Treadmill en masse? Cardio machines join the ranks of Spinning classes

February 21, 2000
Web posted at: 1:42 PM EST (1842 GMT)

In this story: Nobody's left in the dust A machine for every body RELATEDS

(WebMD) -- Look up "treadmill" in Roget's Thesaurus, and you'll find a predictable list of terms: drudgery, tedium and monotony. So it's surprising that classes using treadmills are the latest fitness rage.

Classes featuring stairclimbers, rowers, and other cardiovascular machines are also part of the trend, which has generated unprecedented enthusiasm for equipment long considered to be solitary and mind numbing.

Nobody's left in the dust

"People get really bored on machines, but group classes make the time fly by, and you get a more intense workout," says San Jose, California, walking expert Therese Iknoian, codeveloper of Trekking, a group exercise program promoted by the treadmill manufacturer Star Track. "You get the benefit of group energy and an instructor who will challenge you, but at the same time, there are no complicated dance steps to learn." That's why, instructors say, the classes seem to be drawing participants who shy away from step aerobics and other choreographed forms of exercise.

The latest fitness machine classes are an offshoot of the wildly popular indoor cycling classes called Spinning, which are typically set to high-energy music and involve both slow-paced and high-intensity intervals. One key benefit, instructors and students say, is that beginners don't feel intimidated. Exercisers of all fitness levels can work out together, in a spirit of camaraderie; a top-notch marathoner or rower can't race away from the pack.

Many participants say they work out longer and harder during a group class than they would using the same machine on their own. "Before these classes, I'd get bored after about 20 minutes on the treadmill and quit," says Todd Quartararo, spokesperson for The Sports Club, located in Irvine, California, which offers both treadmill and stairclimber classes. "But now I don't want to be the one who quits in the middle of the class."

Unlike Spinning or traditional aerobics classes, most of the new indoor machine classes are taught in a club's main cardiovascular room, with the machines grouped in rows or a semicircle. Participants typically listen to the music and instructions via headsets so that the classes don't disturb the rest of the gym's members

A machine for every body

Here's a rundown of some of the latest fitness machine classes:

Precor Fit. The latest entry into the group machine class market, Precor Fit, will be launched in April 2000. Classes are taught on the popular Precor elliptical trainer; you pedal your feet in an oval motion while standing upright. There will be two versions of the class, 30 minutes and 50 minutes, and classes will be taught only by trainers certified by the American Council on Exercise. "The goal isn't to kick your butt in 45 minutes," says program developer Isabel Lorca, a Los Angeles fitness trainer. "We want to educate people about the proper technique and make them conscious of what's going on with their bodies so that exercise isn't mindless."

© 2000 Healtheon/WebMD. All rights reserved.

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RELATEDS AT :

Exercising for fun and fitness
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RELATED SITES:

American Council on Exercise
Concept II
Precor
American Medical Association - Fitness basics

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