Request this workshop, and you and your colleagues will be invited to try out 4 different forms of meditation, led by Wellness staff. Don’t consider yourself a meditator but intrigued by some of the health benefits associated with meditation such as improved sleep quality, decreased blood pressure, improved ability to manage cravings and eating behaviors? Give this workshop a try. 

Have you been stuck thinking about becoming more physically active, but haven’t taken action yet? Are you waiting for inspiration? Wait no longer. Request this workshop and get motivated to move!

Cornell employees have a wide variety of jobs that require different levels of physical activity and ergonomics. For this workshop, Wellness staff will design a stretching and mobility session that addresses the specific needs of employees in your department. This is an active session where participants will learn and practice movements. By the end of the session, employees will receive a list of movements that they can continue to do together as a group or on their own.  

In US society today, there is a lot of pressure to be perfect: to have the perfect body, to do the perfect workouts, to eat the perfect diet. Join Wellness staff to debunk fitness myths and reflect on our connections to physical activity. During this workshop, participants will have multiple ways to explore the meaning of movement and exercise in their lives, including guided self-reflection and group discussions. 

• Mondays, 12:00-1:00pm, June 10-July 29
• Zoom
• It's recommended you provide your own foam roller (preferably OPTP soft roller) and 1, 2, or 3 lb. hand weights
• Register here

This class honors the practice of Pilates & the body, building strength in the core and beyond. Pilates is beneficial for everyday activities and sport enthusiasts. This class provides an entire body work out, with an engaged mind, for very special results. Benefits of Pilates include attaining increased body awareness, flexibility, strength, grace, and ease of motion. You will be guided through how to recruit the appropriate muscle groups to support each movement and activity, advancing your peak strength and stamina. Contact Tina Hunt with any questions. The class Zoom link will be sent out the day before the class begins. If you have registered after the class begins, the class link will be sent out on the Friday after you registered. Registered participants must have an active Wellness Recreation Membership.

• Mondays and Fridays, 7:00-8:00am, June 10-August 2
• Zoom
• Register here

Join this class for the perfect start to your day, connecting breath and movement in a mindful way as you move through a sequence of asanas designed to help you let go of tension and find balance, setting you up for a productive day. This class is appropriate for all bodies and abilities. You do not need to attend every class in order to register, come when you can. Contact Tina Hunt with any questions. The class Zoom link will be sent out the day before the class begins. If you have registered after the class begins, the class link will be sent out on the Friday after you registered. Registered participants must have an active Wellness Recreation Membership.

• Mondays, 8:00-8:50am, June 10-July 29
• Zoom
• Register here 

This strength training class is a great complement to your movement routine. Class utilizes dumbbells and bodyweight, increasing the strength of your heart and body through various movements that will get your heart rate up and muscles working. This full-body workout targets the major muscle groups of both the upper and lower body. Options are provided for each movement so that participants can choose what best suits their bodies at all times. Contact Tina Hunt with any questions. The class Zoom link will be sent out the day before the class begins. If you have registered after the class begins, the class link will be sent out on the Friday after you registered. Registered participants must have an active Wellness Recreation Membership.

• Tuesdays, 8:00-8:50am, June 11-July 30, Location: Helen Newman Hall Dance studio
• In Person
• Register here

Barre is a high-energy, low-impact, full-body workout. You will target specific muscles using isolated exercises to sculpt your arms, legs, and glutes while focusing on core and alignment. This class is inspired by ballet and set to music but is not considered a dance class. This class is an open-level format to help you build strength, improve posture and flexibility, while creating long lean muscles. Contact Tina Hunt with any questions. Registered participants must have an active Wellness Recreation Membership.

• Tuesdays, 9:00-9:50am, June 11-July 30, Location: Helen Newman Hall Dance Studio
• In Person
• Register here

Ballet boxing is a moderate to higher intensity, full cardio workout combining the strength and agility of boxing with the grace and beauty of ballet. You'll be led through exercises such as punches and kicks along with some ballet movements. There will also be some “bob & weave” exercises, rhythmic jump rope exercises (with an invisible jump rope!), “ballerina” jacks, and more. Classes finish with mat work and stretching. Do you want a cardio workout that also sculpts and tones your arms, abs, and legs in one fell swoop, but you're tired of the average workout routine? Then give Ballet Boxing a shot. This class is fun and innovative, and made for everyone. Contact Tina Hunt with any questions. Registered participants must have an active Wellness Recreation Membership.

