Arlington Community Education

So you’ve run a 5K—now what? You liked training for a three-mile race and are ready to take your running to the next level, but don’t know how? Whether you want to run a five-miler, a 10K, or a half-marathon and beyond, this course will teach you how to safely achieve your fitness goals by balancing strength, speed, hills, and endurance into your week. Coach Gaggi will give you a custom training program based on your running goals and check in with you weekly to keep you on track. Most classes meet at Spy Pond. Prerequisite: For the 3 months before the start of the class, you need to have consistently run 3 times a week with at least 2-3 non-stop miles per run, totalling at least 6-9 weekly miles. If you don’t have a solid base for this course, you may get injured. Start logging your miles today!

Enjoy some of ballroom’s most popular social dances. Whether you want to float like Fred and Ginger or put a little sexy hip action into those Latin dances, come join in the dancing fun. Couples and singles are welcome. Beginning: We will break down the basics of footwork, musicality, and partnering in swing, salsa, rumba, and more. Two left feet? No rhythm? No problem! Once you learn the basic steps, you’ll be able to spice up any dance floor you step on. Continuing: Ready to move past the basics? We will cover a variety of moves, like crossovers, turns, and combinations, to up your dance game. We will also dive into more styling and technique to give you a more polished look.

Get your heart pumping and your body moving with BollyX, a high-energy dance fitness program inspired by the vibrant song and dance sequences of India’s Bollywood movies. Unleash your inner swagger as you cycle between high- and low-intensity intervals choreographed to upbeat music from around the world. It’s a full-body workout that’s fun, fast-paced, and easy to modify for any fitness level. No dance experience required.

Chair yoga is highly adaptable and ideal for beginners, seniors, anyone with injuries, or those wanting to bring yoga’s benefits to the office. This practice helps your body relax and your mind quiet while improving strength, flexibility, and stress management. Chair-based postures can easily fit into your daily routine, helping you increase self-awareness and revitalize your life. Please note: no classes on 10/28 and 11/4

There’s nothing more fun than country western line dancing! You don’t even need a partner. Come get low-impact exercise as we dance to (mostly) country western music. Beginner: If you’ve never line danced before or have only done a few classes, we’ll start from the very beginning, with simple dances that teach you the basic building blocks of line dancing. Intermediate: For those who have been dancing for a while and are ready for a new challenge, these dances are longer, faster, and have more turns.

Essentrics lengthens and strengthens every muscle in the body through a dynamic combination of movements. This completely original full-body workout draws on the flowing movements of tai chi and ballet to create a balanced, flexible, and pain-free body. Essentrics rebalances the body, prevents and treats injuries, unlocks tight joints, and develops lean, strong, and flexible muscles with immediate changes to your posture. Gentle Stretching: For all ages and fitness levels and for those who are looking for a gentle, slow-tempo class that will help produce greater joint mobility. Full-Body: A faster tempo with additional emphasis on toning. For all classes, please bring a yoga mat and small towel.

Release tension and reconnect body, mind, and spirit through easy, symbolic movements paired with sound and imagery. This immersive experience blends dance, meditation, cardio, yoga, and martial arts to foster healing, self-confidence, and transformation. In a safe, supportive space, you’ll explore simple, rhythmic gestures and vocal vibrations designed to energize your body, awaken joyful expression, and amplify your inner power. Some classes will feature live drumming. Come as you are and leave recharged, reconnected, and fully alive.

Shake, shimmy, slide, and sweat your way through great music that gets your heart pumping and your body moving. Join this energizing workout session, moving to salsa, merengue, swing, and more. Get a total body workout through cardio, muscle conditioning, balance, and flexibility. You won’t even realize what a great workout you’re getting because you’ll be having so much fun! Dances are easy to learn, fun to follow, and gentle on your joints. Open to all fitness levels, no experience is necessary.

Learn how your body and mind can work together to overcome habitual unconscious patterns of movement and create a whole new way of being that allows your skeleton to support you without excess muscular strain. Moshe Feldenkrais developed this body awareness method in the 1950s after a knee injury, and today there are over 7,000 Feldenkrais practitioners worldwide. Address tightness or restricted movement in muscles, joints, or areas of chronic pain with a variety of slow, gentle, and simple movement patterns as you become aware of the changes that they create in your body.

This energetic dance class features a combination of street dance styles, including hip hop, locking, and house. Created in the 70s and 80s, these styles have roots derived from even earlier times. Each week you will learn a new routine choreographed to different music. The focus is on having a good time—the only real structured moves are smiles and laughs!

Keep your inner child alive, enhance your coordination, and immerse yourself in a new form of expression as you learn to maneuver a hula hoop around and away from your body. Learn mesmerizing off-body tricks like isolations, escalators, weaves, and folds, then focus on creating seamless sequences to unlock a zen-like flow state. Hoops will be provided, and you’ll be able to take one home to practice between classes. Designed for all skill levels.

