Ashlee Weekley
Contributing Writer
Being healthier seems to be a topic on everyone’s New Year’s resolution lists, yet it is always the item that never seems to get checked off.
This year Florida Southern College hired a new Fitness Coordinator to help students make that goal become a reality.
Michele Cash is the newest addition to our staff and has brought some fun and innovative ways to kick start a new and healthier student body.
Since she came here in August, the program has seen real progress. The numbers of participants have increased and students have collectively agreed that they’ve enjoyed this year more than others in the past.
She has added “Xpress” classes, for students who have busy schedules, shortening the time the sessions last, and has added a wider variety of the types of classes offered.
The most popular courses include, Ab Attack, Yoga and the new and exciting Turbo Kick.
“We have the boot camp which covers a little bit of both, turbo kick is just very cardio, beach bod has a little bit of both the cardio and strength, yoga is the mind and body and Friday is the fun kind of cardiovascular to kick off the weekend,” Cash said.
Along with Cash came the cycling room, where students can take the time to enjoy different levels taught by different instructors.
The more options that are offered bring in higher participation, and that is really starting to show around campus.
Not only is the program designed to help the students get in shape, but it also has begun to add an outdoor appreciation with the “Naturally Fit” course, which is taught completely outside.
The most important part about group exercise is diversity.
“Normally you create a program that has a little bit of everything in it, so you have some cardiovascular exercise, a strength training, a stretching day, and a mind/body, so when I try and make the schedule, I choose classes so that it’s on a consistent base,” Cash said. “So, if somebody comes in at 5 o’clock, take Monday through Friday classes, they get a strength, a cardio, a mind/body, and a little bit of both.”
Another great attribute to this program is that a lot of the classes are taught by students. They all have their national certification and spend semester training with Cash to become the best instructor they can.
This provides the students with a sense of security to know that they are being taught by their peers and are less intimidated in the workout environment.
Florida Southern has given its student body a chance to change up their routines and change their way of life with this group exercise schedule.
Given the countless time slots and variety of classes available, there is a possibility to really make a difference here on campus by simply showing up to a class.
