People looking for extra guidance to get into shape this summer can find it at the Student Recreation Center where they can participate in group exercise classes to experience a comprehensive body workout.

“There’s a wide variety and there’s something for everyone,” said Karyn Smith, Heath Educator and supervisor of the group exercise and personal training programs. “It provides a lot of fun.”

Classes run during each of the summer sessions, and people can purchase a single six-week period or sign up for the full 12 weeks. Students can attend any class they want for the entire session, and the first week of classes is free of charge for potential students to see if they want to stick with the program. Programs are open to students, faculty and community members alike with varying prices.

The classes cover different aspects of bodybuilding, yoga, kickboxing, cycle spinning and Zumba dancing. The majority of classes last an hour and 15 minutes, but some last half an hour and others are an hour.

Smith said the classes are a good way to get a balanced workout because classes such as yoga focus on balance and relaxation techniques, while classes such as spinning focus on cardiovascular exercise. Strength training classes focus on certain areas of the body with a class called “Upper Cut” focusing on upper body strength and “Chisel” focusing on the entire body.

Smith said the classes are especially good for people who are new to working out, citing research that people who exercise in a group are more likely to stick with exercise due to accountability and encouragement from peers.

Yoga instructor Jordan Snyder said the group atmosphere also provides guidance and an exercise routine for people to follow.

“It’s just a lot more fun,” Snyder said. “You know exactly what you’re going there to do.

“There’s kind of this level of competitiveness there and it encourages you to go to class because you know that there’s going to be other people there that are looking for you.”

Snyder started teaching yoga because she took a yoga class herself. As someone who enjoys teaching and hopes to be a teacher, Snyder “fell in love” with the class and decided to teach it herself.

She also found that yoga helped reduce her stress in addition to its benefits of increased strength, flexibility and balance.

“I found that [yoga] had a lot of benefits for me,” she said. “I really like being able to pass that on to other people.”

She also views the class as a change of pace from running and working out.

“It’s really a slow-paced type of exercise and it really focuses on your mind and your body,” she said. “It’s something that you can do for your entire life.”

Sam Gardner, who teaches yoga, “Chisel” and several spinning classes, said one of the most important things people can take away from the classes is learning proper exercise form, which she said she sees some people doing improperly when they work independently at the Rec Center.

“That’s probably the biggest thing we stress just to avoid and prevent injuries, [while] also having fun and motivating yourself to stay healthy,” Gardner said.