The semester has come to an end. Some of you are heading home to a far-off state while some of you may be staying local. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited National Park in America! There are several reasons for this and they are all reasons that you should make you want to visit this summer!

1. It’s easy to get to, the park is within one day’s drive of 2/3 of the nation’s population!
2. It’s free to visit and always will be!
3. It has a MASSIVE amount of wildlife and is full of American history!

Now that I’ve convinced you to visit, what can you do there? How do you know where to go for each activity? Well, I have created a list with helpful resources to use when planning different trips to the  Great Smoky Mountains.

Camping

As most National Parks do, the GSM Park offers several camping options. From backcountry sites to group front-country sites, you can stay at the park in whatever avenue you desire. You can find all options here.

Open year round, Cades Cove Campground offers plenty of sites. You can reserve yours at www.recreation.gov . Once you arrive at your site, you will want to start by setting up camp. Take into account any hills, large rocks or sticks, or particularly bumpy spots when deciding where to place your tent. A bad tent placement can make or break your trip and you want good sleep while you are camping!

Hiking

With a portion of the Appalachian Trail falling within the GSM Park, in addition to other park trails, there are hundreds of miles of trails to explore. Whether you are looking for a day hike, a weekend hike, or a weeklong hike, you have options galore! While the Trail Map can be a little confusing, stop by any Ranger Station on your way in and they would be happy to help you with any questions you may have.

There is also some wonderful waterfall hiking in this National Park. With almost 20 significant waterfalls throughout the park, you could fill 3 weeks if you went to one each day!

• Ramsey Cascades is the tallest waterfall in GSMNP, coming in at just over 100 feet tall. The trail to get there is 8 miles roundtrip and is classified as a strenuous hike, not for the faint of heart but definitely worth the effort.
• For a moderate 1 mile hike, Juney Whank Falls is a great option. Providing a two-part waterfall which totals over 90 feet tall, Juney Whank Falls can be seen from the foot bridge in the middle of the two parts.
• An easy two-falls-in-one hike is Indian Creek and Toms Branch Falls. This hike comes in at just over 1.5 miles roundtrip and displays two beautiful falls.

Fishing

The GSMNP is home to more than 70 species of fish. Their 2,100 miles of diverse streams, creeks, and rivers allow fish of all kinds to create their own spaces. Fishing in the park requires the proper licenses and comes with its own set of Rules and Regulations so be sure to research which side of the park you want to use in order to buy the proper licenses.

The Brook Trout is the only native fish species to the GSM and trout can only be found in a little more than 100 miles of the streams. This is because only about 20% of the park’s streams are large enough to support the trout. If you are looking for some trout, the best place to find them is in any of the larger streams above 3,000 feet in elevation. Any waterways below that point will be primarily smallmouth bass, rock bass, shiners, minnows, suckers, and darters.

Planning Your Trip

These are just a few of the many activities and resources available when planning your trip to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Whether you want to go for the day, weekend, or even a week, you can use the resources provided here or on the Plan Your Visit  page.

If you decide to use any of this Campus Recreation would love to hear about it! We would also be happy to look over any trip itinerary for you if you email it to outdoorrecreation@liberty.edu.

Happy adventuring!

Pickleball is one of the fastest growing sports in the entire world. Communities across the globe are picking up on this popular new sport and has become a hit. People of all ages are grabbing a paddle and heading to the court to have a great time with friends and family. You can be next!

What is Pickleball?

Pickleball is a fun new sport that combines many elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong.  Pickleball can be played both indoors and outdoors on a badminton-sized court and a slightly modified tennis net.  Certain rules are in place that are specific to the sport, like not being allowed to step inside a zone seven feet on either side of the net.  Don’t let the rules distract from how fun and exciting the game is. Pickleball was invented in 1965 near Seattle, Washington, but has recently gained much attraction.  The key to pickleball is that it is accessible to all age and skill brackets. It has a fun, social, and friendly vibe with rules that are simple for beginners to learn but can develop into a fast-paced competitive game for the more experienced players. Pickleball can be played with two players (singles) or with four players (doubles). The sport has grown so fast that a professional circuit was created where players can earn prize money.