• Tuesdays, 10:00-11:30am, June 11-July 30
• Zoom
• Register here

Spontaneous Yoga includes breath work, healthy joint movement, and yoga. This is both an invigorating, yet also stress-relieving, practice. There are many different options provided for all bodies and abilities. Instructor has additional training in trauma- and pain-science informed practices. You do not need to attend every class in order to register, come when you can. Contact Tina Hunt with any questions. The class Zoom link will be sent out the day before the class begins. If you have registered after the class begins, the class link will be sent out on the Friday after you registered. Registered participants must have an active Wellness Recreation Membership.

• Wednesdays, 8:30-9:30am, June 12-July 31, Location: HR Wellbeing Room - 345 Pine Tree Road, East Hill Plaza 
• In Person
• This is a carry-in, carry-out class. Please bring with you your own foam roller (preferably OPTP soft roller) and 1, 2, or 3 lb. hand weights 
• Register here

This class honors the practice of Pilates & the body, building strength in the core and beyond. Pilates is beneficial for everyday activities and sport enthusiasts. This class provides an entire body work out, with an engaged mind, for very special results. Benefits of Pilates include attaining increased body awareness, flexibility, strength, grace, and ease of motion. You will be guided through how to recruit the appropriate muscle groups to support each movement and activity, advancing your peak strength and stamina. Contact Tina Hunt with any questions. Registered participants must have an active Wellness Recreation Membership.

• Wednesdays and Fridays, 8:10-8:50am, June 12-August 2
• Zoom
• Register here

This cardio class is perfect for active older adults who are looking for a modified Zumba® class that recreates the original moves you love at a lower intensity. Also great for anyone at any age looking for a moderate intensity energizing class. The design of the class introduces easy-to-follow Zumba® choreography that focuses on balance, range of motion, and coordination. Come ready to sweat, and prepare to leave empowered and invigorated. Contact Tina Hunt with any questions. The class Zoom link will be sent out the day before the class begins. If you have registered after the class begins, the class link will be sent out on the Friday after you registered. Registered participants must have an active Wellness Recreation Membership.

• Wednesdays, 10:00-10:50am, June 12-July 31
• Zoom
• Register here

Barre is a high-energy, low-impact, full-body workout. You will target specific muscles using isolated exercises to sculpt your arms, legs, and glutes while focusing on core and alignment. This class is inspired by ballet and set to music but is not considered a dance class. This course is an open-level format to help you build strength, and improve posture and flexibility while creating long lean muscles. Contact Tina Hunt with any questions. The class Zoom link will be sent out the day before the class begins. If you have registered after the class begins, the class link will be sent out on the Friday after you registered. Registered participants must have an active Wellness Recreation Membership.

• Wednesdays, 8:00-8:50am, June 12-July 31
• Zoom
• Register here

Something for everyone! Join the fun on Wednesday mornings to get your day started with a virtual spin class featuring intervals, rolling hills, sprints, climbs, and surges sure to motivate and inspire! This is a great workout if you want to build your aerobic base and increase endurance. Come on in for the ride. Contact Tina Hunt with any questions. The class Zoom link will be sent out the day before the class begins. If you have registered after the class begins, the class link will be sent out on the Friday after you registered. Registered participants must have an active Wellness Recreation Membership.

• Thursdays, 8:00-8:50am, June 13-August 1
• Virtual
• Register here

Barre is a high-energy, low-impact, full-body workout. You will target specific muscles using isolated exercises to sculpt your arms, legs, and glutes while focusing on core and alignment. This class is inspired by ballet and set to music but is not considered a dance class. This class is an open-level format to help you build strength and improve posture and flexibility while creating long lean muscles. Contact Tina Hunt with any questions. The class Zoom link will be sent out the day before the class begins. If you have registered after the class begins, the class link will be sent out on the Friday after you registered. Registered participants must have an active Wellness Recreation Membership. 

• Fridays, 9:00-10:00am, June 14-August 2
• Virtual
• Register here

In this class we incorporate the key principles from Joseph Pilates’ now-infamous method: centering, concentration, control, precision, breath, and flow. Following the traditional Pilates mat sequence, you will be challenged to explore where your body is holding and moving each week and seek to relinquish old patterns while waking up underused and overlooked muscles. No matter if you practiced Pilates previously, currently, or not at all, all are welcome. Contact Tina Hunt with any questions. The class Zoom link will be sent out the day before the class begins. If you have registered after the class begins, the class link will be sent out on the Friday after you registered. Registered participants must have an active Wellness Recreation Membership.

