The New Year is here and, let’s face it, it’s time for a new you. Shed those nasty pounds that might have come along with all the holiday cocktails and feasts. Make your “get fit” resolution, but actually keep it this year by getting involved with one of Maple Grove’s finest fitness classes. We’ve crafted a guide to the area’s top 10, all of which are guaranteed to keep you motivated, let you have fun and help you stick to your resolution all year long.

Boot Camp
Offered three times weekly, Life Time Fitness’s Boot Camp will test your strength, agility, endurance and speed through high-intensity workouts. Emulating some military techniques, this class isn’t intended for the faint of heart. Rest times are short-to-nonexistent and heart rates will be constantly high, so participants should be in good physical shape before attending. “This class is for people who want to get pushed past their limits,” explains instructor Kelly Tamm.

Tom Moorman—who’s been attending this class for over three years—claims that at age 61, he’s in the best shape of his life. “The class is a great way to gain access to the knowledge of a personal trainer without the price tag,” he adds.

Classes cost $166.50 a month. Contact Tamm at 763.420.1878 or ktamm@lifetimefitness.com.

Pilates
Despite the dim lights and relaxing music, Pilates is one of the best exercises for strength training, especially when it comes to your body’s core—the all-important mid section—going beyond the surface muscles to focus deeper, increasing body stability, improving posture and lengthening the spine. 
Jackie Goodwin, who teaches Life Time Fitness’s Pilates classes (free with club membership), emphasize that Pilates is great for all athletes and fitness-seekers, as it enhances performance and strength in other activities. Longtime class participant Becky Friedrichs, who credits the classes with increasing her strength and flexibility, extols the virtues of Goodwin’s all-encompassing teaching style: “Jackie makes everyone of different fitness levels feel welcome in her classes, and all of us are making progress at each level.” lifetimefitness.com
   
Senior Fitness
As a joint venture with the Maple Grove Community Center and U-Care insurance, Life Time Fitness offers Fit Forever classes, catered to the needs of senior participants. Students can choose from both strength-training and aerobics classes, offering both standing and seated options. Classes, offered five days a week by Kathy Bennethum, not only help seniors stay fit and active, but also foster a tight-knit social circle for the participants.

As part of her treatment for her knee replacement surgery, Barb Young took the classes regularly both before and two weeks after her surgery. “The constant movement really helped in the flexibility of my knees,” Yong says.

Classes are free to Life Time members (lifetimefitness.com) and to those with U-Care insurance, or participants can register at the community center. $28 for eight sessions through Maple Grove Park and Rec, 763.494.6514.