LaHaye Pickleball Courts

Because of the recent growth in pickleball, LaHaye Recreation and Fitness Center has added two pickleball courts in the multi-purpose center of our facility. The courts are set up in the middle of the gymnasium and are available during our open rec pickleball hours, which can be found at the front desk.

Don’t have any equipment? No worries! We offer both paddles and pickleballs at our equipment checkout desk to be used during our open rec schedule.  Pickleball is a great way to get some exercise in a new low impact way. LaHaye Recreation and Fitness Center is always looking for new and exciting opportunities to offer to their members, and pickleball could become a new favorite hobby to do with friends.

Future Growth

With the recent success of open rec pickleball, LaHaye plans on adding multiple more courts that will be available for our members. This will allow for up to four courts to be playing at one time. Along with more courts, intramural sports will be hosting a pickleball tournament in the Spring 2023 semester. This is a great opportunity for members to play in a more competitive atmosphere with the chance of being an intramural champion.

So, what are you waiting for? Grab your family or friends and head to LaHaye to play some pickleball!

It has been quite a few years since we have created a new race at the Liberty University Outdoor Recreation department. The excitement has been building and we are feeling great about announcing this new addition to our trail race programming.  Partnered with Alumni, we are hosting our first annual running event that can be completed by anyone in the Liberty family!  Whether you are here in Lynchburg, an online student in Egypt or an alumnus in London, you can run with us!

Racejoy

Racejoy is the app that makes this event possible. We are working with our local timing company, Riverside Runners to host our event on Racejoy. Both events will use the integrative platform that allows you to have your own unique and personal race day experience!  Using the free app will provide you:

• GPS tracking of your run. Including progress alerts, off-course alerts (if appropriate) and an interactive course map
• A custom audio experience that features announcements and encouragements from our team!
• Remote spectator cheer sending- you can send cheers and receive cheers from your family and friends!
• Automatic result upload, live updates, and rankings

Event 1: Celebrate Liberty @ Liberty Mountain

This is an open trail, 7.1K challenge (4.41 miles) that is marked on the Celebrate Liberty Trail Map, starting at Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre. We are very excited for this course as it highlights some celebrated and nostalgic LU icons along the way.  This short course guide will help you get the most out of your run!

1. Start at Snowflex Parking Lot. This race starts at the Snowflex parking lot, so tighten your laces at your car and spend a little time stretching and warming up. When you are ready to roll, the race will start at the northern end of the lot, this will be clearly marked during race week.
   
2. Follow Monogram Road to “5 points”. As you run Monogram Road, you will pass underneath the most visible LU landmark, the monogram. Created in 2007, this feature spans 3 acres. The gazebo at the top showcases the incredible view of campus and provides a popular resting spot for runners and hikers. “5 points” is the nickname given to the popular trail point where 5 paths come together.
3. At “5 points”, follow Horton’s Loop. David Horton is an ultra-marathon legend. He has run well over 100,000 miles and biked over 50,000 more. Dr. Horton came to Liberty in the fall of 1978 and it is hard to be a runner in Lynchburg and not know his name. This trail, named in his honor is another nostalgic feature of the most well-known LU faculty by the international running community. You will take a slight right to avoid Split Decision and have a significant climb after the turn, so prepare yourself. Runners will cross over Valley View Road and you can expect an aid station, so take a short break if you need to celebrate that hill kill.  We will have an unstaffed table with water and Gatorade for you during the entire week.  After this aid, you have a very steep and technical downhill, so be careful! Take a right to avoid Oak’s Way until you get to your next new trail.
4. Turn left onto Alternate Flight Pattern. Be mindful here, there is another significant climb here as you get on AFP, and it is steeper than your previous climb.  You will take AFP nearly to Champion Road, though you will run alongside the mountain road before ultimately dropping onto the road.
5. Turn right onto Champion Road. “Training Champions for Christ” has always been a common thread since Jerry Falwell Sr. established the college in 1971. Running along this mountain road helps us to remember all the champions who have left Liberty and done amazing things. We can also celebrate the future of Liberty and the Champions that it has still to teach. As you approach the end of this mountain road, be sure to pay attention for the…
6. Sharp Left onto 1971. This is the trail name that the race can tie its distance to. This course is an odd distance of 7.1km and was designed that way to celebrate 1971. Think back to when Jerry Sr. and Elmer Towns founded Liberty and reflect on all that has changed on the mountain since then. This trail takes a short dash onto Monogram Road for an instant before turning back into the woods. There is a final steep climb to take you up to the final turn.
7. Turn right onto Dirty Ridge and it is a single-track sprint to the finish! Hopefully you’ve got enough in your tank for a fast sprint to the end. The race ends at the Monogram Road gate, congratulations!

