Occidental offers a variety of physical activity courses, open to students of all years and experience levels. The classes offered are are yoga, karate, Zumba and spin. In addition to keeping students active, these courses provide a break from the rigors of academic life, said spin instructor Delaney Nolin.
Nolin said that with her spin classes she strives to create an inclusive environment where students can have fun working out without feeling judged.
“I just want people to be made more comfortable with a different form of movement and to reach some kind of fitness goal, even if that goal is just to be more active in general,” Nolin said.
According to Nolin, many of her students are beginners to spin, and while some are taking the class in pursuit of a consistent exercise routine, others are just seeking to meet people and have enjoyable workouts.
“Any type of movement is good,” Nolin said. “If this is your first time doing [spin] it can be a little intimidating, so I just try to make it do to your level.”
Nolin said an important element of her class is music. According to Nolin, she creates playlists for her classes where different songs have different meanings relating to the exercise.
“We’ll basically run through the playlist with alternating workout and recovery songs, and then we’ll do a short cooldown at the end,” Nolin said. “I hope it’s a fun and enjoyable space away from all the work.”
Nolin said that spin is a high energy class, but different physical activity courses attract different groups of students.
Karate is another physical activity course which attracts students of all levels, according to karate instructor Victor Chico.
“A lot of the students are first timers with no experience and they talk to me about how they really enjoy [karate] and how it really makes them aware of self-defense and exercise,” Chico said.
Chico said he has been involved with karate for more than 40 years, learning from karate grandmaster Takayuki Kubota*. According to Chico, he uses his vast experience to create an authentic and rigorous learning experience for Occidental students.
“I don’t hold back,” Chico said. “I teach the way I teach at the headquarters.”
Chico said that the karate classes he teaches always begin with the basics and that having a good foundation is very important in karate.
“There’s art and technique to it, you don’t just punch someone,” Chico said.
According to Chico, Occidental karate courses are taught in both the Gosoku-ryu style, which means “hard and fast,” and the Shotokan style, which is more traditional.
Karate students have a code which they repeat at the beginning and end of class, calling for values like faith, perseverance, and especially respect, which is a big part of the Shotokan tradition, said Chico.
“There’s a lot of values in martial art as far as building character,” Chico said. “Respect is the most important thing.”
According to yoga instructor Maja Zimmermann, her yoga class brings together students from a variety of athletic backgrounds, much like the other courses.
“It’s been really fun to get students together from different body types,” Zimmermann said. “Some are athletes or dancers who can do moves I wouldn’t be able to do, while others had never done yoga before.”
Zimmermann said she emphasizes personal connections with students in her classes. According to Zimmermann, students often come to her for advice about specific positions and with requests for class.
“It’s really like teamwork. I’m here for the students,” Zimmermann said. “I ask every time, what is it that you want to work on?”
According to Zimmermann, yoga can be a particularly rewarding way to balance peace and strength. Zimmermann said she appreciates how open-minded she has found Occidental students to be since adding a mindfulness element to her classes.
According to Zimmermann, yoga students engage in activities such as journaling and breath work during this time.
“[Students] get self-care,” Zimmermann said. “They get in touch with their body, but also their intentions on a deeper level.”
Zimmermann’s students Eliza Kellett (sophomore) and Amelia Flynn (sophomore) said the class is a relaxing space, praising Zimmermann’s combination of the physical elements of yoga with mindfulness practices.
“I think it gives me a good place to be mindful and get in touch with my body, especially when academics are stressful,” Kellett said.
Zimmermann encouraged all students to engage with Occidental’s physical activity curriculum.
“If you do what you always do, you’re going to get what you always got,” Zimmermann said. “When you dare to stretch a little further, a little deeper, hold a little longer, you’ll get something different.”
Contact Eli Heringman at heringman@oxy.edu
*A correction was made on the name of the grandmaster