Please note the new course title that reflects the nature of the class described. Challenge yourself on the brand-new climbing wall in the AHS gym in this class for beginners. Get the skills needed to safely belay on a ropes course, including how to fasten your climbing harness, tie a figure 8 knot, and participate in a team belay. You will also have the opportunity to learn how to solo belay using the PBUS (pull, brake, under, slide) method.

Discover how to move with greater ease and reduce chronic pain, muscle tension, and stress by learning the Alexander Technique. This method helps you identify and undo unhelpful habits your body has developed over time—think of it as rebooting your natural coordination system. You’ll explore the five core principles, gain simple yet insightful anatomy basics, and practice everyday movements like sitting, walking, and breathing to improve whole-body awareness and function in daily life. Please note that the first class is 90 minutes and will run until 12:15.

Start your day with a grounded, energizing yoga practice designed to connect mind, body, and spirit. Cultivate calm, focus, strength, and flexibility through accessible poses and thoughtful breathwork. You’ll receive individualized guidance to deepen body awareness and attain proper alignment. Open to all levels.

Get moving with LaBlast, the partner-free dance fitness workout created by Dancing with the Stars pro Louis van Amstel. Blend fitness moves with ballroom dance styles like mambo, foxtrot, disco, and jive, all set to an upbeat mix of pop, rock, jazz, and hip-hop. Whether you’re a seasoned dancer or stepping onto the floor for the first time, LaBlast offers a low-impact way to stay active, build strength, and learn to dance—while having an absolute blast.

There’s more to running than just “left, right, left, right, left, right.” Stretching, strengthening, and core control are all important parts of a healthy and balanced running regimen. But it really starts with your mind. We’ll show you how easy and simple it can be to establish a daily fitness routine. Classes stress proper running form, focusing on the lower back and core muscles. Learn how to track miles using your device or an old-fashioned notebook to achieve your fitness goals. Most classes meet at Spy Pond. Fit to 5K: Get strong and stay injury-free in this slow-moving, safely-progressing, and endurance-building nine-week running program, which builds up to a 5K (3.1 miles) we’ll run together. No class 10/2 Fit to 4K: Not ready to commit to a 5K? This class focuses on overall fitness and concludes with a 4K (2.5 miles). No class 9/23, 11/11

You may know parkour for its high-flying flips and big jumps, but its basic principles can also be used to help active older adults become physically stronger and more mentally confident. In this transformative course for ages 40+, improve your balance and agility with low-impact moves under the guidance of trained and supportive coaches. Learn how to avoid falls, or how best to fall if it happens; how to turn obstacles into opportunities; and how to incorporate functional fitness into your everyday movements.

With roots in traditional Chinese medicine, qigong’s goal is to cultivate and balance our life energy, or “qi.” Qigong practice typically involves meditative, slow-flowing movement coordinated with deep rhythmic breathing to produce a calm state of mind. Part of traditional Chinese medicine, the practice is similar to tai chi but simpler, and benefits can include improved immunity, better balance, and lower blood pressure. We will learn about the three dantiens (flow centers) and practice exercises specifically related to the primary organs of the body. Flex and stretch gently, and learn simple routines you can practice at home.

Restorative yoga focuses on resting in supported poses and can decrease stress hormones, strengthen your immune system, and improve your quality of sleep. Release stress and loosen tense muscles with easy, relaxing yoga poses on the floor. The calming and quieting guided meditation at the end will leave you feeling rested and centered. This practice will help unwind tension in your body so you can approach life’s challenges from a place of clarity and calmness. All levels are welcome. Wear comfortable clothing. Bring a yoga mat, a strap or belt, two blankets, a pillow, and yoga blocks (if you have them) to each session. This class is for all levels.

Enjoy a slow flow yoga practice that integrates movement with breath. Move through fluid sequences of sun salutations and standing or seated postures designed to improve physical health, reduce stress, enhance sleep, and deepen mindfulness. The pace will be slower, with longer holds to focus on the connection between breath and movement. Please wear comfortable clothing and bring your mat (props are optional). Please note: No class 10/21

Build strength and condition your muscles and joints through a structured routine. After a dynamic warm-up, we’ll move into a sequence of exercises using both weights and bodyweight. The session ends with core-strengthening finishers and a short stretch. This format will be repeated for several weeks, allowing time to refine form, improve breathing, and gradually increase weight. The routine will be modified every few weeks to ensure continued progress and challenge. Students must bring: Yoga mat, a set of weights (5-15lb, depending on your preference/strength level), and resistance bands.

Move more confidently and securely after completing this program, which focuses on both prevention and preparedness, going beyond traditional balance training by integrating the CDC’s STEADI initiative (Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths, and Injuries). You’ll engage in functional strength training to build stability, dynamic and static exercises to improve steadiness in various positions, and reactive strategies to respond effectively when your balance is challenged. Learn safe falling techniques and floor recovery methods to reduce the risk of injury, along with emergency preparedness tools for situations where independent recovery isn’t possible.