CARDIO CLASSES
Cut the Cute

by Bylle Dopps

Many of you may have noticed some changes in your health club's aerobic classes. You may be wondering what happened to grapevines and high kicks, and what all the new hype is about.

Although aerobics is going through a transition, the real concern should be focused on whether the new classes will be as fun and effective as their traditional aerobic counterparts. And the answer to that question is a resounding yes--they will be as fun and effective, if not better!

Most modern-day facilities refer to aerobics as group fitness. And with the new terminology comes new ideas, new philosophies and new movements. Health clubs now are investing thousands of dollars in group fitness programs, such as SPINNING®, Body Pump and Urban Rebounding, allowing them to offer consistent quality with every class, regardless of the instructor.

Long gone are the days of worrying about who is teaching the 5:30 p.m. class; long gone are the endless hours of chasing your favorite instructor all over town just to get your cardio fix!

Body Pump

Body Pump is the newest craze brought to you by the same people who brought you the adjustable step for your step aerobic classes. Body Pump is a fitness class utilizing small barbells, choreographed movement and music to obtain your ultimate fitness goals. The movement accentuates building lean muscle mass by combining resistance weight training with aerobic exercise.

This may sound somewhat similar to old-school sculpting classes, but don't be mistaken. Body Pump is well thought-out. Instead of following instructors who make up movements as they go, certified Body Pump instructors lead their students through proven, body-changing, pre-designed exercises. Every exercise is studied and implemented for reasons of efficiency, providing maximum results in minimal time.

The Bay Club at Bank of America Center in San Francisco is more than pleased with its Body Pump investment. "Body Pump brought more men into our group fitness studio, and they are just as addicted to this as the women," says Sanford Smith, fitness coordinator. "The program got more people excited about working out with weights, which helps raise their resting metabolic rate, so they burn more calories over a longer period of time."

Kip Koso of Orchards Athletic Club in Loveland, Colo., claims that Body Pump has become the cornerstone of the club's group fitness schedule. "The class gives the benefits of group fitness--motivating music, an instructor and serious weight training--all in one," he says. "We now offer 12 classes per week and have no problem finding an instructor or filling the class."

The efficiency of Body Pump is similar to sport conditioning classes and is adjustable for any age or fitness level. The barbell is the main piece of equipment, and the entire workout is designed around utilizing this product. Because the bar is smaller and easier to manage than traditional weight-training barbells, it is less intimidating for most participants.

Stomp

More than 250 health clubs from New York to Los Angeles have implemented the Stomp program by Stairmaster. This class usually lasts between 20 and 40 minutes and is led by a certified Stomp instructor. Heart rates can be taken on the integrated heart-rate console located on the machine and music can be broadcast over a club's cardio theater.

According to Mike Stein, senior vice president of Stairmaster, there are three main reasons why Stomp is the best program around. "First, the console feedback makes your workout personal; second, the natural low impact of the movement is easier on the knees; and, third, the upright posture is anatomically more beneficial than sitting," he says.

Stein also notes that cross-training with Stomp three times per week for 20 to 40 minutes is ample time for health maintenance.

Why else is Stomp so great? Fitness experts believe it is because of the convenience Stairmaster has developed for the participant. If your facility has e-zone--a high-tech integrated network that broadcasts education and entertainment programs on the cardio machines' terminals--you can do a Stomp class any time.

SPINNING

With 168 hours in each week, fitness expert Jonathan Goldberg maintains that devoting only three hours to exercise isn't a realistic approach to achieving overall health.

Goldberg founded his world-renowned SPINNING program, and with more than 5,000 fitness facilities in 75 countries carrying the program and over 35,000 fitness professionals trained to instruct this craze, a class near you shouldn't be hard to find.

You may have seen a SPINNING class in your facility, often detectable by the bikes lining the walls of the aerobics studio. Maybe you have seen sweat-drenched people leaving class in their strange clicker shoes. SPINNING is difficult to do at first (and to explain), but it is a routine worth learning.

There is no SPINNING without the racing-style bike and the bike is almost worthless without SPINNING. While training for a 3,000-mile Race Across America, Goldberg designed and built the first JOHNNY G SPINNER® by Schwinn® bicycle. First-time participants are fitted and adjusted with the bike so proper form can be achieved. In addition, most new participants receive special training from a certified instructor, to help him or her achieve a rewarding workout without overdoing it.

The classes usually last 60 minutes and include awesome music that may not be heard in other group fitness classes. Instructors are individuals, too, so if they do not totally endorse the SPINNING philosophy, chances are you may not experience the zoning effect that can be found from a true SPINNING class. However, calories still will be burned. A good SPINNING instructor will know how to ride, allow some silent time for meditation on the ride and know when to motivate his or her students.

While SPINNING and the Schwinn SPINNER set a number of similar trends, you may encounter other forms of biking classes. Remember that creative inconsistencies may occur in a class with one kind of bike taught by an instructor trained in a different program.

You also may find a club that calls its classes SPINNING, but actually is not authorized to do so. Protecting the name from unauthorized users has been a big job for Mad Dogg Athletics, the company that owns the trademark on the SPINNING name.

How will you know for sure what you're getting? "Ask your instructor," says Dennis Holcomb, manager of Gold's Gym and 4-year SPINNING instructor. "If the answer is something like, 'I was trained in one program, but I also like this program and I like this bike better than ... ,' chances are your instructor is going to have a style completely all their own. Sometimes this is a good thing, sometimes not."

Urban Rebounding

Mini-tramps have been around for decades, but JB Burns has developed a fresh workout routine in a trampoline called a rebounder.

Burns' Urban Rebounding program has been implemented in more than 150 health clubs and is expanding quickly. "Bounce and Box" and "Resistance Rebounding" are two of the dozen classes offered under the Urban Rebounding name. Certified instructors are enthusiastic and the music is inspirational.

"Most other workouts work against gravity on a horizontal plane," says Burns. "The difference with Urban Rebounding is that the body has to respond to the added weight of working in a vertical plane with gravity and it makes the workout more efficient."

A rebounder can support up to 300 pounds and is simple for people of all ages and sizes. The Urban Rebounding technique, which is explained by your instructor, is the key.

According to Burns, it is imperative to retain a strong center of focus in the lower part of the body. "Like a tree, the trunk must be firmly rooted if the tree is to bear fruit," he says. "A participant is taught to remain on the balls of their feet at all times so that they are alert and prepared for the next movement."

The Future Of Cardio Fitness

Although programs like these won't soon invade every health club, replacing their entire aerobics schedules, much can be said for offering variety in a workout regimen.

Not only do participants get a more-efficient workout by training through a system of principles rather than relying on the ideas of one person, but the facilities and instructors gain validity because they have incorporated an assortment of movement-specific training techniques into their traditional foundations.

Initially, acquiring new programs can be expensive because a health club usually pays licensing fees on each, in addition to training instructors and purchasing any equipment that is required. Some facilities may charge extra for these classes to help cover the costs of their investment. If so, don't be resentful or upset at the facility; instead, pay up and participate if you really like the classes. If you belong to a club that offers these types of cutting-edge programs, you can be confident they are making your health their No. 1 priority.

Happy sweating!