Students' health-conscious New Year's resolutions might drop like pounds, but White Building fitness class lines might stick around.

Core classes, such as aerobics and muscle toning sessions, meet up to 20 times per week, while auxiliary classes, such as yoga and Pilates-based exercise, meet as infrequently as once a week.

If trendy classes draw enough crowds, they fuse into the core schedule, said Jill Garrigan, fitness program coordinator.

Space for all fitness classes is limited and is granted on a first-come, first-served basis, so students should arrive at least a half-hour early to guarantee admission, student fitness instructor Cara Taddeo (senior-marketing) said.

"This is definitely an inconvenience," said Nettie Thompson (senior-engineering), who arrived 20 minutes early for a once-a-week yoga course, but failed to secure a spot in the 55-person class.

"They need to offer some classes more frequently, especially at busier times," Thompson said before setting off for an alternate workout routine.

Offering auxiliary classes more often, however, is not an option, Garrigan said. Lack of space and qualified instructors limit how regularly the White Building can offer yoga and Pilates-based exercise.

Although many larger fitness classes were previously held in the White Building's main gym, which holds more than 100 students, classes are now held in two smaller rooms, which hold about 55 students each.

"Priority for the room was given to academic classes, clubs, sports teams and blood drives," Garrigan said. "We had to randomly cancel classes all the time. We'd rather provide consistent classes in clean, secure facilities."

Both Pilates-based exercise and yoga require teachers to have knowledge and skills student instructors cannot achieve in their semester-long training, said Taddeo, a Pilates student instructor.

Penn State's Recreational Sports Department employs 60 to 80 student fitness instructors, two Pilates-trained student instructors and a professional yoga instructor who earns five times the salary of student instructors.

Hiring additional professionals would raise the price of fitness passes from the current $30 per semester, Garrigan said.

Those students interested in convenience above convention may want to check out mind/body exercise, an auxiliary class that blends yoga, Pilates and muscle toning, Garrigan said. Mind/body exercise is taught by a student instructor and offered three times a week, as opposed to yoga, offered once a week, and Pilates-based exercise, offered twice a week.

Other techniques to avoid long lines include attending frequently offered classes such as step aerobics and full body workout, or steering clear of the 3:30 to 6 p.m. gym rush, Garrigan said.

"Come early, come late and blow off some steam," Garrigan said.

For fitness class schedules, visit the Recreational Sports Fitness Web page at www.psu.edu/dept/fitness/index.htm.