One of the perks of being a Pace student is having free access to its gym equipment and facilities. However, a lot of students are not aware of all the services that the Goldstein Fitness Center offers.

In addition to their traditional weight training and cardio equipment, Pace’s gym also hosts weekly classes in its aerobics room. While some are done for credit, there are free classes available to anyone available.

The free classes offered are: Zumba on Tuesdays from 5:10 p.m.-6:10 p.m., Yoga on Wednesdays from 5:15 p.m.-6:15 p.m., Kickbox Aerobics from 5 p.m.-6 p.m. and Step Aerobics from 6 p.m.-7 p.m. on Thursdays, and Fit Nation on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 8:15 a.m.-9 a.m.

“These classes are part of our facilities, and students should know that they are more than welcome to participate,” Jeremy “JR” Pouncey, Pace’s assistant athletic director said. “You can walk in at any time. It’s not one of those things where you can only start at the beginning or you’ll fall behind. These classes offer another avenue to pursue health and wellness, they can help students escape the pressures and stresses of school, and they’re a great way to meet new people.”

“We’re lucky that here at Pace we have such easy access to these types of facilities, whereas most colleges campuses charge extra for a gym membership,” Lauri Nemetz, an associate professor here at Pace who teaches both for-credit and noncredit courses, including myofascial anatomy and yoga said. “People of all skill levels are welcome to join these classes. They’re open to Pace students, grad students, faculty, and staff. It’s always a pleasure to have a mix of people coming in. It’s a nice community, a nice way to connect and enjoy Pace life. I’ve had students who took a for-credit yoga class and liked it so much that they joined the noncredit class the next semester.”

However, despite the benefits that these classes offer, they are not well known amongst students. Nemetz recounted a story in which a senior joined her noncredit class and said that, even though they’d been at Pace for the past four years, they weren’t aware that that class existed up until that point.

For more information about these classes and other services that Pace athletics offers, such as access to cardio and weight equipment, the indoor track, the pool, and the basketball court, visit paceuathletics.com