Event 2: Celebrate Liberty Anywhere

Complete a 7.1K (4.41 mile) distance from ANY location. Though, your run /walk does need to be completed in a single session. You can redo your distance as many times as you wish.

When you register for the race- Be sure to get all family and friends to participate with you. We would love to see runners from as many graduating classes, states, and countries as we can! Remember to use the Family Discount (4 or more) if applicable and don’t forget to add your T-shirt to your checkout!

When you train for your race- 7.1 km is a strange distance, we know. It was designed that way to celebrate 1971, by running the 7.1 km. We would recommend using training guides designed for a 5 mile race as 7.1 km is the approximate equivalent of 4.41 miles.  So, longer than a 5k, but a touch shorter than a 5 miler.

When you plan for your race- Be sure that you are set-up with Racejoy, input the race and your bib number.  Remember that you can run your race anytime between June 28–July 4.  If you are able, run it a few times!  Racejoy will keep your best time.  Think through where you will run, hopefully you pick a spot that you know well.  We will give you a “halfway through the race, so turn around!” warning, so that will help you be sure that you don’t end up too far from your car at the end of the race!

When you run your race- we want to encourage you to challenge yourself and your running buddies.  Comradery and Adventure are 2 of our core values at Outdoor Recreation and we believe that this race will help you to grow closer to the Liberty Community or your own local community by partaking in a physical adventure.  As always, use these appropriate safe running tips:

• Be alert and aware of your surroundings.
• Plan your route with safety in mind.
• Be visible and when available run on the sidewalks.

Thank you for running with us!  Be sure to connect with us in the Facebook event page or reach out to us at outdoorrecreation@liberty.edu if you have any questions!

The classic birthday party when you are little is a birthday party at the local bowling alley where you get to invite all your friends and drink lots of soda while eating some greasy pizza. Why does that only have to be for little kids, though? Why can’t a college student, a 30-year-old, or even a 50-year-old have a bowling alley birthday party? Well, I believe they can, and I think that the Montview Bowling Alley is one of the best bowling alleys to do this.

Birthday Party for All Ages

At the Montview Bowling Alley, we accept birthday parties for people of all ages. We have hosted parties for 5-year-olds, 14-year-olds, college students, and even 50-year-olds. We believe that age does not define whether you can be a kid or not and know that a birthday party at a bowling alley is some of the most fun you can have. The MVBA accepts reservations for lanes if requests are sent in two weeks in advance. Prices for these reservations vary depending on the number of lanes needed, how long the reservation will be, and whether it will be held on a weekday or weekend. To get information on reserving lanes at the Montview Bowling Alley, all one needs to do is send an email to campusrec@liberty.edu outlining the information mentioned above or visit liberty.edu/campusrec/campus-recreation/reservations.

Not Just a Bowling Alley

Not only does the Montview Bowling Alley provide all things bowling, like lanes, balls, and shoes, but we also provide two free-to-use pool tables, two free-to-use arcade machines, and six TVs. All these amenities are surrounded by a variety of tabletops and comfortable furniture to study at, hang out, and provide surfaces for a birthday cake, pizza, soda, and presents. Another thing about the Montview Bowling Alley is that we are much different from the local bowling alleys in Lynchburg and probably the ones you have been to. Here we value our customers more than anything whether they be children, students, or adults. In addition, compared to local bowling alleys we are more kid-friendly; we don’t sell alcohol and play clean music over our speakers.

