Feb. 11, 2015

By Alena Purpero

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]t’s that time of year again. The time when the holiday aisles in drug stores are decked out in an array of stuffed animals, boxes of chocolate and roses that look like a big pink and red blur as you walk in. The time that splits people up into two different categories and causes almost as much controversy than the month of November before an election. You’ve guessed it: Valentine’s Day is fast approaching.

While this holiday is a hit or miss for most, I can’t help but love the cutesy pink everything, gushy-ness that Valentine’s Day brings. Whether you are a V-Day super fan frolicking around campus handing out valentines and chocolates to strangers, or if you’re an anti-Valentine’s Day activist, it’s important that we give respect to the true meaning of this day. It is about your heart, isn’t it? So, what’s a better way to get in spirits of the holiday than to treat your heart with some cardio?

A perfect way to make your heart happy this Valentine’s Day week is to partake in the Cupid Hustle hosted by Warhawk Fitness and Aquatics. I hope that many of you have already been working on your Cupid Hustle challenge. But for those of you who haven’t, here’s what it’s all about:

The Cupid Hustle is a two-week challenge to complete two cardio classes, four core complete classes, two cycling classes, one fusion class, one yoga or PiYo class and one strength class. Not only will all Cupid Hustle finishers be entered in a raffle for Warhawk Fitness giveaways, but there’s much more to gain from the challenge. It’s not only a great way for students to get active and have a fun time doing it but it’s also something the Warhawk Fitness family loves being a part of.

“We wanted to replicate a special event like ‘Wobble before you Gobble’ that we did in the fall, in the spring,” said Jen Kaina, assistant director for Fitness and Aquatics. “Cupid Hustle sounded like a really fun name. It ends right before Valentine’s Day and it’s also American Heart Month for the wellness calendar. So it kind of ties a bunch of different things in, on top of having people experience new classes and getting their feet wet in classes that they wouldn’t have tried on a regular basis.”

Whether you are partaking in group fitness classes in general, or have been attending them for the Cupid Hustle, there’s a lot you can take away from it. Not only are you being motivated by the instructor, but you’re taking on the role of motivating others. Group fitness classes are a great thing to do with friends because you take on the same challenges while being pushed to your limit.

“I am really excited about the Cupid Hustle because I’m looking forward to seeing a lot of different faces that I usually don’t see in class,” said junior Kenzi Weidman, group fitness instructor. “There is an incentive to come to classes for this event, so I’m really excited to get to know the new patrons and also see the class sizes increase.”

If you are taking the challenge this week then congrats to you Cupid Hustlers out there! For those of you who missed out, you can redeem your experience by starting your own personal challenge and setting goals to attend as many different group fitness classes as you can per week.

So, this Valentine’s Day week try out some classes! After all, nothing will get you weak in the knees or heart beating like a group fitness class.