By Devin Bender
Sports Editor

Ever go to the Student Recreation Center and wonder what exercise to do or how to do an exercise properly? Well, fear no more and go to an exercise session with instructor Kate Heartman.

Heartman offers students free classes every Monday through Thursday from 5 pm to 9 pm. Each hour offers a different type of workout: spinning, pilates, ab blast, kickboxing, and body fit. All the sessions offered are FREE.

Students and faculty interested in joining can come by the Recreation Center with their student or employee IDs. Head upstairs to the left, down to the lobby area, and through the doors; Heartman’s workout session is right down the hall in the South Studio (ask the front desk for more details). 

Heartman explained that the session has no advertising and that a lot of the students at KU do not even know it exists. The personal sessions have been going on for years now, and not many students show up. Sometimes, Heartman has empty classes. 

Heartman shows compassion to all students who come in and wants to help them improve. “Variety is key,” said Heartman. Human bodies get used to routine and they need different workouts in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Heartman added, “Students should continue to work out downstairs but should come up [to the workout sessions] for variety.”

When Heartman is not teaching classes at KU, she is an instructor at a YMCA, where most of her trainees are older. Over the years, she learned the similarities between the two age groups and how much both can do. Heartman has been teaching for almost 20 years now. 

The class is a co-ed session, but Heartman has found that the classes are mostly female. However, the males that do come to Heartman explained that they have had a lot of fun and are impressed by how much they get out of the classes.

COVID-19 mask mandates do apply when working out. Students have the option to social distance, but it is not required. Heartman said she had to modify some classes in order to accommodate the mask-wearing. 

All KU students and faculty are able to enjoy the sessions. Instead of working out alone or looking for a gym membership, Heartman’s class will offer KU students and faculty free instruction that will keep the body healthy in a fun and safe environment. To learn more, visit the KU website at https://www.kutztown.edu/about-ku/administrative-offices/recreational-services/group-exercise/schedule.html to sign up for a free session with instructor Heartman.