It’s Our Pleasure

The Montview Bowling Alley staff creates a very comfortable environment for all who come through our doors. Here we value our customers more than anything, whether children, students, or adults, it is our pleasure to host your party. It is a joy of mine to work at such a place and brings a smile to my face to see people having fun bowling and enjoying spending time with the family and friends that the Lord has put in their lives. I cannot wait to see what this semester brings in terms of birthday parties down at the Montview Bowling Alley. Whomever they are for and whenever they are I can guarantee a time filled with joy, laughter, and hopefully lots of greasy pizza, soda, and birthday cake. Will you join us?

It finally feels like spring!  The weather is getting warmer and the campsite is calling!  At Outdoor Recreation, we want to help everyone get outside. We truly believe that nature can provide a special peace and rest from the day-to-day grinding. It can be an immersive experience that helps you cope with the stress and anxiety that often comes with the college experience. We also know that it can be intimidating for beginners and hard to plan even for the experienced camper. So, we’ve got lots of options to make it easier.

Camp with us

If you are new to camping and don’t know where to go, let us do the planning. Each spring we take a trip to Grayson Highlands State Park. This Virginia State Park provides excellent camping and unforgettable experiences within the Mount Rogers area. Mount Rogers is Virginia’s highest peak and the park provides beautiful mountain trails, waterfalls and “alpine-like” overlooks. The park also contains within its boundaries one of the last remaining herds of wild horses in the nation.

We provide the food, gear, travel and the experiences! All you need to do is show up and we will do the rest. Our staff will work alongside you and help you pitch your tent, cook the meals and even build the campfire. The days will be full of hiking as we explore the nearby Appalachian Trail, VA Horse Trail, and Mount Rogers’ peak.

Camp on your own

If you feel like planning your trip, but just need some gear; we’ve still got you covered!  The Hydaway Outdoor Center rents out sleeping bags, tents and backpacks! If you want to get even more adventurous, check out our full list of rental equipment, you’ll see camp stoves, hammocks, canoes and kayaks as well!

Virginia has some outstanding State Parks and National forests for you to explore on your own. You don’t need to travel far to find a nice campsite.  Within an hour of Lynchburg you can camp at North Creek Campground, Cave Mountain Lake Recreational Area or James River State Park! All 3 of these areas provide an easy to reserve campsite and access to water and toilets.

Want something more rugged? The Appalachian Trail is also less than an hour from Lynchburg!  It is easy to spend a night or two on one of the nation’s most renown trails.  The longest foot bridge on the AT is located at the nearby James River Foot Bridge, it can make a great starting point for your adventure.

Or stay close to home!

What if you want something in between those two options? You want a fully independent camping experience, but you don’t want to drive or don’t have a car? Well, Hydaway has 8 campsites right here at Liberty Mountain available for students to reserve. For only $5 you can stay overnight at Hydaway, in the woods, and camp. It’s a great way to try camping for the first time. If things don’t go well or you realize you don’t like the sounds of crickets all night…you can call a good friend for a late-night pickup.

One of our core values in Outdoor Recreation is “Adventure”, we realize that looks different for everyone. That’s why we provide so many diverse opportunities for the LU family. We want to help you find your own outdoor adventure and do whatever we can to remove the hurdles that keep you from intentionally exploring the natural beauty around you.

Happy Camping!

The climbing community across the country has a reputation of being friendly and engaging to newcomers. The community at Liberty’s rock wall is no exception to that statement. At the LaHaye Rock Wall you will find a variety of students with different majors and interests all coming together to enjoy one hobby. The rock wall is a wonderful place to get involved and interact with a unique mixture of the Liberty student population. This spring semester we have many events and ways to be involved.

First Time at the Rock Wall?

