Six new free group classes added

People can’t get enough of the JCC’s group fitness classes.

The number of participants in group classes has grown 15 percent a year for the last three years, from 33,000 people in 2011 to 42,000 people in 2013.

The JCC has about 80 group fitness classes and 20 aquatic classes, more than a majority of gyms in town.

Ron Peacock, fitness director, attributes the growth to the health and wellness department keeping a close finger on the pulse of members’ interests.

“We’re constantly changing the classes to not only better benefit and meet the needs of our members, but also offer the most current trends in group fitness classes,” he said.

He said the department reviews class performance every couple of months to evaluate what’s succeeding.  If people don’t respond to a class, it’s recalibrated.

The BODYPUMP classes have also proven popular in recent years and have brought more new members in to the JCC than any other class.

Other top favorites include indoor cycling, boot camp and yoga classes as well as family-oriented classes like Family Fun Fit.

Golf Conditioning, Advanced Conditioning and Splish-Splash classes were added this January. Starting in February, the  JCC is adding new Kids Fitness classes every weekday at 4:30 p.m. J-Barre is also joining the group fitness schedule in February after starting as a paid class.

Peacock said the diversity of offerings, for every age and ability level, also keeps classes full.

“We have a class for everyone,” he said.

Instructors who are nationally certified and care about forging relationships with class participants are also important drivers of growth, Peacock said.

“We have world-class classes with world-class instructors,” Peacock said. “We invite anyone in to check them out.”

The complete group fitness schedule can be found online at www.jewishlouisville.org/groupfitness.