The same old routine for getting in soccer shape tends to get boring when you do these routines for almost your whole life. I decided to take some classes that Otterbein offered in the Rike Center to get a workout in a different way.
I attended a class that was called “Abs, Core and More.” The instructor, Michelle Riegler, also the fitness and recreation coordinator, taught the class.
When I walked into the dance room across from the weightlifting area in the Rike Center, I was almost hesitant because I did not know what to expect. I did not know anyone in the class, but I was greeted with a warm welcome from everyone.
Once the class started, the students grabbed their mats and the workout began. First, we started stretching. We began with neck stretches and then moved to the back and arms to get loosened up and prepare our bodies for the workout to come.
Then we started with those lovely muscles called the abs. The moves that the instructor had us do were able to be altered, so you could make it more challenging for yourself. For example, you could make planks more challenging by alternating legs, holding one leg up at a time.
In between each ab workout, we would have to do other excercises. One of the muscle groups she targeted was the arms.
The back workouts Riegler had us do made me work out muscles I never even knew I had. The perk to having a stronger back is that it really helps with balance and posture.
The next day I was pretty sore, which surprised me because I do actually work out these muscles regularly.
This class was a lot of fun, because the instructor talked to the class the whole time and had a great sense of humor, which deterred my mind from realizing I was working out.
I am not the only one who is looking for a different way to get in shape.
Emily Burton, a freshman and one of my soccer teammates, is the Zumba instructor on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Burton likes Zumba because it is stress-relieving fun where she does not have to worry about the amount of squats, how far she can run or how much weight she uses. “It is just getting out and dancing,” Burton says.
If running or lifting is not your cup of tea, there is always another way to get in shape. You do not have to dread working out; it can be fun, so try something new. I am sure you will be pleasantly surprised.
