Exercise classes explained
Your guide to what classes are offered by the borough's leisure centres.
In a recent survey of local residents, one of the reasons given for not exercising more at Bexley's leisure centres, was that people didn't always understand what the classes on offer actually were.
As a result, Parkwood Leisure now have customer notice boards in each of the centres explaining each of the sessions, as well as new publicity in each of the centres.
In addition, below you will find brief outlines of all of the fitness classes currently offered by Parkwood Leisure to help you make a more informed exercise choice.
If there are any activities that are not listed below but that you think should be, please feel free to let us know.
Available classes
Aerobics and Fatburners | High and low impact* exercise to improve cardiovascular** fitness, tone muscle and burn fat |
| Aquafit | Exercise to music class based in water. A safe and non-impact way to tone muscle |
| Aquanatal | Non-impact exercise class in water for expectant mums |
| Body Combat | Non-contact aerobic class based around martial arts movements |
| Body Pump | Complete workout using barbells and weights designed to give you a superb toned body |
| Body Shaping / Body Conditioning | Simple low impact mat based routines using hand weights to sculpt your body and improve muscle definition |
| Boxercise | A challenging whole body cardiovascular and toning class using gloves and pads |
| Bums and Tums | Low impact class geared towards working areas from the waist and below |
| Cardiac Rehab | This class is for those on the Steps to Health*** scheme |
| Chill and Tone | A 45 minute floor based class for toning and strengthening the body, improving flexibility and promoting well being |
| Circuit Training | Challenging strength and endurance class promoting all round fitness |
| Deep Aqua | A non-impact water based aerobics class using flotation belts. Designed for swimmers only |
| Fab Abs | A 45 minute class geared towards flattening and strengthening the stomach |
| Keep fit in Retirement and Nifty 50's | Low impact and stretching classes designed to be motivating for seniors |
| Line Dancing | Dance with a repeated sequence of steps where a group of people dance in lines or rows, described as a great social event for all age groups |
| Pilates | Improves body alignment by strengthening core muscles and lengthening tight muscles |
| Pre/Post natal | Exercises to suit all mothers and mothers to be, focusing on relaxation and abdominal work |
| Purely Floor | A 45 minute floor based low impact class geared towards strengthening and toning those problem areas |
| Running Club | Get some fresh air and renewed energy whilst running outside, led by a fitness instructor |
| Salsa | Latin dance class for all ages and all abilities |
| Spinfit | Benefits of outdoor cycling with indoor comforts an effective way to get fit, fast |
| Step Aerobics | Cardiovascular and lower body workout using a low platform (i.e. a step) |
| Step and Tone | Integrating step moves with muscle toning - an intense but easy to follow workout using weights to help define and sculpt the body |
| Tight and Tone | Simple low impact aerobic routines using hand weights to sculpt your body and improve muscle definition |
| Tri-Class | A three for the price of one class that sees resistance, cardiovascular and step routines all included in one workout |
| Walking Club | An opportunity to use the David Ives Athletic Stadium with a fitness instructor to walk safely and meet fitness goals of all levels |
| Yoga | Enhance your mind and body with this combination of strength, flexibility and balance |
| Zumba | Latin based dance class |
Explaining the jargon
*Low impact describes exercise or activities that involve minimal striking of a body part (usually the feet) against a hard surface.
**Cardiovascular exercise aims to get the heart rate up and keep it up for a sustained period. This type of exercise uses your large muscles and can be continued for long periods (eg walking, jogging, swimming, and cycling). Cardiovascular exercise drives your body to use oxygen more efficiently and deliver maximum benefits to your heart, lungs, and circulatory system.
***Steps to Health is a scheme whereby patients are referred by their doctor for a personal, tailored exercise programme - essentially exercise on prescription. Referrals can be for physical, mental or social well-being. The scheme provides a safe, supervised and enjoyable introduction to physical activity within a controlled environment to give individuals who are not regularly active or who may have health problems, the opportunity to improve their health and well-being, regardless of age, ability or experience.
