The courses below are offered at USC and can be a great way to have structured expert instruction in wellness-related subjects. It is recommended that students speak with the instructor of the course and consult with their private teacher before deciding to enroll for any of these courses.
(Note: all PHED courses listed below are lower division courses that could not be taken for graduate-level credit.)
MUSC 475 Musician’s Health and Wellness (2 units – spring semester only)
Instructor: William Kanengiser (kanengis@usc.edu)
Covering topics vital to a musician’s long-term wellbeing including injury prevention and recovery, warmup and stretching routines, hearing protection, sports psychology strategies, performance anxiety management and many others.
THTR 419 Alexander Technique for Performers (2 units)
Training and practice in the work of F. M. Alexander. A clear and systematic look into the underlying principles that govern human movement.
- Prerequisite: THTR 101
PHED 102 Weight Training (1 unit)
Improvement of body shape, muscle endurance and muscle strength and understanding of weight training and nutrition principles that can be utilized for future weight training development.
PHED 106 Physical Conditioning (1 unit)
Improvement in cardiorespiratory endurance, body composition, muscle endurance and flexibility, running, circuit training, resistance exercises, fitness principles and nutrition to develop individualized program.
PHED 118 Sleep for Peak Performance (2 units)
Introduction to sleep as it relates to physical and mental performance, breathing and meditation modalities to support healthy sleep, study of sleep systems, disorders and strategies.
PHED 119 Introduction to Mindfulness (2 units)
Introduction to the principles of mindfulness, application of learned techniques to enhance mind-body awareness and strategies to improve physical and mental health.
PHED 120 Yoga (1 unit)
Introduction to meditation, breathing techniques and postures as a means towards relaxation. Increase muscle flexibility and understanding of basic anatomy and nutritional guidelines.
PHED 122: Kundalini Yoga and Meditation (1 unit)
Ancient yoga practice combining postures, meditation, breathing, mantras and focus techniques; designed to improve mind body awareness, balance, strength, flexibility, techniques and nervous system function.
PHED 123: Yoga Therapy (2 units)
Holistic discipline combining traditional yoga techniques with a modern medicine approach to treating a variety of health conditions; includes physical, mental and breathing practice.
PHED 129 Cardio Group Fitness (1 unit)
Group fitness instruction incorporating a variety of training methods such as cycling, HITT (high intensity interval training), step and circuits in addition to nutritional guidelines.
PHED 160 Stress Management for Healthy Living (2 units)
Instruction on the effects of stress as it relates to work, sport and academics. Coping strategies are discussed and applied through physical conditioning interventions.
Shorter, non-credit classes offered by Mindful USC:
Introduction to Mindfulness, Advanced Mindfulness, Self-Compassion, Applied Mindfulness https://mindful.usc.edu/classes/
Mindfulness drop-in groups in person and on Zoom: https://mindful.usc.edu/practice-groups/
