Whether you’re just getting started with fitness or you’re a long-time gymgoer, group fitness classes can be a fantastic way to improve your health. Here, we’ll take a look at a few reasons why jumping into a group exercise class can help you boost your burn—and your spirits.
1. Team spirit is real.
When you’re working out with others, there’s an intrinsic desire to work hard to keep up. Team spirit and energy are real, and it’s palpable in a group fitness class. While your instructor pushes you to take yourself to the limit, it’s helpful to know that everyone in the room is in the same boat. When you feel like you can’t do one more rep but see the person next to you pushing through, you’ll likely find the energy to do the same.
2. Motivation from an instructor can help you push harder.
When you work out on your own in the gym, you’re usually pushing yourself. You might be trying to follow a workout plan, or trying to remember form cues from sessions you’ve had in the past with a fitness professional. If you’re not currently working with a trainer, taking a group exercise class can be the next best thing. Your group fitness class instructor will be a seasoned professional who will watch the class and give form cues, helping you to stay safe as you exercise. They’ll also be able to keep their finger on the pulse of the class, figuring out when to turn up the heat and when to give participants a break.
3. You get the social interaction you crave—while still getting the workout you need.
In today’s digital age, it’s harder than ever to connect with people in social settings. Getting your exercise in group fitness classes offers you the chance to get vulnerable and real with other people who are pushing themselves and working to get in shape. While you won’t likely sit down and have a conversation in the middle of your exercise class, the few minutes of chatting with other participants before and after class can give you the chance to connect with others in a way that’s become increasingly difficult in recent years. Make a point to get to know the names of the people who work out with you, and work to build connections that could translate to friendships outside of the gym.
4. The bonds you’ll form with classmates will keep you accountable.
Over time, you’ll get to know some of the other participants in your group fitness classes. As you learn more about each other’s goals, watch each other’s progress, and cheer one another on throughout the class, you’ll begin to feel a bond with the people sweating by your side. You’ll notice when someone misses class—and they’ll notice when you’re not there as well. Knowing that other people are counting on you to show up to class can give you the extra push that you need to make it to a group fitness class at the end of a long day.
5. You get the benefit of a solid schedule that won’t tolerate lateness.
When you’re getting ready to go to the gym, it’s easy to take your time, get caught up in other things, and never make it to your workout. Group fitness classes are different. When your class has a scheduled start and end time, you know exactly when you need to get to the gym. There’s no time for procrastination. Be sure to enter your workout classes into your calendar just like you would any important appointment or meeting.
Feeling Nervous? We’ve All Been There.
It’s normal to feel a little anxious before your first group fitness class. Remember: everyone was a beginner at one point, and your classmates will be far more focused on getting a great workout than on whether you’re doing each move perfectly. Follow along the best that you can, and don’t forget—if you’re moving your body and getting sweaty, you’re doing it right.