Hooping is an all-encompassing flow art- engaging the body, mind and soul. Basic hooping strengthens core muscles while enhancing balance, coordination and grace. We’ll work on different stances to help ease and open the lower back, hip and leg muscles. You’ll learn to hoop all around and on all parts of the body. Experience hoops of different sizes and weights, their speed and how they accommodate the use of the arms, torso and legs. This class is for all levels of hoopers. Shenandoah specializes in teaching people to hoop for the first time and adding new and advanced moves for seasoned hoopers. The hoop is an instrument to take you out of your head and into your body, easing tension, increasing joy, peace and self confidence. A moving meditation, you’ll leave feeling centered, strengthened and embodied.

LIFEGUARDING WITH BLENDED LEARNING
Perfect for strong swimmers ages 15 and up who are proficient in:
• Front Crawl • Breaststroke • Side Stroke
• Elementary Back Stroke • Treading Water (legs only for 2 minutes)
• Swim 550 yards continually (waterfront/lifeguard)
• Swim 300 yards continually (lifeguard)
• Retrieve 10 lb brick from bottom of pool

BLENDED LEARNING (approximately 6 hours. MUST BE COMPLETED BEFORE FIRST IN-PERSON SKILL SESSION) 

LIFEGUARDING IN-PERSON SKILLS TRAINING (approximately 22 hours) 

All lifeguard candidates must take the lifeguard prerequisite swim prior to signing up for the lifeguard course. Please register for this under Special Events: Clinics, Training & Certs. – Lifeguard Prerequisite Swim Evaluation

Contact the Aquatics Director to schedule your eval with Lisa at [email protected]

Must attend all skills classes to receive certification.

Contact Lisa Woodall, at 413-773-3646 ext 427or lwoodall @your-y.org (email is preferred)

LIFEGUARD PREREQUISITE SWIM EVALUATION

All lifeguard candates must take the lifeguard prerequisite swim prior to signing up for the lifeguard course.

All swimmers must be proficient in:
• Front Crawl • Breaststroke • Side Stroke
• Elementary Back Stroke • Treading Water (legs only for 2 minutes)
• Swim 550 yards continually (waterfront/lifeguard)
• Swim 300 yards continually (lifeguard)
• Retrieve 10 lb brick from bottom of pool

Contact Lisa Woodall, at 413-773-3646 ext 427or lwoodall @your-y.org (email is preferred)

Don’t allow your Lifeguard Certification to lapse – sign up for this recertification class!

LIFEGUARDING RECERTIFICATION BLENDED LEARNING COURSES 

Blended learning must be completed brfore first in-person skill session!

Contact Lisa Woodall/Aquatics Director [email protected] or call 413-773-3646 ext 427, (email is preferred).

Mindfulness, Meditation, for Stress Reduction

Gentle stretches, deep relaxation, understanding the physiology of stress: offering a path to living with less anxiety and a greater ability to meet the stresses of everyday life. 

FREE DEMO CLASS Thursday, May 14, 2-3:15 pm 

All welcome 

SIX-WEEK CLASS 

Thursdays, 2-4 pm, May 21 – June 25 $125 Y members/ $150 non–members 

at Franklin County’s YMCA, 451 Main St, Greenfield, MA 01301

TEACHER BIO: Jean Erlbaum, MS is an experienced 500 hour Yoga Alliance Teacher and was trained in Mindfulness–Based Stress Reduction at the Center for Mindfulness at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. She has studied Zen for over 40 years and has been teaching yoga and meditation in the Pioneer Valley since 1972. She is the author of Sit with Less Pain: Gentle Yoga for Meditators (Wisdom Publications 2014).

Strength In Menopause is an 8-week group wellness program is for those in any stage of menopause looking to learn how to strength train safely and effectively in a supportive group setting (includes Peri & Post). Starts April 7, 2026.

Step into the next phase of life confident and strong. Embrace menopause, not with confusion and isolation, but with a supportive community, and fitness goals that empower. Strength training can increase bone density and muscle mass, offering benefits beyond the physical. Join us on this journey and let’s positively transition together!

Wish you could get a massage every day? Join us for this one-day workshop and you can!
Licensed Massage Therapist & certified Roll Model® Method practitioner Jamie Simpson, will show you how to incorporate Roll Model® Therapy Balls from Tune Up Fitness into your daily life. Use these simple, powerful tools anytime, anywhere, to get deep relief from aches & pains. It’s like having your own personal massage therapist in your bag or backpack!

Sunday, May 3 from 12-2 pm.
Members: $30 / Non Members: $40

Bonus tip: Did you know FCY offers massages daily? Membership not required (but members get special pricing!). Book your next massage with Jamie or one of our talented therapists by calling the Y!

This 6-week program is FREE and OPEN to the community, must pre-register.

The walk-to-run program gradually builds endurance by alternating walking and running intervals, allowing beginners to reach 30 minutes of continuous running. Participants will start with short running bursts (e.g., 1 min) and longer walking breaks (e.g., 4 mins), gradually shifting the ratio over time to prevent injury.

Katie and Heidi will lead the group on Saturdays at 8 am at the Y with the expectation of participants doing two other workouts per week.

The class will end with the option of registering for the Pound the Pavement 5K / 2 Mile Walk in Sunderland on June 6, 2026. Learn more and register for Pound the Pavement 5K/Walk here.