• Held Fridays, 9-9:30am, February 16-March 29
• Register here for these Zoom sessions
• Open to the entire Cornell community; no membership required

Join these 30-minute morning guided meditation sessions, facilitated by Kerry Howell, Cornell Wellness staff, live through Zoom. You’ll be invited to sit with your gaze lowered, or eyes closed, in a comfortable space of your choosing while you are led through a meditation designed to enhance your mindfulness by focusing on the breath and bringing calmness to the busy mind. You can attend one or more of these drop-in sessions from anywhere, and you need not attend previous sessions to join later in the series. Contact Kerry Howell with any questions. 

• Held Tuesdays, 12:15-12:45pm, March 5-April 9
• Register here for these Zoom sessions
• Open to the entire Cornell community; no membership required

Back by popular demand! Join this 6-week stretching series, facilitated by C Lucas, Cornell Wellness staff, designed to help you loosen muscles and recharge at the noon-time hour. These 30-minute sessions will run from 12:15-12:45pm to provide you with transition time before and after. Each session will include a combination of active, energizing stretches and soothing, relaxing stretches. You can attend one or more of these drop-in sessions from anywhere, and you need not attend previous sessions to join later in the series. No equipment is necessary, though some of the stretches will be from a chair. Contact C Lucas with any questions.

• Held Mondays, 11:00-11:45am, March 4-April 8 
• Register here for these Zoom sessions
• An active Wellness Recreation Membership is required to register for this class

Are you wanting to try strength training, but you don't have equipment or you’re not sure how to get started? Join this 6-week series if you are looking to increase your knowledge and gain strength training experience with a coach there to help. These 45-minute sessions will include an intro to movements, adapting exercises to the objects you have in your space, and putting exercises together into a full-body workout. If you have equipment such as dumbbells or resistance bands, great. However, no special equipment is needed as you can use objects found in and around your space such as a sturdy backpack or tote bag instead. You can expect to learn safe techniques and get a full-body workout. By the end of the sessions, you’ll have a list of exercises to continue to use on your own. Contact C Lucas with any questions. 

Cornell Wellness’ 2-week health campaign on Blood Pressure Basics runs June 3 through June 14. It’s open to the entire Cornell community, no Wellness membership needed. Learn about, and try out, multiple ways to help maintain or manage your blood pressure. Participate in one or more of the following offerings and be entered to win $50 through the Employee Appreciation portal (redeemable through Amazon, Cornell Store, Cornell Dining, or applied towards the CARE Fund).

• Blood Pressure (BP) challenge – Increase your own awareness of what your blood pressure is by recording your BP readings throughout the two weeks. Use a self-serve machine available at many pharmacies or have your BP taken at one of the tabling events. If you would like a printable BP log emailed to you, for ease of recording your readings, reach out to Cornell Wellness staff Brinda Vijaya Sankar, and she’ll email it to you, or you can download a copy from the Wellness Weekly Update e-newsletter. 
• Tabling events – chat with Wellness staff about blood pressure, get your BP checked if you’d like, and pick up helpful handouts. We’ll have nutrition and fitness experts from Cornell Wellness staffing the table to answer your questions. Additionally, you can sniff and touch multiple cooking herbs, which are great for adding flavor to your favorite dishes instead of shaking on the salt. For sodium sensitive individuals, salt can increase BP.
  • Monday, June 3, 7:30-8:30am, Helen Newman Hall – near the 3rd floor fitness center entrance
  • Monday, June 10, 11:30-12:30pm, Teagle Hall – near the 1st floor fitness center entrance
• Moves To Manage Your BP - Join this 20-minute session filled with gentle movements for you to try that can have a positive impact on your blood pressure. Movements focus on centering, grounding, and relaxation techniques. Workshop provided by Tina Hunt, Wellness and Fitness Specialist.
  • Tuesday, June 4, 11:30-11:50am, Helen Newman Hall 2nd floor dance studio
  • View the recorded version of Moves To Manage Your BP. Email Tina to let her know you watched it
• Walk And Roll – Join this approximately 60-minute on campus group experience. It begins with 5-10 minutes of information sharing on the benefits walking/rolling has on BP, then 30-40 minutes walking/rolling around the paved arts quad path, and ends with 10 minutes of stretches, all led by C. Lucas, Wellness Community Programming Specialist. Don’t have 60 minutes, that’s okay, join for the amount of time that works for you.
  • Thursday, June 13, 11:30am-12:30pm, meet at the AD White Statue by Goldwin Smith Hall, Arts Quad
  • Not on campus? Take an intentional 40 to 60-minute walk at a destination of your choosing, and email C to let them know where you went
• Lower your blood pressure through Meditation – Plug in, listen, and feel tension start to ease. Practicing meditation as self-care for both your mind & body can have a big impact on reducing blood pressure through decreasing low levels of stress you may be experiencing and improving how quickly you can wind down towards sleep. Try out these meditations by Kerry Howell, Cornell Wellness Director and email her to let her know which one you tried.
  • Cornell Wellness: Relax With Wellness (18 minute)
  • Cornell Wellness: 5 Minute Sleep Meditation
  • Cornell Wellness: 15 Minute Sleep Meditation

