional courses offered at both the Rec Center and Field House.
Don’t fret if you cannot bare more exposure to the cold wind than necessary. Here is a website hosting some great, short video tutorials on a variety of exercises to suit any body type. A top benefit to a number of these tutorials is how easily these can be done in your own room, often without equipment. For instance, one particular article from Self magazine shows a few equipment-free positions targeting your core and abs (totally necessary for bikini season).
As every female knows, winter weather makes us want to cozy up in big sweaters, with hot cocoa and comforting mac n’ cheese without the thought of showing a little leg in a couple of months. However, now is better time than never to remember that countdown to sunshine-filled Spring Break (six more weeks, no joke) and embrace those brisk walks with the chilling air in cropped yoga pants.