The annual holiday blizzard has hit, complete with last-minute shopping trips, baking extravaganzas, parties, parties, and more parties. How about giving yourself the gift of stress relief and letting your workouts at Midtown be the calm in your storm? Here are all the details you need to know about the remaining holiday events at the club.

An Opportunity to Give Back

Help someone stay warm this season by decorating our Holiday Mitten Tree. This month, Midtown is collecting donations of new mittens/gloves, hats, and scarves for West Suburban PADS to distribute to those in need in our community. Both children’s and adults’ sizes are needed, so let’s make it as full and colorful as possible! Thank you in advance for your support of this great cause.

Club Hours

Saturday, December 31: Holiday Hours 7:00AM – 1:00PM, Kidtown 8:00AM – 12:00PM

Sunday, January 1: Holiday Hours 7:00AM – 1:00PM, Kidtown 8:00AM – 12:00PM

Class Schedule

Saturday, December 31:

• 8:30 – 9:15AM Cycle with Kelly
• 8:30 – 9:30AM Group Step with Frank
• 9:30 – 10:30AM Group Power with Vicky
• 9:30 – 10:30AM Ballet Fit with Vanessa
• 10:30 – 11:30AM Zumba with Vanessa

Sunday, January 1:

• 9:30 – 10:30AM Group Active with Frank
• 10:30 – 11:30AM Group Kick with Frank
• 10:30AM – 12:00PM New Years Yoga and Meditation with Teresa

And in case you didn’t have a chance to join us on Christmas Eve, here is a quick recap of some of our special holiday classes:

• The morning began with a special sneak-peek of Group Core, a high-energy class designed to trim and tone every muscle between your hips and shoulders.  The class will become part of our regularly scheduled programming in January, so stay tuned.
• Several members also rushed to our annual Jingle Jam cycle class, featuring all of the classic holiday hits.  If you think Santa’s reindeer worked hard on Christmas Eve, they had nothing on our dedicated cyclers!

Wishing all Midtown members and friends a joyous holiday season, and a happy and healthy 2012. How are you going to make this your best year yet?

Although Thanksgiving menus have changed over the years, turkey and pumpkin have been standard fare since the first feast at Plymouth Colony. As much as we enjoy these tasty items and their accompaniments, we fret over the amount of calories consumed during these last weeks of the calendar year.

Worry no more!  Midtown has developed a plan to help you stay fit and trim; all you have to do is be willing to move.  Here are all the details you need to know about the upcoming holiday schedule at the club.

Club Hours

Wednesday, November 23: Regular Hours 5:30AM – 10:30PM, Kidtown 8:00AM – 1:00PM and 3:30PM – 8:30PM

Thursday, November 24: Holiday Hours 7:00AM – 1:00PM, Kidtown 8:00AM – 12:00PM

Friday, November 25: Regular Hours 5:30AM – 9:30PM, Kidtown 8:00AM – 1:00PM and 4:00PM – 7:00PM

Class Schedule

Wednesday, November 23:

• Regularly scheduled classes in the AM
• 5:30PM Cycle Interval with Kelly
• 6:30PM Group Power with Frank OR
• 6:30PM Yogalates with Tracey

Thursday, November 24:

• 8:30AM Zumba with Summer
• 8:30AM Cycle with Kelly
• 9:30AM Group Power with Robin
• 10:30AM Step with Vanessa OR
• 10:30AM Qi Gong for Healthy Digestion with Beatrice
• 11:30AM BalletFit with Vanessa

 Friday, November 25:

• 9:30AM Cross Train with Kelly
• 9:30AM Yoga with Leslie

How do you decide which class(es) to take?  It depends on what you need.  If the start of the holiday season has already sent your stress level skyrocketing, a Yoga or Qi Gong class may be your best bet.  On the other hand, if you are feeling energized and ready to sweat out the incoming calories, Cycle, Zumba, Group Power, or Cross Train might be right up your alley.  Try out BalletFit for the best of both worlds!

For the newbies, here are a few more details on a couple of our special classes. 

• Qi Gong features simple, yet powerful movements and breathing exercises to help you strengthen your body and restore vitality. 
• BalletFit includes a unique combination of ballet, strength exercises, flexibility exercises, and Pilates, and will help you reduce stress, improve balance, and strengthen your core. Ballet training is not required. 

Kidtown Festivities

Wednesday, November 23, and Thursday, November 24: Sign up your kids for Turkey Day fun in Kidtown where they’ll make their own Thanksgiving placemat or pinecone turkey.  They’ll also enjoy some classic holiday favorites like “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” and “Garfield’s Thanksgiving Special.”  Reservations required.

How do you plan to get active this Thanksgiving?  Family Turkey Bowl Football anyone?