The University is offering two exercise courses to students, staff and faculty as part of Nicholls FIT 2010. Yoga is offered on Wednesdays from 2:15 to 3:15 p.m. in the Bayou Suite of the Student Union. En Mao, assistant professor of business, will teach the classes. No registration or sign-up is required, and participants do not have to bring any equipment for the class.

“In the past few semesters when we did the yoga class, I had on average 10 to 12 students and faculty,” Mao said. “This semester was definitely a huge turnout, with 27 people the first class and 36 the second.”

Yoga is a full body workout, Mao said. It requires a great deal of strength to get through the class.

“The key is to invest in your health. There was a recent study that showed the benefit of exercise. It said something like for every hour you invest in exercising, you actually extend your life by two hours,” Mao said. “As far as I am concerned, that’s the number one thing that people tell me, is that they cannot find time.” Technically they do have the time, Mao said.

Jennifer Bourgeois, freshman from Raceland, said that after yoga she was relaxed and was able to catch up on her schoolwork. The class was fun, Jennifer said, and she recommends other students give it a try.

Jessalyn Bourgeois, freshman from Raceland, said the class was a very laid back environment, and the instructor was very helpful. She said the class incorporated a variety of yoga positions and various breathing techniques.

“The yoga class also incorporated things that we could do at our houses and not just with the instructor,” Jessalyn said.

“I was really sore the morning after the class, so I know the hour that I spent doing it really does work,” Jennifer said. She said going with your friends makes it a fun and relaxing workout.

Jessalyn said the class was not made up of just girls. “There were about three to four guys at the yoga classes, and there was even an athlete there,” Jessalyn said.

“My favorite moment during the yoga class was the relaxing positions, because yoga was more intense than I thought it was going to be,” Jessalyn said.

SalsAerobics are also taught every Wednesday from 4:15 to 5:15 p.m. in the Dance Studio of Shaver Gymnasium. Bianca San Martin teaches the SalsAerobics class, which is a mix of salsa dancing and fitness aerobics.

“I would definitely go back, and I am looking forward to going next week,” Chrystal Lachney, freshman from St. Francisville, said. “SalsAerobics has taught me a different style of dancing, and I really enjoyed it.”

Lachney said yoga was more of a workout, but SalsAerobics was more fun.

Summer Davis, freshman from Houma, said she enjoyed both the yoga and SalsAerobics classes. “I found that I really enjoyed the yoga class because it was relaxing, and I was getting a workout at the same time,” Davis said.

Lachney recommends other students try out at least one of the classes, because it is a great way to get a workout while having a fun and relaxing time.