We all know what happens this time of year. As many of us come down from our candy cane highs, we start making promises to ourselves to get back to the gym, finally try yoga or indoor cycling, or start lifting heavy things so our muscles know we still love and care about them. Sometimes we follow through. Sometimes those new year’s resolutions become new year’s suggestions, which we quickly tuck into the junk drawer and forget about.
This year, the YMCA of Southern Maine is hoping to make it supremely easy for us to not ignore those good intentions. The Try the Y campaign, which runs from Jan 2-5, 2019 at all four branches (Portland, Biddeford, Freeport, and New Gloucester), invites you to check out the YMCA for FREE. No cost, no need to commit to anything. It’s just about you, sweating it out in a group fitness class or in the sauna or doing some laps in the pool. Or whatever suits your fancy.
It’s a sweet opportunity to experience the Y first-hand and learn more about what the Y offers. (For example, did you know that the YMCA of Southern Maine offers while-you’re-here child watch AND financial assistance? That means parents can come in and take classes or use the gym or pool and know their kids are right nearby having a grand time, too. No extra cost or babysitter juggling. And the financial assistance allows members to pay on a sliding scale they can afford.)
The Y offers lots of group fitness classes among the four branches. No joke, there are 36 yoga classes, 25 cycling classes, 49 water-based classes, 13 Pilates/barre/NIA classes and 25 Zumba classes each week when you add them all up. And nearly all of those are included in membership, should you choose to sign up.
During Try the Y, you can try a Step & Sculpt or Pilates class at the Casco Bay branch, Power Flow Yoga or Aquacise in Portland, Circuit Bootcamp or drop-in Pickleball at Pineland, Y-Cycle or Kettlebell Conditioning at the Northern York County branch, just to name a few. (Check out the group fitness schedules for all four branches.)
The Portland branch as multilingual group exercise classes, too (French/English and Portuguese/English), including Hip Hop Dance on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m., Circuit Training on Saturdays at 9 a.m., and Cardio Kickboxing on Saturdays at 11 a.m.
Each branch also has an indoor pool, where you can do laps during the open swims. And the higher-temp soaking pools (which aren’t quite as warm as a therapy pool, but still really cozy) and saunas will feel great on a cold January day.
There’s even a bowling alley the Pineland Branch, outdoor trails at the Casco Bay branch, and squash courts at the Portland branch. So much stuff.
Each branch also has a weight room and cardio machines, so you can lift some weights and/or run it out on the treadmill. If you’re new to weights and not sure what to do or where to start, members also have access to personal trainers who’ll introduce you the equipment and help craft a program for you to follow.
The Y has been a family-friendly place for fitness and recreation for eons. Maybe you even learned to swim there. (Side note, the Y also has adult swim lessons, if you didn’t learn to swim as a kid but are interested in learning as a grownup. And hey, maybe even participating in a future Peaks to Portland!)
If you’re in the market for some fitness – be in group classes, swimming, or games like pickleball, short court tennis and cornhole, then give the YMCA of Southern Maine a try.
Try the Y for Free
January 2-5, 2019 at all four locations:
Northern York County, 3 Pomerleau St., Biddeford
Greater Portland – 217 High St., Portland
Casco Bay – 14 Old South Freeport Rd., Freeport
Pineland – 25 Campus Dr., Ste. 100, New Gloucester
Includes access to pools, wellness center, classes, family recreation, bowling alley (Pineland branch), Squash courts (Portland branch), and more.
