Do you believe that exercising in a group is all about loud music, frenetic energy and roaring encouragement from every corner? Well, your assumptions are correct. But it’s also so much more than that. Group fitness regimes are a route to social inclusion, health benefits and both physical and psychological support. With that in mind, here are 5 IDEAL reasons to join a group fitness class.
MOTIVATION
We’ve all been there; ready, willing and able to shirk a gym session and only ending up sweating it out on the treadmill because of peer pressure. Because let’s face it; being around like-minded and enthusiastic individuals with the same health goals is so inspiring. When you have an instructor, giving individual attention to all group members, you are guaranteed to get more out of it. You get to know so much about common pain points, your strengths, what to improve and what is it that you need to build on. Simply put, group fitness is a great way to dig deeper and push your limits.
SOCIAL OPPORTUNITIES
The social aspect of group fitness activities can’t be ignored. Very rarely will a session finish without you having made a positive connection with someone. Because like minded people, with a goal-orientated approach, make very good friends. Not only that, but a little healthy competition amongst the group members can be very positive for your fitness levels and your friendships.
A SENSE OF STRUCTURE
Group fitness is a great way to workout without having the pressure of drawing up a detailed plan all on your lonesome. Doing so can be stressful, but in a class format, each session works within a structure with a warm-up, a balanced workout and finally a cool-down session, all led by an expert trainer.
The instructor will guide you through each session and it will be so much easier to exercise with so many people around you doing the same things (you can even have a cheeky side eye check to see if your form matches your peers’). Check out the websites of various group exercise session experts, such as Bodytonic Clinic, to get an idea of prices and the enrollment process before you dive in.
ACCOUNTABILITY
A group fitness setting will ask more of you in many ways. Perhaps the most crucial is the questions it will pose to your accountability. For instance, you will need to answer for your absence to your group mates and most importantly your trainer. There’s no truck with shying away from a session early because you’re not ‘feeling it’, or staying home because your training trousers weren’t quite dry from the wash. A ‘harsh but fair’ approach will assist within the group, and let’s face it, where fitness is concerned, this is the best approach of all.
FUN
Man, all of this sounds so serious. But most importantly of all, group exercise classes are fun! The lively upbeat music, the surrounding, sweating friends, the lightly competitive streak — it is a package deal and a half, and in our view, the most fun and functional way to get fit and achieve your health goals. If you are looking for something that brings you joy and holistic well-being, a group fitness setting is exactly what you need.
Should you be looking for this kind of experience, but somewhere exotic, then check out our 5 IDEAL reasons to choose Bali for your next fitness retreat.
