BREAK UP YOUR USUAL WORKOUTS WITH JAZZERCISE, SWIMMING OR YOGA By Melissa Rubalcaba Riske Photo provided by Denise Espinosa
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hile working and juggling her role as the mother of small children, Michelle Berls found herself in a fitness rut. That’s when a friend invited her to join her at a Jazzercise class. “I always enjoyed aerobics but when I went to one class I was hooked,” Berls says. Jazzercise is a full-body workout set to the latest top 40 tunes. Berls started classes in 1994 in St. Charles and would go from participant to instructor to franchise owner, launching Jazzercise Geneva at Strikers Fox Valley. Most days her attendees join her for an after-work session, dancing off the day’s frustrations and celebrating achievements in the different Jazzercise formats that offer varying combinations of cardio and strength straining. Each routine can be modified to incorporate high or low intensity. Berls says her classes include participants in their 20s through their 70s. Last year she began livestreaming classes and was surprised to see it was a popular option. She says she’ll continue to use it even as participants return to in-person classes. “A member of our class recently joined
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