Did you scour the class schedule at your gym this fall searching for Step but find something called Recess instead? And now you spend 45 minutes on the stair climber, while the smiling, sweaty people in Recess whoop their way through and obstacle course in record time - and besides having a blast, they all have great thighs?

It's no surprise. Sports-conditioning classes, sometimes called Recess or PE 101, are one of the hottest gym trends in the country. Besides moving mind-numbing exercises out of the way to make room for hopscotch and Hula-Hoops, the classes feature high-intensity drills based on the sports drills that athletes practice. The workouts put you through your paces, and the time flies while you're having fun.

"These exercises are very different from the moves you're used to doing in the gym," says John Blievernicht, M.A., performance trainer at High Altitude Sports Training Complex in Flagstaff, Ariz.; "Sports-conditioning drills use more muscles at one time and are just as effective as the muscle-isolation exercises most people do. Furthermore, because you're incorporating power into the routine with jumps, hops and slides, you're adding an aerobic component to the workout while building strength."

For example, rather than doing leg lifts to strengthen your outer thighs, you'll practice a "carioca," the grapevine step that football players do down the field.

And once you've nailed the techniques, you can run through the routine nonstop, which will allow you to cut your workout time in half for the day, says Blievernicht.

More than anything, though, these exercises are simply a whole lot of fun. They feel like a real timeout from your everyday-run-of-the-mill-been-there-done-that workout. And that's why we call it RECESS!

Are you ready to play?

Below you'll find a list of workout centers across the country that offer high-energy, creative classes. Ask your local gym or parks and recreation department about adult sports-conditioning classes. Or find a nearby park with a Fit-Trail (a mile-or-so-long guided walk/run/exercise trail) for a great interval workout, especially if you race your way from one station to the next. Stations usually include push-ups, sit-ups, climbing bars and hurdles. Or do exercises of your choice: Equipment at each station provides resistance and leverage for almost any exercise.

The Sports Center at Chelsea Piers, New York City, features group classes geared to the athlete in all of us, such as NFL Pro Drills, taught by former New York Jet Lou D'Agostino (212) 336-6000.

The Playground Dance and Fitness Studio, Montgomery, Ill., offers group classes, including an interval workout with an obstacle course, hurdles and two-minute drills. The instructor even blows a whistle when it's time for the next exercise (630) 264-6300.

PlayStrong Institute, Austin, Texas, offers classes and personal training, Group workouts vary depending on weather and season. Classes may include swimming in local springs, rowing, or a variety of sports drills (877) 454-4766 or (512) 454-4766.

At Crunch gyms, Manhattan and Miami, you'll play all your favorite childhood games (hopscotch, Hula-Hoop, hot potato) in Recess in ways that make them effective exercises. Hot potato, for example, is played on rebounders (212) 875-1902 (Manhattan); (305) 674-8222 (Miami).

ClubSport, Tigard, Ore., offers classes such as Adventure Training, one hour of wind sprints, rock climbing, rope jumping and seasonal exercises, such as ski-conditioning drills; and Biathlon, Spinning followed by an outdoor run (503) 968-4500.