Questions/comments about the health campaign, contact Brinda Vijaya Sankar, Nutrition and Health Outreach Specialist with Cornell Wellness. 

• Monday, December 11-Friday, December 22

Check out Wellness' Instagram, the Wellness Weekly Update e-newsletter, and Wellness' website for upcoming nutrition and fitness information, workshops, and prize giveaways pertaining to diabetes and your overall health

Whether you're newly diagnosed, have had type 1 or type 2 diabetes for a while, or you're helping a loved one, this campaign will offer information on how you can start living a healthier life. Eating well with diabetes doesn't mean giving up your favorite foods, it's about finding the balance between keeping the flavors you love and incorporating the nutrients you need to live well with diabetes. Contact Derek Fiacco, Wellness' RDN, with any questions.

Virtual diabetes workshop
Nutrition Management Of Diabetes - Presented by Derek Fiacco, RDN

• Thursday, 12-12:45pm, December 21, via Zoom
• Register here - A Zoom link will automatically be sent to you upon registration

This virtual workshop covers the following topics:
Types of diabetes
Overview of carbohydrates, proteins and fats
General nutrition recommendations for diabetes
Reading food labels for added sugar
Plate Method
Meal and snack ideas
Controlling diabetes and staying healthy
 

• Monday, September 18-Friday, September 29

Check out Wellness' Instagram, the Wellness Weekly Update e-newsletter, and Wellness' website for upcoming nutrition and fitness information, workshops, and prize giveaways pertaining to cholesterol and your overall health

Cholesterol is a natural component in everyone’s blood and supports functions within the body. It’s only when bad cholesterol causes plaque to build up in your arteries that it’s considered a major risk factor for heart attack, heart disease and stroke. September is National Cholesterol Education Month, a good time to get your blood cholesterol checked and take steps to lower it if it's high. National Cholesterol Education Month is also a good time to learn about lipid profiles and about food and lifestyle choices that help you reach your cholesterol goals. A large part of preventing and treating the condition is understanding it, so stay on the lookout for resources to help you better understand what cholesterol is and what you can do to improve your overall health. Contact  Derek Fiacco, Wellness' RDN, with any questions.

• Register here
• Monday, October 23-Friday, November 19
• Open to the entire Cornell community; no membership needed

Are you wanting to make a change? Have you tried making a change in the past and it didn’t stick? Forming a new habit or changing an old one can be hard, but it is doable! Sign up for this 4-week experience to set yourself up for success and to form connections with others in the Cornell community. You choose the healthy habit you want to work on, and Cornell Wellness staff will guide you through the proven Habit Stacking process. You’ll focus on a new skill/part of the process each week, and by the end of the 4 weeks you’ll be well on your way. Open to the entire Cornell community; no membership required. Questions? Contact Wellness Community Programming Specialist, C Lucas.

On November 5 Daylight Saving Time Ends– Clocks turn back and darkness descends an hour earlier, potentially affecting your sleep routine

• Thursday, 12:30-1:00pm, November 9, via Zoom
• Register here
• Open to the entire Cornell community; no membership required

Do you find yourself struggling with the changing of the clocks each time Daylight Saving Time rolls around? Whether it’s springing forward or falling back, clock changes can have a significant impact on your sleep. Join this community wellness chat to connect with Cornell Wellness staff and each other on the topic of time changes and sleep. You’ll leave with helpful tips and strategies for easing the transition of current (and future) time changes.

This community chat is facilitated by Kerry Howell and C Lucas, Cornell Wellness staff. Contact Kerry at [email protected] or C at [email protected] with any questions. You will receive a Zoom link a few days before the session.