Even if your “Freshman 15” days are long behind you, the Student Recreation and Wellness Center offers a defense for those extra pounds you may pack on during college.

The center will host a variety of fitness classes to keep Kent State students fit and healthy this semester.

Group X classes offer an assortment of Spinning, aerobics and land classes. Power Abs is the only free class, including 15 minutes of intense abdominal training.

“I went to Power Abs all the time last year,” sophomore exploratory major Katrina Mann said. “It’s intense and it works.”

Endurance, interval, strength, endurance/strength and all terrain are the five types of Spinning classes.

Endurance trains the body to maintain a comfortable pace for a long period of time, while strength uses heavy resistance to build muscular endurance. Endurance/strength combines the two.

Interval stresses tempo, rhythm, timing and speed, while all terrain offers a range of riding situations with hill, flats and jumps in one class.

Spinning and Power Abs are the most popular classes, said Judy Watkins, Group Fitness and Instructional Program manager. She suggests students come early because admittance is on a first-come first-serve basis.

Spinning allows about 20 people while Power Abs can have up to 60.

Along with Spinning and Power Abs, there are a few new classes added this semester.

“I’m excited for the Brazilian Workout,” Watkins said about the class, which fuses dance and martial arts. “I think it’s going to definitely bring a new flavor to exercise.”

Light-n-Low is another new class that offers a low-impact workout. Watkins believes this is a great class “because people are intimidated by getting into exercise or recovering from an injury.”

The rec center also offers two six-week instructional fitness classes during the fall semester.

Students may try any instructional fitness class for free until Monday, while session one begins Sept. 11 and ends Oct. 22.

Contact Student Recreation and Wellness Center reporter Katelyn Luysterborg at [email protected].