The Carson City Parks and Recreation Department offers a wide assortment of group fitness classes as well as other opportunities to get out and get your heart rate up.
Recreation Classes
In addition to the Got Fit Boot Camp and other classes taught by Terri Snyder and Patti Briggs, the Carson City Community Center is becoming a hub of fitness.
"One of our goals is to be an active and engaged community," said Joel Dunn, recreation operations manager for Carson City.
Longtime instructor Jerry Vance continues to teach her popular conditioning class and a water aerobics class.
Vance teaches the Sweat Shop, a one-hour co-ed fitness program providing aerobics, Pilates and yoga, 13 times a week at the Community Center. She also teaches Wet Sweat, a water fitness program, three nights a week at the Carson Aquatic Center.
For more information, call Vance at 841-7312.
The department also is expanding its offerings to include belly dancing, Zumba dance, Tai Chi and other cardio classes.
They are:
Butts and Guts
What: Fitness program aimed toward cardiovascular strength and plyometrics to work abdominal and glute muscles.
When: 5:30-6:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays June 15-July 8.
Where: Gymnasium of Community Center, 851 E. William St.
Cost: $50
Contact: Cassandra Carter, 297-1719
PTA Boot Camp
What: Fitness program to include cardio, strength and plyometric exercises aimed to burn fat and increase fitness levels.
When: 5:30-6:30 p.m. Mondays, Wed-nesdays and Fridays June 14-July 9.
Where: Gymnasium of Community Center, 851 E. William St.
Cost: $75
Contact: Cassandra Carter, 297-1719
Rise and Shine Boot Camp
What: Cardiovascular strength and plyometric exercises aimed to increase overall fitness at a high intensity, early morning program.
When: 6-7 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays June 14-July 23.
Where: Mills Park
Cost: $100
Contact: Cassandra Carter, 297-1719
Athletic Summer, cardio conditioning
What: Fitness program aimed toward high school students looking for a summer program to get fit. Will include cardiovascular exercise and plyometrics.
When: 5:30-7 p.m. Mondays, Wednes-days and Fridays July 12-Aug. 6.
Where: Gymnasium of Community Center, 851 E. William St.
Cost: $90 (If combined with strength class, $130)
Contact: Cassandra Carter, 297-1719
Athletic Summer, strength conditioning
What: Fitness program aimed toward high school students looking for a summer program to get fit. Will include strength exercises and plyometrics.
When: 5:30-7 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays July 13-Aug. 5.
Where: Gymnasium of Community Center, 851 E. William St.
Cost: $60 (If combined with strength class, $130)
Contact: Cassandra Carter, 297-1719
Zumba Fitness
What: Zumba is a Latin-inspired, dance-fitness class that incorporates Latin and international music and dance movements, which create a dynamic, exciting, and effective fitness system. This class format combines fast and slow rhythms that tone and sculpt the body in an aerobic/fitness fashion to achieve a unique blended balance of cardio and muscle-toning benefits.
When: Beginning Zumba 4:30-5:20 p.m. Tuesdays; Zumba Fit 5:30-6:20 p.m. Tuesdays
Where: Comstock Room of Community Center, 851 E. William St.
Cost: $6 per class at monthly rate; $7 drop in
Contact: Susie Reese, 530-318-2142
Belly Dancing
What: An ancient style of dance, belly dancing has been around since biblical times. It is a great way to improve your posture while getting in shape. Accessible and beneficial to women of all body shapes, sizes, ages and walks of life, as well as men.
When: 6:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesdays
Where: Comstock Room of Community Center, 851 E. William St.
Cost: $8 per class at monthly rate; $10 drop in
Contact: Susie Reese, 530-318-2142
Tai Chi
What: Yang-style Tai Chi Chuan as passed down from Master Yang Cheng Fu, last master of Yang family, to Hu Yuen Chou.
When: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursdays
Where: Tahoe Room of Community Center, 851 E. William St.
Cost: $58 a month
Contact: Stephen Mund, jadeddragontaichi-carson@yahoo.com
Carson City Aquatic Center
The Carson City Aquatic Center boasts an Olympic-sized indoor pool, a shallow pool for toddlers, a therapy pool, weight room and a 25-yard outdoor pool open in the summers.
In addition to Vance's Wet Sweat classes, there is also a less-structured Aquasize class offered 8 a.m. weekdays.
"It's very social," said Kurt Meyer, operations manager. "There's a lot of laughing."
The pool is open daily for lap swimming, which is ideal for anyone with joint pain or other injuries, Meyer said.
"The answer is to get into the pool and get your heart rate up," he said. "Even if you walk in the pool, there's a lot less impact because of the buoyancy."
The center also organizes self-paced triathlons with varying distances to be completed within a set amount of time. The next triathlon will be in the fall.
The annual Kids Triathlon is scheduled for July 10, along with swimming lessons and swim teams.
The pool fee includes access to the center's gym as well.
For more information about specific programs, go to www.carson-city.nv.us/Index.aspx?page=919 or call (775) 887-2242.
Parks and Trails
Not interested in group classes, and a gym membership's not in the budget? There's something for you, too.
Roger Moellendorf, parks and recreation director, said the city has a wide offering of parks and trails to accommodate all fitness levels.
He recommended Riverview Park at the east end of Fifth Street for a beginner workout.
"It's a very level, crushed gravel pathway. It can be as strenuous as you want it to be," he said. "At the same time, you can enjoy the abundance of nature out there. It's a great outdoor experience."
He said the exercise course in the southeast corner of Mills Park could also provide some guidance for a person new to working out.
For more of a challenge, he suggested the trails along Prison Hill for walking or running and the trails in Ash Canyon for mountain biking.
For an even harder workout, head up C Hill.
"C Hill would be considered a strenuous hike," he said.
More trails are being built all the time, he said.
In cooperation with the Nevada Department of Transportation, the Linear Park Trail was completed a section of trail that runs under the new freeway. Now, the trail runs from Silver Saddle Ranch to Governor's Field.
The parks department is in the process now of acquiring the land necessary to construct a trail along the Carson River as well.
A new kind of trail is now available now, too.
The 13-mile aquatic trail runs down the Carson River, beginning at Carson River Park in Carson City and ends in Santa Maria Park in Dayton, with a mid-point stop available at Morgan Mill Road.
"Kayaking, rafting and canoeing are all great upper-body exercises as well as a very enjoyable recreation experience," Moellendorf said.
For more information about parks and open spaces, visit www.carson-city.nv.us/Index.aspx?page=621.쇓