Spring Quarter means warmer weather, and suddenly, the walk to Henry Crown Sports Pavilion and Aquatic Center (SPAC) becomes less daunting. SPAC offers a range of unique exercise classes throughout the week, some of which you may have considered trying before. Well, fear not: Pregame has dabbled in its specialized offerings, from the infamous BODYPUMP class (yes, the caps are necessary) to the more laid back Sunrise Yoga. Now, you’ll have no excuse not to go try that class your friend always tries to drag you to.
Sunrise Yoga – Emi
(T and Th, 7-8 a.m.)
For the rare early birds at Northwestern, Sunrise Yoga is just the class for you. While I had to budget at least 15 minutes in the morning to accommodate the trek from Allison Hall to SPAC, watching the sun rise as I walked North was one of the highlights of my experience. Upon arrival, each participant grabbed a mat and two blocks before setting up a place for themselves in the studio. Donna, the instructor, started the class off in Sukhasana before moving us through multiple sequences of downward dog, warrior two, child’s pose and forward fold. I had only minimal experience with yoga prior to this class and was surprised by how tiring the poses were to hold. My leg muscles tightened during the warrior two sequence and I was noticeably sweating by the end. The class’s difficulty makes Savasana at the end feel all the more rewarding. I left the studio feeling ready for the day ahead, before going back to my room and falling back asleep for another two hours.
BODYPUMP – Sofia
(M, W and Su, 12-1 p.m., T and Th, 5:30-6:30 p.m.)
If you enjoy pushing your body to its limits, I suggest pushing yourself in the direction of BODYPUMP. As the title suggests, this class hits every major part of the body: chest, biceps, shoulders, legs, glutes, calves and core. I recommend showing up early to set up your station before the class fills up — space dwindles fast in Studio B. Participants grab an elevated mat, a couple dumbbells, a weighted bar and weight plates, which you can switch out depending on the exercise. As we started with the warmup, I made the unfortunate assumption that the class would not be that bad. However, as the hour progressed, I quickly realized how wrong I was. The class used fast-paced cardio and toned my muscles at the same time. I will admit, walking up the stairs was difficult after the workout.
Pilates Barre – Marissa
(M and W 5:30-6:30 p.m.)
For anyone looking to get into workout classes — or even for experienced pros — SPAC’s Pilates Barre class is the perfect workout. Upon entering the studio, most participants grab a mat, a set of weights and a pad to place underneath. It’s best to get there early as the room fills up quickly and some supplies are scarce. The class started with various upper body exercises like planks and push-ups, before moving to core, back and leg exercises. Halfway through, we took our mats from the middle of the floor and moved them to the walls and barres, which help dancers maintain their balance for certain movements. At the barres, we did a series of plies, incorporating ballet positions before ending the class with stretches against the wall. Even though I came into the gym with minimal energy, I left feeling refreshed and ready for my evening in Periodicals.
Latin Dance – Olivia
(M 5:30-6:30 p.m., T 7-8 p.m.)
I honestly didn’t know what to expect going into this class, and that was definitely the way to approach it. When the teacher waltzed in two minutes after class was supposed to begin, I knew I was in for a chaotic and entertaining ride. We hit four types of latin dance — Bachata, Salsa, Cha-cha-cha and Merengue — and wasted no time starting the first move. The teacher slowed down the steps for us, her feet moving in a series of rhythmic shuffless and taps. But issues arose when we moved up to tempo. I knew I was not great at dancing, but this experience truly was humbling — maybe more stumbling. Nobody in there was great at dancing either; we all laughed to ourselves. By the end, my heart was beating fast and I was sweating. This class was more about having fun than building biceps. I would highly recommend you try it out as a break from the stress and to let loose.
Print design by Lena Rock. Photos by Isabella Millman.