It’s January again. Resolutions are back, and for many people, that means resolving to get more exercise.
If years began in springtime as they did in the original Roman calendar, starting an exercise program would be a lot more palatable and a lot less expensive. But thanks to Numa Pompilius, a Roman king who created two new winter months and tacked them onto the beginning of the year, those of us who live in New England are stuck with trying to start an exercise program amid snow, ice, and freezing temperatures. Be that as it may, there are local options for indoor exercise so you can get off the couch and start moving without braving the elements.
Health clubs and exercise studios in the area have a variety of membership options. Length of membership, enrollment fees, class fees, and cancellation policies vary from place to place, so it’s important to understand all of the membership details before signing up, including any injury or illness policy. January is the best time to join, though, as most exercise related businesses offer some sort of discount or bonus. Here are some local options.
Full-service gyms
Orchard Hills Athletic Club in Lancaster, just off Route 2, is the largest full-service athletic club in our area, with not only a pool, group fitness classes, and a huge fitness center, but also tennis courts, racquetball courts, a basketball/volleyball court, a boxing area, and an indoor track. Fitness classes include the popular Les Mills programs, as well as Zumba, cycling, aqua fitness, and yoga.
There is childcare on site for young children, and the new Kids Clubhouse for kids ages 8 to 13. Orchard Hills focuses on families, and it provides kids’ racquetball lessons and exercise classes in and out of the water, as well as an outdoor pool and summer camp. According to President Cindy Curley, the club gets a big influx of people in January.
New members receive a 90-minute assessment, which includes not only measures of heart rate and body fat, but also goal setting. “That helps to keep people coming back,” said Curley. “We also have a lot of programs, so boredom is not a factor.” Join Orchard Hills in January and you’ll get one free month of membership.
From dance and boxing to Pilates
Global Fitness Center at the Stow Shopping Center, built more than 12 years ago in a space that housed a grocery store, has a huge fitness center. The rows and rows of cardio and strength training equipment and the schedule of 65 classes could be a bit overwhelming for prospective members, which is why the staff always begins the facility tour with some questions. “We ask why they’re here, what they’re looking for in a gym, have they ever belonged to a gym,” said owner Dave Bundy.
Members of Global Fitness in Stow work out at rush hour. The club offers a variety of cardiovascular machines, as well as free weights and classes. (Photos by Lisa Aciukewicz)
In addition to the fitness area, there are two free weight areas: one with heavy weights and one with lighter weights and exercise balls. Membership at the gym is about 65 percent female, and according to Bundy, that’s why there are so many group classes—women like them. Classes in the large fitness room range from dance to boxing to Pilates. A separate cycling room holds 25 bikes. Child care is available mornings and evenings. Owner Bundy acknowledges that exercise “can be boring. If you give people variety, they tend to stay.” Workouts are personalized to match the fitness level and health issues of each new member. “We have a pretty good population of people over 65, even into their 80s,” said Bundy. Membership comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
A more intimate setting
If large gyms leave you feeling lost in a sea of treadmills, Anytime Fitness in Devens may be for you. It’s a smaller, 24-hour gym, staffed Monday through Saturday, with cardio and strength training machines, weightlifting machines, free weights, and exercise classes. Owner Valerie Fournier opened the gym seven years ago and recently totally renovated the interior. It’s a warm and inviting space. “People feel comfortable here,” said Fournier. The fitness room offers the standard cardio and strength training machines, as well as three TVs to help with the boredom. “We even let people change channels, as long as they check with the other people in the room,” said Fournier.
The group exercise room is home to classes such as Zumba and Barre, a class that uses a ballet barre. The gym also has a free weight area loaded with weightlifting equipment for the serious weightlifter. Anytime Fitness’s Devens location prompted Fournier to be flexible with membership options. “We get a lot of transient clientele–military people, short-term contractors. We create contracts that work for different situations.” Membership includes access to an online health system that offers nutritional guidance, recipes, and exercise video clips. On January 18, Anytime Fitness is offering a free assessment to members and nonmembers from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Call to set up a time.) Also during January, there is 50 percent off the enrollment fee and unlimited free classes for new members.
