Back to school If money's an issue, instead of joining a gym, try a community college class

Sam McManis

Jul. 6, 2008 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- Times are tough. We don't need Ben Bernanke to tell us that. So we're all looking for bargains, even when it extends to fitness classes.

Health clubs, of course, offer an array of options. But for the really cost-conscious, it might help to think outside the gym for a fitness class fix, be it yoga, ping-pong or lap swimming.

City parks and recreation programs are reasonably priced and offer a variety of activities. (Check your local Web site or city hall or, heck, your own mailbox.)

But there's another option, even more frugal than city-run classes, that you may not have considered:

Go to college.

Community college, that is. Not full time, of course. You can register for one course by plunking down $20 per unit and learn how to, say, incorporate the curative principles of tai chi into your life.

Let's do a price comparison, shall we?

--Tai chi from the Sacramento Parks and Recreation Department: $40, five sessions, 7 1/2 hours of instruction.

--Tai chi from American River College in Sacramento: $20, twice weekly for 16 weeks, 54 hours of instruction.

Such a deal.

And, for those who toil in the standard 9-to-5 workday, many of the community college classes are offered in the early evening or morning.

"It is very reasonable," says Jean Snuggs, dean of the physical education department at American River College. "You can repeat a class as long as you're making progress, but there is a limit of the number of repeats.

"We have some students and people from the community continually taking classes, but we won't just let them take the same thing over and over. We're not a health club."

On the downside, community college classes tend to be larger than those offered by parks and rec or health clubs. For instance, a Friday evening ballroom dance class that will be offered at Cosumnes River College this fall already has 50 students signed up (the class's maximum is about 65), according to Liz Belyea, dean of physical education.

Another hindrance for some people, particularly retirees, is that they might be intimidated by the younger college students.

Even in a class designed for younger students, such as hip-hop aerobics at American River College, instructor Carrie Pereira says: "I get a wide age range of people. They learn principles of cardiovascular and the moves."

And Ron Hubbartt, who teaches tai chi and other fitness courses at American River College, says his students are primarily college age but that all the groups work together well.

"We do get a sizable number of older adults," he says.

Participants do more than just the physical activity. Students learn principles of nutrition and stress management, as it may pertain to their activity or fitness level in general.

As Hubbartt says, they learn the "why" as well as the "how" of tai chi during lectures that accompany the actual participation.

"It's important to learn the concepts of an activity," he says. "Our goal is to educate people so that if, at a party, someone asks them what tai chi is, they can answer it intelligently."

Snuggs says all of ARC's fitness and activity instructors have at least master's degrees in physical education. "That's another way we try to separate ourselves from a health club," she says.

Cosumnes' Belyea says her college makes a point of reaching out to the community when deciding curriculum.

"We do a survey once a year, plus poll our instructors and take a look at what's popular in the fitness industry," Belyea says. "So, we've recently added a snowboarding class (in the early spring), boot camp fitness, and a fitness ball class."

Such offerings are meant to keep community members coming back for more. At the same time, though, Snuggs says, "we really want to give you the tools to continue to work out in the activity outside the school situation."

Newstex ID: KRTB-0178-26467256