Working out indoors

As her class slowly moves into a forward bend, yoga instructor Diane Ho whispers, "Relax your shoulders. Let your neck go. Breathe from your center."

It is, she tells them, "a calming position." Still speaking softly, she cautions against stretching the hamstrings too much, pushing the body too far: "We like to play to the edge of pain, not go over it."

By the end of the hour, attendees of both sexes ranging from their 20s to their 60s have easily followed Ho's directions, yielding to the soothing atmosphere and allowing their bodies to "melt into the floor."

"People are under so much stress," Ho said later. "The last part of the class is wonderful because it brings you back to a place of calmness. We need something to center ourselves again."

Even in Hawai'i's temperate climate, people exercise indoors on a regular basis by necessity or by choice. Some find exercising outdoors too hot; others are unable to make time to train except when it's dark, when many women hesitate to embark on a solo run or walk.

Kiwi Heilman demonstrates a Fitball exercise at the Honolulu Club. Cory Lum • The Honolulu Advertiser

Whatever the reason for choosing an indoor venue, finding equilibrium and returning to the body's center or core to promote better breathing and posture seem to be the new emphases in exercise classes today, augmenting the well-established goals of maintaining cardiovascular fitness and staying trim.

"The definition of health now is doing something that makes you feel good," said Kiwi Heilman, group fitness coordinator at the Honolulu Club. "We have such fast-paced lives; our bodies need balance."

The trend, she said, is toward core strength and promoting the mind/body connection. "This is coming at the expense of most traditional aerobics classes," she said.

Though some aerobics classes still exist, most have taken on a new twist, such as kickbox aerobics and the new salsarobics (aerobics with a Latin flair). Other popular classes at the Honolulu Club include spinning, Pilates, stretch and relax, Fitball and yoga — all of which incorporate a contemplative element while developing core strength.

This appears to be the case at other gyms as well. Dawn Terada, regional director of group exercise at 24 Hour Fitness, has also noticed this movement away from high-impact exercise to a more meditative, whole-body approach, evidenced by the soaring popularity of yoga in the gym's Kapi'olani location.

More meditative workouts

"In our hectic lives, people are trying to get back the energy they give out every day," she said. "Somewhere along the way, people are saying, 'What about me?' It's all about healing yourself."

Ho, a 14-year veteran yoga instructor, is not surprised by yoga's renaissance.

"People are doing more running and spinning, and they're starting to get older and feel the effects of all the tension that's created, and they're ready to let that go. Flexibility also creates strength," she said. "Without flexibility, people risk injury."

This mind/body connection is also an important part of spinning, a guided one-hour workout set to music on a specially designed stationary bicycle.

Instructor and personal trainer Heather Jorris said it's one of several reasons that attendance in her classes has not waned over the past five years. "The group energy is definitely a big motivator. Having an instructor tell you what to do and provide inspiring quotes, and the music we play ... people draw a lot of energy from those elements."

Jorris said that having a set time for your workout is also an incentive. "You know it starts at noon, and you can't be late. It's like having a personal trainer."

Though most people seek classes that promote fitness and inner peace simultaneously, many have practical or emotional reasons for training indoors.

"Some people want to avoid the sun, but a lot come here to socialize," said Heilman. "It makes them feel good to be part of this recreation. It's like recess."

Others appreciate the ability to accurately measure their progress. Dennis Christianson, creative director at Laird Christianson Harris Advertising, uses the gym in his preparation for the Honolulu Marathon.

"The treadmill is a great tool for working consistency into my training," he said. "Outside, you have wind and hills. Here, I can set a consistent pace and stay at that pace for an hour and 45 minutes."

His unpredictable schedule often forces him to run at odd hours, another reason he likes the treadmill: "It's excuse-proof."

Jorris and others offer initial consultations for anyone who prefers to train at home, to help them develop practical and inexpensive methods to suit their needs.

"If you're lucky enough to have a piece of cardio equipment at home, that helps," said Jorris. "But you can do a huge number of exercises just using your stairwell or some rubber tubing." Examples include calf raises, lunges, dips and upper body strength work.

Examples include calf raises, lunges, dips and upper body strength work. The new Fitball, a giant inflatable ball that can be purchased online for about $30 (videos and workout books are also available through fitball.com), offers a way to transfer that core strength and balance training into your home. Exercises associated with Fitball involve balance on the ball (which helps you focus on your core), isometric strengthening, and stretching — especially the back. However, as benign as they seem, many of these activities can be dangerous if not performed properly.

Jorris urges people to confer with a personal trainer before embarking on their own home exercise programs.