When visiting a new place or trying out an activity for the first time ever, there are always fears of the unknown in not knowing what to expect. Hopefully this information will answer some questions for any newcomers. When arriving at the rock wall you will be greeted by our amazing staff members at our equipment checkout desk. They will direct you to swipe in your flames pass and ask you what kind of climbing you are looking to partake in. We have the options of bouldering (which does not require a harness) and route climbing on the tower (which requires the use of our auto belay systems). All climbing shoes and harnesses are free for students. We are more than happy to explain these options to you and give you a run down on how climbing traditionally works if you’re a first time climber.

Ways to Get Involved

So, maybe you have been at the rock wall a few times, you have climbing experience prior to Liberty, or maybe you are a regular visitor at our rock wall. We have a variety of classes and events offered throughout the school year aimed to build community and provide opportunities for students to grow in climbing ability and knowledge. Each semester we host one large single day climbing competition and one weeklong event.

We also offer free classes for students to learn how to top rope belay, boulder, clean routes, and lead climb. At other gyms, these classes come at a cost, but here, students have the opportunity to learn and become certified for free.

New Things Coming to the Rock Wall

This upcoming spring semester, we are joining with Campus Recreation Outdoor Adventure to provide an outdoor bouldering day trip for students. We are very excited to bring this trip back as an event that we offer with our rock wall team. This trip will help bridge indoor and outdoor climbing knowledge and show students how to boulder safely outdoors.

Campus Recreation will also be adding a new rock wall specific challenge. This challenge will require students to visit the wall a certain number of times in the semester, take part in one of our climbing events, and become certified in top rope belaying. Students who complete this challenge will receive an exclusive LaHaye Rock Wall apparel item.

In the Intramural Sports department, we hand out surveys at the conclusion of every tournament and league because we truly want to hear feedback from the participants. We try to provide the best possible service every year, and it is only by hearing from the students that we can make effective changes. While some that have competed may have been annoyed by having to take these surveys, they might not be complaining when they see the changes or additions we make from semester to semester.

Increased Interest in Pickleball

While we wish we could offer any sport you could think of, realistically that is just not possible. However, when we continued to see on our surveys that students were asking for pickleball, we were shocked due to it having the stereotype of being a “senior sport” only. Much to our surprise, pickleball is USA’s fastest-growing sport. In fact, in the last two-year period, it has seen a growth rate of 39.3% while the number of players playing pickleball has nearly doubled in the last seven years. In addition to all of that, perhaps the most relevant statistic is that 27.8% of players are in the age bracket of 18-34, which is the highest among all age groups. Seeing these statistics help us understand why adding this sport was becoming a trend among our Intramural participants.

Implementing Pickleball Request

At the beginning of the Fall 2022 semester, our Intramural calendar was already booked, but we kept pickleball in the back of our minds. Fortunately, the LaHaye Recreation and Fitness Center was able to tape pickleball courts on the gym flooring and provided the necessary equipment for students to play during open gym times last semester. Throughout most of the open rec time, the courts were occupied with people playing, which gave us a good indicator that this sport could be successful. When planning out the Spring 2023 Intramural calendar, we decided to include a pickleball tournament to see if we would get a good turnout and to gauge whether this was going to become a staple on our calendar for future semesters.

Looking to the Future

While we now have a pickleball tournament under our belt, we are optimistic that this could be a sport we continue to have Intramural representation for. Our hope is that somewhere down the line, we can build actual pickleball courts to have as our own facility and to run a league of its own. This is just one area in which we have listened to student feedback and have done what we can to implement positive changes. So, the next time you receive an Intramural survey, feel free to share your honest feedback and ideas and you never know what might be added in the future!
If you or your friends are interested in signing up for future tournaments or leagues, you can sign up on IMLeagues.com or visit the Liberty Campus Recreation website for more information.

The well-being of any animal is largely dependent on having appropriate nutrition and feeding strategies. Horses are no different and we feed a lot of them at the Liberty Mountain Equestrian Center! Here are some of the basics related to taking care of horses and the general categories of feed that they need.

