MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- More than 100 Station residents and Japanese locals participated in the 7th annual Goodwill Aerobathon at IronWorks Gym here, Saturday morning.
Participants received an introduction to the course of event in both English and Japanese and began their aerobics warm-up at 9 a.m.
The first aerobics class to get the participants blood pumping was cardio-kickboxing. This activity combined kicks and punches, similar to martial arts, with high-energy music for a fast-paced and low impact workout.
"I like kickboxing," said Kazunori Harada, who has participated in the Goodwill Aerobathon for three years. "I am very glad they have this on the Station."
The Cardio-kickboxing instructor, Sara Perez, said that the event not only helps bridge a relationship with the local Japanese people, it helps everyone understand what types of programs Semper Fit offers on Station.
After a short break, another unique class showed participants a workout with a south of the border twist. Latin-Cardio, a new addition to IronWorks' extensive offering of fitness classes, let participants dance up a sweat to the beats of salsa and meringue.
"I like working out and helping others improve themselves," said Hilda Morales, event volunteer. Morales helped lead the participants in the various movements during Latin-Cardio.
"It's a workout," Latin-Cardio instructor, Jackie Cortes said of her class. "But most of all, it's fun. This is what they can expect from the regular class."
Frequent water breaks kept participants hydrated. The breaks were short, for the purpose of the Aerobathon was to keep one's heart rate up.
Following the Latin-Cardio class, participants were separated randomly into groups, and each group took on a new activity.
Indoor cycling, also referred to as "spinning," was another favorite among Aerobathon participants. Barbara Roman, Aerobathon participant and indoor cycling enthusiast, said spinning was the main event she was interested in.
Others, like Keiko Kugiya who has participated in this event for five years, said that although they're not too familiar with indoor cycling they were definitely going to try.
For spinning, participants mounted a stationary bicycle and pedaled at a fast cadence. The cycling instructor called out for cyclists to turn a center knob and increase the pedaling difficulty. The cyclists assumed different riding positions that isolated particular muscle groups providing an almost full-body workout.
Another group felt the positive effects of another low impact class. Step aerobics had participants step up and down to the beat of music.
Muscle conditioning was another aspect of the Aerobathon held after the group events. Door prizes were also given out throughout the day.
The final event was another class offered by the Semper Fit instructors. Yoga helped participants cool down and relax after more than three hours of heart rate pushing aerobic events. Each participant was also given a gift bag provided by sponsors.
For more information on the aerobics classes offered at the IronWorks Gym, contact the Semper Fit Division at 253-6578.