Recreation Services at the Student Recreation Center-North offers exercise options through group fitness classes. Classes are available during the week for $40 a semester, or $5 for an individual class.

Some of the classes provided are Zumba, Beach Body Bootcamp, Cycle Fit, Butts and Guts, Core Strength and Kickboxing.

"My favorites are yoga and boot camp," Southeast Missouri State University senior Becca Baylor said. "Yoga is relaxing and an overall body toning exercise and boot camp incorporates a lot of stuff I haven't done before."

The instructors are group fitness certified Southeast students that are hired through the university. One doesn't have to be certified prior to applying, but all instructors must be certified before they teach any class.

"The instructors are very nice and friendly and seem to be very knowledgeable and offer alternatives to go harder or easier if [the participant] is a beginner," Baylor said.

Group fitness instructor and Southeast freshman Shannon Brennan was already certified before she interviewed for the position. Brennan is certified through Aerobics and Fitness Association of America in Primary Group Fitness. To become certified she spent all day taking a written and performance test where she had to demonstrate a pushup in three different strength levels.

Brennan is a biomedical science student and is a Type I Diabetic who's been incorporating exercise in her life for years.

"Exercise has always been a type of lifestyle for me," Brennan said. "What better way to do something I always do while also working."

Brennan is also certified in Zumba, a popular class taught at the Student Recreation Center-North. Zumba is Latin-inspired dance workout that can burn up to 1,000 calories per class.

"I love to dance for exercise at Zumba," Southeast junior Jocelyn Moylan said. "The music is way fun and even though I definitely don't look like any kind of Latin dancer it is fun to pretend I am for that hour once a week."

Recreation Services also provides free classes during common hour Monday through Friday. More information on group fitness can be found at semo.edu.