The Benefits Of Group Fitness Classes
Group fitness classes can provide many benefits. One of the most obvious is that it’s more fun than working out alone. You have the enthusiasm of the group to help drive you onward. You also have people to commiserate with when the workout is difficult. The comradery makes your workout more fun, so it’s easier to stick with it. It also improves your social life. Studies show that people with an active social life live longer.
Personal trainers lead most fitness classes.
Personal trainers understand what it takes to help you lose weight, build muscle, or improve your endurance. They provide programs that you modify based on your fitness level. If you’re a beginner and the trainer is doing twenty-five squats, but you can only do ten, you do what you can and record it. The next time, you might be able to do eleven. The trainer also provides modifications for people with special needs or beginners. For instance, instead of a regular push-up, the beginner might do the modified knee-bent push-up. Even though everyone is doing the same exercise, each person performs different reps and sometimes a modified form.
You get the benefits of having a personal trainer plus a few more when you workout in a group.
You’ll get the benefit of a personal trainer showing you how to do an exercise and then watching your form to ensure you’re doing the exercise correctly. Incorrectly doing an exercise can cause injury or minimize the benefits. When you have private training, the trainer holds you accountable. You’re more likely to show up if you know someone else is watching. The same is true for group sessions, but instead of one person, several people are aware when you miss.
Group fitness provides comradery.
It’s difficult to find people to connect with once you’re out of school. It usually becomes work friends. When you do a group session, you bond. People who work out together get the maximum benefits according to a 2006 Nebraska Medical Center study. Everyone struggles to meet their personal goals in a group, even if those goals are more difficult than yours. It creates a bond which provides motivation.
- You’ll have fun. When people have fun, they want to repeat the experience, so you’ll be more driven to attend group sessions than you would if you exercised alone, whether it’s in the gym or at home.
- Group sessions provide more consistency. They’re held at the same time daily so you include the group’s workouts in your schedule. Most people fail to schedule their exercise and often miss it when they workout alone.
- You can do several types of group sessions. You might do calisthenics and bodyweight exercises one day and take a yoga class on another. Always check with your healthcare professional before starting any program of exercise.
- If you’re doing more than one exercise class, make at least one of the groups fun and something you love to do. It might be swimming, dancing, or spinning. If you love traditional exercise, it’s even better.
For more information, contact us today at Reggie C. Fitness