Fitness instructors are showing interest in this year's Fitness in the Park series at Bridgeport City Park. Among instructors already on board for the free three-month series of Saturday morning fitness classes is Melissa Robbins. Robbins is a strong believer that small solutions lead to big results. For those beginning an exercise regimen, it's important, she said, to start with a time commitment that is doable and not overwhelming. The short-term commitment of participating in Fitness in the Park could very well lead to a longterm fitness habit. 

 

Fitness in the Park is a program of the City of Bridgeport. To begin in June, the free fitness classes include everything from kids’ Zumba to CrossFit and Yoga.

 

Organizer and City Clerk Andrea Kerr said she was pleased with the energy and enthusiasm displayed at 2016 sessions. She is currently in the process of scheduling classes for the 2017 series.

 

“This will be the second year for this program and it really promotes a healthy lifestyle,” Kerr said. “But it also lets individuals try a different form of exercise that they may not be used to or have never tried before. And they may find out they really enjoy something out of their comfort zone.”

 

Last year, the series featured fitness formats including Zumba for kids, R.I.P.P.E.D, CrossFit, Yoga and Pilates.

“We pretty much covered the gamut of classes. It was great! Turnout was great and we are excited to do it again this year,” Kerr said. “So if you teach a class, we would love to hear from you and put you on the schedule,” she said.

 

Fitness instructors who would like to participate may contact her at akerr@bridgeportwv.com or 304-842-8233.

 

Class time is 9-10 a.m. Saturdays June through August. Not only are the classes free of charge, but the series will give residents an introduction into several fitness options.

 

Bridgeport resident and owner of Strength Balance Yoga in Clarksburg, Mary Ann Renzelli said she loved everything about being part of last year’s series.

 

“First of all, it’s outside in the fresh air in the summertime and it’s in a setting that I usually don’t get to work in as we were able to choose between the basketball court, walking trail, parking lot or in the shade under a tree,” said Renzelli, who is certified in a number of fitness styles. “Also, it was a chance to introduce members of the community to materials I had trained with at conferences, like the body flex bar. It weighs one pound and is a long rounded bar – probably four and a half feet long. You can bend it like a horseshoe up or down and it generates up to 20 pounds of force.”

 

During the 2016 series, Renzelli taught a three-part class, encompassing cardio, strength training and yoga stretch, implementing shadow boxing during the cardio portion.

 

“I was the last class and it was attended better than I thought it would be on an August morning,” she said.

 

Included were a couple of families – mom, dad and children – who enjoyed the physical fitness and community atmosphere together, she said.

Afton Hutson Aman was also a participating instructor, leading a session of R.I.P.P.E.D. She said she had a great time and she thinks the series provided those attending an opportunity to try a variety of classes without having to join multiple gyms or take multiple classes.  Aman said she hopes she inspired participants to check out some of the Bridgeport area’s great trainers, gyms and fitness facilities.

 

“Bridgeport is a tight-knit community and that sense of community also brought a lot of friends and neighbors together to try new things – perhaps without a fear of embarrassment,” she said. “A sense of community and fraternity is important, too, when it comes to accountability in fitness.”

 

In addition to serving as an instructor, Aman also participated in some of the other classes.

 

“It’s always great to meet others in the community and really – in my mind – I’m happy to be associated with anything that gets people moving and excited about fitness,” she said.

 

Interested instructors can contact Kerr at 304-842-8233 or akerr@bridgeportwv.com. 

 

Editor's Note: Pictured from are City Clerk Andrea Kerr and Fitness Instructors Mary Ann Renzelli and Afton Aman.