Chicago Weekend Fun!

Every Saturday morning there are free Yoga, Pilates, Dance fitness and Tai Chi workout classes downtown in Chicago at Millennium Park on the lawn of the Pritzker Pavilion from 8am to 11am. What better way to start your day and your weekend than outside in the sunshine getting exercise and working on improving your health? These classes are run by the professional instructors of the Lakeshore Athletic Club (at Illinois Center). The classes are brought to Chicago free of charge courtesy of McDonald’s. (their way of offering a way to work off all the fat in their food?) Anyway, the classes look like a lot of fun, and I may try one this week since I come downtown for work anyway on Saturdays some weeks. It is supposed to be quite a sight with 300-400 people all doing exercises at the same time together on the lawn of Millennium park. It is a great community event in Chicago and hopefully also impacts the overall health of the citizens of Chicago. This is a morning schedule of fun and fitness.

There are regularly scheduled free Yoga in the Park classes at 8 am that focus on balance, flexibility, strength and overall health.

At 9 AM there are free Pilates classes on the lawn of the Pritzker Pavillion. Work on your core muscle strength, posture and flexibility like a pro.

Then at 10 Am there are free Dance workouts taught by some of the same dancers you see at Dance Chicago or Summerdance. The schedule is as follows : 

The Amaniyea Payne of Muntu Dance Theatre of Chicago will teach the class on June 7, 14, 21 and 28. They offer an energizing African dance workshop where you move to the beat of the drum as you enjoy this cultural experience with live musicians.

The Hip-Hop Wake-Up Call will be taught by the Culture Shock Dance Troupe on July 5, 12, 19 and 26.
Dancers of all levels and ages are invited to learn the latest hip-hop moves from Chicago’s premier hip-hop dance troupe featured in Dance Chicago for many years.

Salsa! Salsa! Salsa! with Lisa La Boriqua on Saturdays in August 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30. Enjoy dance fitness through Latin dances with this red hot mix of Salsa, Merengue, Bachata, Cumbia and Cha Cha Cha. This one is hot!

Additionally, there are some bonus workout fitness classes scheduled before and after these times just for extra fun. You can choose to go to them all or just pick one or two that you think you would be ready for. You can also watch the class to see if you learn any new moves to use in your workout at home during the week. It is all applicable for home use since no equipment or materials are required for the classes. Just bring a notebook and write down the moves you want to use at home and keep a list for your exercise plan there.

The TAI CHI bonus class is at 7 am on the first Saturdays of each month, June 7, July 5, August 2 and September 6. Come out extra early for the elegant ancient Chinese soft martial art that has brought peace and discipline to people for centuries.

The BODY COMBAT™ class is at 9 am on July 19th. Les Mills and master trainer, Josef Matthews, leads a fiercely energetic program, inspired by many martial arts and is drawn from a wide array of disciplines, including Karate, boxing, Taekwondo, Tai Chi and Muay Thai. Its a total body workout.

Chicago may be known for being one of the fattest cities in America but it doesn’t have to only be about hot dogs, hamburgers and deep dish pizza. Chicago can also be a healthy community that comes together to workout, have fun and learn new things each week if you take part in this event. So, do something good for yourself this Saturday (instead of sleeping in) and come out to Millennium Park for your free workout courtesy of McDonald’s and the City of Chicago.