Resolute resolutions, classes offered to advance fitness quest

With every new year comes a flood of New Year’s resolutions. Some of these resolutions involve promises to become healthier and to attend the gym more. At the Cheyenne County Community Center 11 workout classes are offered for those who want to take their personal workout to the next level.

One of those classes is step aerobics.

The class is held every Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at the center and Carla Orr, the class instructor, encourages members of the community to join the class at any time.

Like all classes at the community center, with exception of the spinning class offered, the step aerobics class is free to center members. For non-members the fee is $5 a class.

Though only a handful of participants attend the class the center has enough plastic stepping platforms for about 20 class members total; however, Orr said if the number of participants were to climb over 20 people she would never turn a person away.

“Anyone can come to the class; I want more people in it. I’m never going to tell people don’t come. If we went over 20 I’d tell them, please come, I know we don’t have a step for you but as long as you are still moving and smiling you are getting a good workout.”

Orr said that step aerobics give participants a complete workout.

“Step aerobics is mostly just an aerobic workout with a step. We do a lot of things like lunges and squats, and a lot of cardio,” she said.

“This focuses on all areas - such as your legs, your abs and your butt. When you move your arms you are getting a workout there that is built-in and if you hold your stomach in, like some people do when they are doing any cardio, it works on your abs too,” Orr said. “It’s a full workout. I have read that you can burn close to 1,000 calories doing this for an hour.”

Orr’s classes start off with basic warm-ups such as jumping jacks, arm circles and initial simple steps.

The instructor blasts music during the routine that contains 127 to 128 beats-per-minute, keeping the work-out pulsing and on pace.

After the basic warm-up Orr mixes up the steps, incorporating kicks and using the step as a platform to be swiftly moved around.

The participants follow in synchronicity as Orr, who joked that because she was an ex-cheerleader didn’t need a microphone to teach her class, yells instructions for the next set.

The class lasts for an hour and is broken up into 45 minutes of cardio and the last 15 minutes consisting of abs and arm workouts, she said. However if class members wish to work on one area over another Orr said she is open to recommendations.

Sometimes weights are incorporated into the workout as well.

Orr said that she understands that the idea of working out with a step can make newcomers to the exercise routine uneasy.

“I think a lot of people are intimidated that the step aspect is there. I would rather that beginners didn’t even use the step and that they build up to it. There are a lot of people who are afraid of that step and if you just want a simple aerobic workout you don’t even have to use the step,” she said.

Orr said that she would break down each of the sets and explain slowly each motion to any newcomer.

“I will go it slow and then we can try to go a little bit faster but if you don’t get it don’t worry. As long as you keep moving I’m happy,” the instructor said.

If participants become comfortable with using the step they can also add one or two risers underneath their step, creating more height to their workout.

Orr said that the class will most likely run until the end of May and then stop for the summer. The class will resume again in the fall.