Leisure Classes Vs. Group Ex
Posted by terrepruitt on October 24, 2015
Many of you are familiar with Parks and Recreation Departments and classes they run through the Community Centers. These are classes that are in the booklets. There are ALL types of classes. There are music lessons, arts and crafts, exercise classes, cooking classes, language classes . . . . just all types of classes. They are set up in what many community centers call sessions. There might be a flower arranging class that is an eight week session, just meaning that there are eight times that class will meet. People must register and pay for all eight meetings prior to the first day of the class. Some of us have experienced the disappointment when we register for a class only to find out a few days before it is supposed to start, that not enough people have registered so the class is cancelled. That is always a bummer. In the City of San Jose Parks and Recreation Department they call these classes leisure classes. Presently there is also something in the San Jose Parks and Recreation Department called Group Ex. Group Ex is exercise classes. The Group Ex is more like a gym, in the sense that you pay a membership fee and then can attend any of the classes that are in the Group Ex program – plus the gym/exercise room – for that one fee. The Group Ex structure also allows for “drop-ins”, where people can participate in a class for a fee without having pre-registered or to be a member. These classes are on-going so they don’t have the same type of structure as a leisure/session class.
There arewere two ways you cancould become a member, one is monthly or you cancould purchase an annual membership. Both ways allow the member to attend any exercise class that is part of the Group Ex program. This program really got people out of the house and exercising. The cost of membership was unbeatable.
Most of the people who come to my Nia classes go to multiple classes per week, sometimes multiple classes per day. I hear them plan their weeks and their days with each other. They have it all worked out . . . their workouts.
I have been wanting to post something about the differences between Group Ex and Leisure classes for a long time. Because I teach both. The differences confuse some people. Some people are familiar with the leisure class way and they don’t even know there is something like Group Ex through the city. Some people who have never taken a leisure class (before there was even such a thing as Group Ex) are not familiar with that. So when I go to explain the different classes I teach it can be confusing. So I have been meaning to post something about it to help clarify.
Well, I guess the time is now. It is now because the city of San Jose is discontinuing the Group Ex program as of January 31, 2016. They are only going to have leisure classes. So that means that any class they have that you might want to take will be offered in “sessions”. So you will have to sign up for the entire session in order to take the class.
I want to let people know that just because the Parks and Recreation Department calls it a leisure class doesn’t mean it is just about “leisure”. They still might be offering some of the same exercise classes that are presently a part of the Group Ex program that allow you to get your workout on. It will just not be the type of format that you can just take anytime you want. You will have to sign up in advance for the entire the entire session.
I don’t know what classes they plan on offering, but I wanted to finally get a post up about the difference between leisure classes and Group Ex so when the time comes people will know the difference.
We still have three months of Group Ex before the change occurs. Next month on Wednesday, November 4, 2015, we are going to have a Nia class at 10:15 am at the Camden Community Center. So there will be four Nia classes a week at the Camden Community Center until January 31, 2016.
Click here to see a copy of the notification sent out from the Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services.
I hope you will come dance with us at the Camden Community Center before the end of January!
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