Forage

The bulk of any horse’s diet should consist of quality forage. Forage is generally considered pasture grass or hay (dried grass). Horses are designed to graze throughout the day. Think of horses in the wild that roam to find enough food to sustain themselves.  Or, if you ever see a grassy field with horses in it, chances are you will see horses with their heads down eating. Forage takes some time for a horse to chew, so they intake small, consistent amounts over time. They can eat up to 15 pounds or more of forage a day. Forage provides calories, protein, vitamins and nutrients and if it is good quality, horses do not need much more!

Concentrates

For most horse owners, concentrates are usually called “grain”. Many horses require additional grains to meet their daily nutritional needs depending on factors such as:  age, workload and access to forage. These grains are typically processed into pellets but can also be fed whole. Types of grains include corn, oats, barley, wheat, soybeans, and beet pulp amongst others. Molasses is often added to these processed pellets to make them more palatable, and horses usually are eager to see the grain cart coming around! Unlike forage, horses can eat concentrates much faster, so only smaller amounts of concentrates are fed 2-3 times throughout the day. Overfeeding concentrates can be extremely dangerous for horses so care must be taken to maintain a consistent schedule and appropriate oversight of horses’ access to certain feeds.

Supplements & Treats

In addition to forage and concentrates, other supplements may be added to a horse’s diet depending on need. This is similar to a person taking a daily vitamin or a probiotic. Most supplements are available without a prescription and can help improve a horse’s hair coat, hoof strength, joint mobility or digestive function. Each horse is unique, so the need for supplements is often determined through consultation with a veterinarian or other equine specialist.

Treats are not required for a horse, but they are definitely accepted by most! Common treats are apples, carrots and even peppermints. While treats are fun to give, it can lead to behavior issues like biting when fed by hand, so caution and care should be used when deciding when treats are appropriate. Like treats for people, all things in moderation.

Water

It should go without saying that horses need access to clean fresh water at all times.  Good hydration keeps their digestive system working properly and helps avoid some potentially serious ailments. Salt blocks are also recommended as a free choice option for horses as it encourages them to drink well.

To wrap up, this is a very brief overview of the basics of feeding horses. There are some general dos and don’ts but also many different strategies that can be implemented successfully. A good rule of thumb is to do no harm and not feed a horse that is not your own without asking. When in doubt, check in with a veterinarian or other nutrition specialist.

Shotguns are multi-purpose pieces of equipment that can be used for a variety of outdoor activities. Hunting, self-defense, and competition are some of the main uses with this style of firearm. Within competition shotgun sports, machines are used to throw orange clay targets that are also called “birds”. The shooter says “Pull!” which signals they are ready for their bird to be thrown. Here at Liberty Mountain Gun Club, we have three main games we offer. These games include trap, skeet, and five stand.

Trap

The game of trap involves one machine located in front of five shooters. The shooters are oriented in a horizontal line, equally spaced out. The machine will be directly in front of the middle shooter. The machine rotates 22 degrees to the left or right randomly before every bird is thrown. The shooters go one at a time starting at the left and moving right. Once the last shooter has gone, the first shooter on the left goes again. This process is done five times. After those five shots, everyone moves one station to the right. The person on the far right rotates all the way around to the left. The game ends when everyone has taken five shots at every station.

Skeet

Skeet is a game involving two machines, the one on the left being ten feet off the ground while the one on the right is three and a half feet off the ground. Each throws a single bird 15 feet over the center of the field. The field is shaped like a half circle with a machine at each end facing each other, slightly angled out. Starting at the left, shooters will have the “high house” machine directly above them. The shooter will shoot one high house, then one low house, followed by a “double”. A double is when both machines throw at the same time. The shooter will always shoot the bird going away from them first, then intercept the one coming towards them. After those four shots, the shooter moves to the next station in the half circle and shoots the same order of birds. Skeet has a total of eight stations. Stations three, four, and five only shoot a single high house and then a single low house. Stations six and seven shoot the original set of high house, low house, then double. This time, however, the low house will be shot first. The final station is eight which is directly between and inline of the two machines. The shooter faces the high house and aims roughly two feet off the edge of the building. The bird should be shot before getting overhead of the shooter. Finally, the shooter turns around and does the same for low house. Skeet technically only has 24 shots taken. The 25^th shell is used as an “option” where the shooter gets to retry the first bird they miss.

