New Era of Fitness: Group Exercise Classes

By Lily Cogliano

Say goodbye to the gym because a new wave of fitness is taking over: Group exercise classes.

Whether it’s pilates, zumba, yoga, barre, deep stretch, or spin; Stonehill College is offering it all.

Have you ever noticed how many people travel to the gym in packs? Is it a method to hold one

another accountable, spot them when lifting, or to provide a social aspect when walking the

treadmill? Group exercise classes apply a similar effect.

When exercising together as a group, a sense of community and connection is in the air, holding everyone accountable and motivated to achieve their goals and push one another to go beyond their limits. Many people are hesitant to approach the gym, whether scared by themselves or unsure of how to use the equipment; group exercise is beneficial because everyone is at a different level, all there for the same reason.

The instructors provide a stable demonstration and direction of how to move your muscles and

apply you with the tools and props to help build your strength. Stonehill has offered a variety of

exercise classes throughout the years, but as of 2026, there are the most classes available yet.

With six reliable and ready to teach girls, they’ve got the talent and the motivation to ensure the

class has a great time. Within the selection there is pilates, which is a low-impact mind-body

exercise used to focus on the core, posture, and controlled movements.

If you’re looking for something inspired by repetitive movements, bodyweight resistance, and core power; you might find that the barre strength classes might suit you better. Athletes might find the yoga and deep stretch classes a gentle reprieve from their everyday games and practices, giving their muscles a well earned stretch and their mind a peaceful meditation.

Those who find rhythm and dance a better outlet for their exercise might enjoy the zumba classes offered - where they use high energy dancing to partake in aerobic fitness. However if none of those are your speed, and perhaps you’re more used to outdoor activities; you might find that the spin classes are for you.

Using stationary bicycles, you’ll follow the instructor in a group fitness workout targeting your

lower body, hamstrings, glutes, calves, and engaging your core. This is a fantastic way to burn

calories while still partaking in a low impact workout.

This is not to say everyone should altogether veto the gym; keep those morning or evening workouts in. However, these classes are held all throughout the day, and some folk have minimal academic classes a day and need a little filler time. What's better than hanging out with your friends in a body conscious way?

The fun doesn’t stop there. There’s been history of themed classes, such as; halloween

costume themes, colors, and music genre. Stonehill recreation has created a perfect signup

system, where you can browse all the classes, see how many are attending, and those who

sign up for the classes get their spots held as well as informative emails such as whether the

class is canceled or not.