KALAMAZOO, MI- Individuals looking to check out Kalamazoo’s local fitness scene without the price tag of drop-in classes will have the chance with Workout Wednesdays in Bronson Park from June 1 to Aug. 31.
Workout Wednesdays are free weekly workouts from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. led by local fitness instructors. This year the event is sponsored by Gazelle Sports.
“There are different ways to improve your health, and why not get out there when it’s free, my goodness,” Gazelle Sports Store Manager Joe Trupp said. “Take part in something that is not offered in every town out there.”
Trupp first learned of Workout Wednesdays when he saw people gathering in Bronson Park on his walks home from work last year. This led him to create an initiative with the assistant store manager to see what ways they could get involved.
“I had no idea why they were happening, who was even doing it,” Trupp said.
He said he wondered why something that was so active and had so much to do with movement had eluded him. After he looked into it, Trupp said he wanted to know why they weren’t part of it.
Nine total organizations will be featured in the Workout Wednesday series, the first being Rose Wellbeing, a company focused on assisting corporate and community well-being. Mia Leibold, founder and owner of Rose Wellbeing, has been participating in Workout Wednesdays for the past two years.
“Workout Wednesdays are impactful because of the community aspect,” Leibold said. “It’s very rare that you have the opportunity to come together and do free movement.
Her class will focus on fusion which combines cardio, strength and stretching. A variety of classes will be featured including yoga and dance fitness.
Kalaazoo Baree, a subset of Kalamazzo Backyard Yogis, will be hosting on June 8. Traditionally their barre classes are held at Bent9 Hot Yoga & Fitness, located at 825 South Westnedge. Guess whose Dancing, known for their ‘Twerk Werk’ class, will host a dance fitness class the following week on June 15.
Leibold appreciates the diversity different classes bring.
“The music is always fun and the opportunity to try something you’ve never done before,” Leibold said. “If you go every Wednesday, it’s going to be different.”
Intentional Yoga will host two classes on June 22 and Aug. 17. They offer hot yoga, power flow, sculpt, fire & ice and slow flow at their studio located at 6800 South Westnedge. Bronson Athletic Club will host on June 29, the club offers a variety of group classes to members.
“It’s super unique. If you go every week, you’re going to get something out of it and it’s going to be different from the week before,” Leibold said of Workout Wednesdays.
Just Move Fitness will host on July 6. Individuals can access other Just Move Fitness classes in-person at 626 Romence Rd. or virtually through a “choose what you pay” drop-in option. The fitness organization is the only one of those featured to have a free option outside of Workout Wednesdays.
“The price of studio classes can sometimes take away from the reason that all of us should be moving and the reason that all of us should be collaborating with each other to spread wellness around Kalamazoo and promote well-being,” Leibold said.
Fit Bella Vei will be collaborating with Rose Wellbeing on June 1 before a solo class hosted by Fit Bella Vei’s founder Carmen James on July 13.
“I’ll be instructing an entire song through certain movements and then we’ll jump to her, and she’ll instruct and then it’ll be back to me and we might chose a fun artist like Beyonce or Shakira,” Leibold said.
Leibold continued: “She and I have very different clients and people that we serve as a community so it will be a good first class for, she and I to bring our forces together.”
The full schedule of dates and featured fitness organizations can be found on the Downtown Kalamazoo Partnership website.
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