Five Stand

There are five stands in the game of five stand. The inventor of the game openly admitted he could not come up with a more creative name. Regulation five stand has six to eight machines. These machines vary in flight path ranging from realistic looking bird flight patterns to clays rolling along the ground on its edge to simulate a rabbit. Each stand has a card labeled “single”, “report”, and “true” with associated numbers or letters next to them. A single bird will be thrown by itself. A report pair is when the first bird is shot, the second bird is thrown. A true pair is when both birds are thrown at the same time. When looking out into the field, machines will be labeled with a number or letter. Those numbers or letters are how you know which birds will be thrown for you. The shooting order is that each shooter goes down the line shooting their single. Once the fifth shooter shoots, the first shooter now does their report pair. The process continues to true pairs. Once everyone has shot their true pair, shooters rotate like they would in trap moving one station to the right. The game of five stand was designed by an Olympic trap shooter to teach youth how to hunt waterfowl and has since turned into my personal favorite game. I love that wherever you shoot five stand, every field is different!

Whether you have seen it in a classic ’80s movie or participated in the Wii Fit version, step aerobics is often one of the top classes people think of when asked about group fitness. But how did step classes become so popular, and how are they making a resurgence today? Want to step into a class soon? Below is a little backstory and the potential benefits of the classic step aerobics class.

History

The ’80s were full of big hair, bright colors, and the increased popularity of group exercise classes. Early in 1982, aerobic dance workouts were all the rage; however, there was a substantial increase in injuries to participants and instructors due to the high intensity of classes and lack of modifications for beginners. Gin Miller, a well-known instructor at the time, suffered from continual stress fractures due to the high intensity of aerobic dance workouts. To rehab the injury, Gin was told by her doctor to step up and down on a milk crate. This sparked the idea of a low-impact workout that anyone, whether beginner or expert, could accomplish. The first aerobic step classes were choreographed at a slower pace with simple choreography, with the goal and mindset to keep participants moving. As it grew in popularity, the choreography became more explosive and unique, creating a fun and challenging class for all fitness levels.

Benefits

Step aerobics has a multitude of benefits, such as cardiovascular endurance, stability, agility, and coordination, to name a few. Aerobic step classes are designed in a way to keep participants moving through low-impact movements to optimize cardiovascular performance without unnecessary strain on the joints. Aerobic step classes also have a diverse set of modifications and progressions to personalize the class by either increasing or decreasing the intensity of the movements. Step aerobics has numerous mental and emotional benefits as well. Choreography on the step provides the mental challenge to remember the movements while also improving coordination. (Not to mention that it is incredibly fun!) The best benefit of aerobic step classes is that they don’t feel like a workout at all!

Offerings & Events

The best way to understand Step Aerobics is to experience it yourself! LaHaye Recreation & Fitness Center offers weekly “Step and Sculpt” classes incorporating the best step aerobics and a sculpting portion that utilizes weighted movements to build long, lean muscle. This class puts a new spin on a typical fitness class. But, if you want to blast to the past, be sure to join us this spring on March 4 for our 80’s Step Workshop! This workshop will be filled with great music, neon colors, and the classic step choreography everyone loves. Come join in on a fun workout crafted for everyone!

Parker, R. (2021, July 14). The popularity of fitness classes – trends and Demographics. Human Kinetics Blog. Retrieved November 17, 2022, from https://humankinetics.me/2019/09/19/the-popularity-of-fitness-classes-trends-and-demographics/

Fleming, C. (2020, January 8). A brief history of step aerobics: Gxunited: Helping fit pros thrive. GXunited. Retrieved November 17, 2022, from https://gxunited.com/blog/step-aerobics-history/#:~:text=Step%20aerobics%20came%20to%20life,an%20emphasis%20on%20athletic%20movements.