HELENA — Gyms and exercise spaces are evolving. These days it's not just weightlifting and treadmills; group fitness classes are more popular than ever.
We all remember aerobics, Tae bo, and p90x — and the people that raved about them — but a new trend is taking over that is being enjoyed across many demographics.
Whitney Taylor of Crossroads Gym in Helena says, "The biggest trend right now is line dancing. We've seen huge popularity. It's the first program in a long time that has appealed to all ages - from you know high schoolers up to seniors. Taylor is having a lot of fun too and attributes the wide adoption to the music.
"It's phenomenal. It's not just country music like a lot of people think it is. It's turned to hiphop, rock, all genres of music and i think that's what's appealing to a lot of people."
Capital Health Club's Paul Wichman agrees that non-traditional programs are a big draw.
"It actually brings in a variety of people into the gym," says Wichman, a trainer at Capital. "It's less intimidating because it's usually a coach guiding you through those workouts. So it's a great way to start working out and build a community within the workout space."
This has been seen around the state. VRTX gym in Missoula says line dancing is hit. VRTX even has outdoor and rooftop classes available during the warmer months.
Crossroads' veteran group fitness instructor Rhonda Schlosser says fun keeps them coming back.
"I've been doing this since the 80's — I've seen everything come in and everything go out — and what I do know is people stick with what they love to do," says Schlosser.
