Exercising with Friends

By David Beers

There is something special happening at the Norfolk Congregational Church’s Battell Chapel almost every day of every week. That something is wellness classes that are open to everyone in our community. You could (and should) go to a gym to get exercise, but you could also enjoy these inexpensive group fitness classes a short drive or walk from your home—and get to know some of your neighbors as well.

The fund-raising committee at the church started the wellness classes about six years ago. A small part of the proceeds of some classes goes toward supporting the church and its facilities. Jan Graham-Jones has been organizing the classes since their inception and loves to see how much enjoyment both the participants and the instructors get out of their weekly congregation in Battell Chapel.

I’ve been going religiously to my own body fitness class every week for the past five years. Going to exercise classes is addicting in a good way, and I bend over backward to not miss a week. I have become friends with all the folks in my class, and I find it is a social touchstone for me. This positive experience led to me to check out other fitness opportunities available in Norfolk.

Mondays from 3:30 to 5 p.m. is tai chi with Chris Kiely ($25 per class; $5 discount if paid in advance). This Chinese martial art is a complementary dance of contrary forces, called yin and yang. For every contraction you make with your body, there is an opposing, yet complementary expansion; together they create a balance in all the movements. Tai chi is often described as meditation in motion, and it provides increased muscle strength, flexibility and balance. I found it particularly good for my balance and posture. It had me asking myself days after the class, is my posture correct so that my center of gravity is balanced? In fact, I just adjusted by posture while writing this!

While the content of the class changes a bit from week to week, each week starts with a brief warm-up, then progresses through a series of about 100 movements. Slow movements are emphasized. Slow purposeful movements keep your mind relaxed and in tune with your body. They also help your core (torso) become stronger. The class can be done at your own pace and ability, so that all are welcome to attend whatever their level of fitness or experience. Kiely teaches additional tai chi classes in Sharon and Kent and has an acupuncture practice in Kent.

Yoga class at Battell Chapel.

Mondays from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. is yoga with Heather Coon ($15 per class; $5 discount if paid in advance). This Indian discipline promotes the well-being of both mind and body. It can be as much a spiritual practice as a physical practice. It is a series of physical postures combined with breath control that aim to relax your mind and flex your body. While it is very similar to tai chi regarding its aspirations and ambience, it places more emphasis on postures and stretches rather than the continuous slow movement of tai chi. I felt like a very relaxed Gumby after the class. I was all stretched out and chilled out.

While the content of this class too changes from week to week, each class progresses through nature’s seasons. You start with a slow warm-up (spring) by listening to meditative music while lying on your back and centering on your breath. Next is the heat of summer where you flex your body into various postures that slowly transition into fall, a cooldown of less-taxing postures and movement. The class ends with a winter of breathing concentration and relaxation. For many years, Coon ran a yoga studio in Sheffield and is now a student of massage therapy. I find it telling that of the many yoga classes she used to teach, the only one she decided to keep after becoming a student was this one.

In addition to the Monday evening yoga class, on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 8:45 to 9:45 are the yoga for seniors classes taught by Wendy Larson. These classes are sponsored by the town and are free. The definition of a senior is a loose one, and really anyone is welcome to join. It is a good basic yoga class that starts with stretches and then works on standing poses and balancing poses. The atmosphere is open and friendly.

Holly Torrant summed it up nicely in saying, “These classes provide an awesome space to exercise with friends, meet new people and work on your health.”

Please stay tuned for the next issue of Norfolk Now, when the more-vigorous fitness classes are highlighted. A schedule of all the classes is available at NorfolkCTucc.org.

This is the first in a two-part series about exercise classes in Norfolk.

Photographs by Bruce Frisch. Top: Tai chi instructor Chris Kiely leads his class through a series of slow, deliberate movements that increase strength, flexibility and balance.