# Which Fitness Classes Would You Take? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 29, 2013, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fitness-classes-would-you-take/664831 "2013-07-29T18:09:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mgalindo13](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ea5d25/32.png) [@Mgalindo13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mgalindo13)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fitness-classes-would-you-take/664831/1 "2013-07-29T18:09:34Z")
If you had to choose one type of fitness class to take, which would you choose? ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fitness-classes-would-you-take/664831/2 "2013-07-29T18:12:52Z")
If I had the time and money (holy shit, they’re expensive), I’d probably get in to a CrossFit program.\* \*Assuming I wanted to get in to a fitness class anyway…which I don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Caricci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Caricci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caricci)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fitness-classes-would-you-take/664831/3 "2013-07-29T18:18:30Z")
None. I would take Spin for Cardio and Body Pump for strength. Neither requires too much coordination, but they are both pretty effective. ---
**Author:** ![Mgalindo13](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ea5d25/32.png) [@Mgalindo13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mgalindo13)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fitness-classes-would-you-take/664831/4 "2013-07-29T18:24:14Z")
> [@Caricci](#): > > None. I would take Spin for Cardio and Body Pump for strength. Neither requires too much coordination, but they are both pretty effective. Not really familiar with Body Pump. Have you done it? What do you like about it? ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fitness-classes-would-you-take/664831/5 "2013-07-29T18:38:59Z")
I thought the whole idea with CrossFit was that you don’t need a gym, you train with what you had around and perform “functional” movements. A few years ago I filled an old volleyball with sand and patched it with duct tape - instant medicine ball. I’ve improvised nearly all of my exercise equipment that way. Now it seems that if you don’t have a complete set of kettlebells and a giant tractor tire, you can’t be **CrossFit™**. ---
**Author:** ![EverwonderWhy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EverwonderWhy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EverwonderWhy)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fitness-classes-would-you-take/664831/6 "2013-07-29T18:55:23Z")
I would take Spin (which is not on your list) for cardio and Yoga for strength. If I could only pick one? That would be tough, but I would probably go with Yoga. Spin I could probably do at home if I wanted to invest in a Spin bike and program, Yoga I really enjoy/need the in-person instruction. I prefer to cycle outdoors whenever I can and turn to Spin when the weather is limiting. ---
**Author:** ![Soylent\_Juicy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@Soylent\_Juicy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Juicy)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fitness-classes-would-you-take/664831/7 "2013-07-29T19:00:48Z")
Kickboxing! I like to pretend that I’m in a bar fight. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fitness-classes-would-you-take/664831/8 "2013-07-29T19:05:56Z")
Yoga. I’ve done it before, and could get back into it fairly quickly. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fitness-classes-would-you-take/664831/9 "2013-07-29T19:08:11Z")
I tried a few of these already. Didn’t like Crossfit, but that’s partially because the instructor was a dick. There are a lot of injuries from Crossfit when people don’t scale it accurately for their ability and the instructor doesn’t know what he’s doing. I’d go for bootcamp. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fitness-classes-would-you-take/664831/10 "2013-07-29T19:22:32Z")
Boxing. It is wicked hard on your body, even without being touched by another human. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fitness-classes-would-you-take/664831/11 "2013-07-29T19:45:49Z")
I just started Crossfit last month and enjoy it quite a bit. However, like Dr. Butts, I haven’t started shedding weight yet. I plan on continuing with the program though. ---
**Author:** ![DeweyDecibel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d26b3c/32.png) [@DeweyDecibel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeweyDecibel)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fitness-classes-would-you-take/664831/12 "2013-07-29T19:51:16Z")
I like yoga for flexibility, posture, and relaxation. I’ve done it and know I like it, so that might be my choice. I also like Spin. I’m interested in trying Pilates for similar reasons to yoga, and Barre sounds like something I might like. I have really poor rhythm, so fast aerobic dance like Zumba would be out, but the barre routines I’ve seen online look doable from that aspect. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fitness-classes-would-you-take/664831/13 "2013-07-29T19:57:44Z")
I’m not interesting in martial arts, so I chose Cross Fit since I think it would appeal to me. The only class on the list I’ve actually taken is Yoga, and I’d probably take that again. ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fitness-classes-would-you-take/664831/14 "2013-07-29T20:20:01Z")
I chose boxing but mostly it’s for the solo stuff, not the sparring. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fitness-classes-would-you-take/664831/15 "2013-07-29T20:36:18Z")
Yoga. I’m already taking Shotokan Karate, and I’ve been thinking that I need to work on my balance, flexibility & core. So, either Yoga or Pilates, depending on how the Pilates is done… ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fitness-classes-would-you-take/664831/16 "2013-07-29T20:44:08Z")
BJJ for me, though I’d be just as happy with the less-intense classical judo. Just a matter of what I think would be fun to do, really; not analyzing this from a benefits-conveyed point of view. (In point of fact, I’m considering trying yoga, because I’ve noticed that my balance is atrocious and I’ve had some stiffness in my legs lately from running. Not that I might not consider adding judo at some point if I had the time, but anyway.) ---
**Author:** ![artemis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@artemis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/artemis)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2013, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fitness-classes-would-you-take/664831/17 "2013-07-29T22:29:04Z")
> [@Mgalindo13](#): > > Not really familiar with Body Pump. Have you done it? What do you like about it? I’ve done Body Pump. It’s powerlifting set to music, generally fairly low weight but very high reps (because each song goes on for 2-3 minutes). What I like about it is that it gives you a very balanced resistance workout (you do all the major muscle groups pretty evenly) with a good dose of cardio included courtesy of keeping up with the music. And it’s fun! ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fitness-classes-would-you-take/664831/18 "2013-07-30T14:01:02Z")
I vote none of the above since I do all of my workouts in the pool now due to less strain on my joints. In the pool I can swim, kick box, run, stretch and do cardio exercises. Frankly I don’t see why more people over 50 aren’t doing more exercises in the pool instead of risking injury to their joints; usually I see them after they have injured themselves upstairs in the gym and they come down to the pool because their doctor told them to. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fitness-classes-would-you-take/664831/19 "2013-07-30T14:05:26Z")
> [@artemis](#): > > I’ve done Body Pump. It’s powerlifting set to music, generally fairly low weight but very high reps (because each song goes on for 2-3 minutes). What I like about it is that it gives you a very balanced resistance workout (you do all the major muscle groups pretty evenly) with a good dose of cardio included courtesy of keeping up with the music. And it’s fun! Body Pump was my favorite group exercise, and I miss that there are no gyms here that have it . ☹ [Here is the website for Bodypump](http://w3.lesmills.com/global/en/classes/bodypump/about-bodypump/) The format changes every few months, and some instructors know routines from years ago, and it is possible to combine tracks from different releases, so it is not always and forever all the same. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2013, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fitness-classes-would-you-take/664831/20 "2013-07-30T14:07:34Z")
As to the question, I used to do a combination of things. Steps, Zumba, Pilates, core work/toning classes, BodyPump, capoeira, belly dancing, jogging, and deep water fitness/hydrobics. I miss it! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-fitness-classes-would-you-take/664831.md?page=2)