A digital gym
Teresa Davison of Boxborough works out at KokoFit on Ayer Road.
A unique fitness option right here in Harvard is a digital gym called Koko FitClub on Ayer Road. Personalized 30-minute workouts, created when members join the club, are stored on thumb drives that plug into Koko’s strength training machines. Exercises in each workout vary from visit to visit, and the entire workout is done on a single machine, alleviating the need to rest between sets or change machines. “We have people as young as 12 and as old as 88,” said owner Jeff Granville. According to Granville, the personalized workouts can be tailored for people with health issues such as arthritis or back problems. Granville sums it up like this: “You just show up. You walk in and you’re done thinking.” The club also has cardio machines, and members can opt to use an audio coach during their cardio workout, available via MP3 players. It’s so realistic that some members even talk back to the audio coach. One former Harvard firefighter can sometimes be heard saying “Not today!” during his cardio workout. The club is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and is staffed during weekdays and Saturday mornings. Members also receive access to an online personal nutrition planning system.
A water-based approach
Another unique health club right next door to Harvard is Swymfit, located on the Boxborough line. Swymfit offers water-based, joint-friendly exercise classes. “Nobody does what we do in the water,” said founder and owner Steve Victorson. “Our deep-water classes work for everyone, from active seniors who want to keep their joints healthy to elite athletes.” The club even has special classes for people suffering from arthritis who have difficulty moving. Flotation belts keep exercisers afloat while they get a full-body workout in the water without the impact of land-based routines. Employee Cindy Heitmeyer added that once you learn the water-based exercise techniques, you can come in and do the exercises on your own. Lap swimming is also available.
The club has a fitness room with joint-friendly Keiser strength training machines, which use air resistance instead of pulleys. There are also cardio machines and free weights. Victorson is currently renovating the fitness class room, where classes in Tai Chi, Tae Kwan Do, Zumba, Pilates, TRX, and yoga are held. The club offers a free one-week trial to all prospective members, and if you buy a three-month membership before January 31, you get the fourth month free.
Pilates and group classes
Working out with others in a group class helps many people stay motivated, and there are several options right here in town.
Catherine Tierney (left) and Kim Casto, owner, of Bodylines Pilates demonstrate TRX exercises in the Harvard studio on Ayer Road.
Bodylines Pilates in the Appleworks building on Ayer Road has classes for all ages and levels of fitness. Owner Kim Casto opened the Harvard studio about a year ago. She also owns a second Bodylines studio at the Orchard Hills Athletic Club. According to Casto, Pilates, developed by Joseph Pilates, originated as a series of exercises to strengthen soldiers who were recovering from injuries during World War I. The main focus of Pilates is building core strength, but there are also elements of breath and alignment. “It’s meant to uniformly develop all systems of the body,” said Casto. Bodylines members range from high-performance athletes to seniors. In addition to Pilates, Bodylines offers Barre classes and TRX classes, where participants use a suspension training system to work against their own weight for a full-body workout. All classes can be modified to work for all fitness levels. Casto also offers a 12-week clean eating program as well as nutrition counseling. The studio has an air of serenity, which is exactly what Casto had in mind when designing it. “I wanted it to be an oasis, but also a place where people could feel empowered.”
During January and February, Bodylines is offering a week of unlimited classes for $39, to allow people to try everything they have to offer and see what works for them. A second start-of-the-year promotion allows existing clients to bring a friend for a free week of unlimited classes.
Harvard Community Education offers quite a few exercise classes in their winter session, which starts at the end of January and runs for eight weeks. Choices include Latin Dancercise and Zumba, as well as line and ballroom dancing. You don’t even have to leave your house to take part in diet and exercise programs delivered via weekly emails. A full schedule of Community Education classes as well as registration information is available online.
The Harvard Council on Aging (COA) sponsors a variety of exercise classes geared toward the older population, including tai chi, Zumba, yoga, aerobics, weight training, and fitness walking. Classes are held at either the Congregational Church or the Unitarian Church Fellowship Hall. Prices are very reasonable, and according to COA Director Deborah Thompson, the classes are “well attended. I’d say there’s an average of 12 people for any given class.” For class schedules, see the latest newsletter. To sign up, call Hildreth House.
