Fitness

The Y strives to improve our community’s health by providing programs and activities that promote overall well-being, no matter where you are on your journey toward better health. And when people feel their best and have fulfilling lifestyles, their communities become stronger, too.

Group Fitness

Our YMCA group fitness classes are designed to motivate and help people of all ages and fitness levels achieve their wellness goals. With over 25 different fitness classes, there is a class for everyone! Check out the Group Fitness Schedule and try one of our classes today!

A quick glimpse of the group fitness classes offered at each branch.

Upcoming Holiday Fitness Classes and Challenges

Turkey Burn

Earn the right to eat that extra piece of pie! Join us Friday 11/29 from 9-11 AM for our annual Turkey Burn! Enjoy multiple class styles that will help to burn off all the extra holiday goodies!

We will be accepting non-perishable donations for Reading Y Housing and Helping Harvest.

Run, Run Rudolph

Jingle your way into fitness this holiday season! Complete challenges. Win prizes.

Compete on teams for amazing prizes by attending fitness classes or completing the fitness challenge of the week. We will kick off with the Turkey Burn, on November 29th and we’ll be sweating it out until January 3rd. Click here to register.

Daily Challenges Points- Point cards will be kept at the Welcome Center Desk.

Check-in 1 pt
Attend group fitness class 1 pt (max 2)
Daily challenge/ Weekly special class 2 pts
Wear event t-shirt to gym 1 pt
FB post tagging YMCA (up to 2x/ week) 2 pts (max 4 pts/ week)

Extra points:

Attend Turkey Burn 1 pt
Bring 4 non-perishables to Turkey Burn 2 pts (additional points not awarded for extra donations, but they are appreciated). All donations will go to Reading Y Housing and Helping Harvest.

Tips

How to set up your plank: Start on knees, put hands under shoulders, squeeze your abs and tuck your tailbone to protect lower back.

How to set up your hover plank: Start on your stomach, elbows under shoulders & bring fists together. Squeeze abs and bring hips to shoulder height.

Find your max heart rate: Age x 0.7 subtracted from 208. Target heart rate is between 65-85% of max heart rate (Multiply max HR x 0.65 & 0.85 for range).

Example:

To find max HR: 41(age) x0.7=28.7, 208-28.7= 179.3 (MAX HR)
To find target HR range: 179.3 (MAX) x 0.65, 179.3 x0.85
Target HR range: 116.5 – 152.4 BPM

Daily Challenges

Monday Treadmill Challenge:Incline/speed/minutes: Start with 6/1.5/45, work up to 12/3/30

Tuesday Plank/Hover ChallengePlank or Hover Plank, knees or toes

- Hold 30 sec.
- Hold right 30 sec.
- Hold left 30 sec.

Wednesday Cardio Challenge: Using any piece of cardio equipment with the silver heart rate handles to reach your target heart rate range, try to stay in that target range for 15-30 min.

Thursdays Strength Challenge: Go through an entire round of strength exercises using the pinned or plated equipment. If you’re unfamiliar with equipment, ask about a fitness orientation.

Fridays Get Balanced for the Weekend: Go through a series of “Poses” 3x each

- Angel Pose- arms to the sky palms facing up and lifting the heels as high as you can for as long as you can.
- Tree Pose- Weight in one leg, other leg knee turns out and foot can rest on floor or on your calf, arms free of tension wherever you feel comfortable (switch legs).
- Chair Pose- Weight in heels hips back chest lifted, tuck the tailbone (build strength and stability) lift your heels to increase difficulty.

Exercise & Stream on Our New Equipment

All five of our Ys have new top-of-the-line Precor fitness equipment for the ultimate cardio and strength-training experience. Connect your devices to the cardio consoles to track your progress, set new goals, and stay motivated with your movies or music. If you want help getting acclimated, ask us about our free fitness and nutrition orientations.

Have you scheduled your FREE Fitness and Nutrition Orientations yet?

Onsite Massage Therapy

Don’t let muscle soreness slow you down! We’ve partnered with expert massage therapists from New Beginnings, who have a location upstairs in the Sinking Spring YMCA. Help your mind and body recover faster, feel better, and get back to crushing your fitness goals!

Y Wellness 24/7

Work out anywhere, anytime! Y Wellness 24/7 gives you the opportunity to stay fit and connect with others on your schedule. Join virtually for on-demand group exercise, sports, and play programs. Plus you will find wellness resources for stress relief, better sleep, healthy nutrition, and so much more.