Benefits of Group Fitness
Group Fitness
A small group of people whose membership may vary by the day, but who generally work out at the same pre-appointed time and place — as a group, with a trainer, or simply in the same vicinity as one another.
Best for: People who like to combine social time with exercise; coworkers, students or parents whose schedules align; cyclists, walkers and runners, or any group of fitness-minded friends. Also great for people who like the interaction of a group but may not want to participate solo in a bigger group fitness class.
Why it works: Whether you’re jogging shoulder-to-shoulder with buddies or simply glancing across the fitness floor at familiar faces, there’s a strong motivation in the feeling that we’re all in this together. A group normalizes the need to maintain effective health-and-fitness behavior and promotes a feeling of community.
If you’re feeling challenged or losing motivation during a workout, you can look around and find a bit of empathy or encouragement from your peers to pull you through. “The group provides a vehicle for support, for problem solving, or to gently confront and hold one another accountable if an individual is straying from the goals,” she says. Partnering with more than one person also acts as a safety net; if one person bails, there are others who will still show up.
Walking into a class, having people smile at you, groove to the same music, perform the same exercises and sweat alongside you can instantly make you feel less alone in the world, she says. “This is the realization that you don’t have to tackle life’s challenges alone.”
This kind of camaraderie also has real fitness benefits. Research shows people are more successful at reaching their fitness goals with group support. They also have fewer major health problems overall. Psychologically, social exercise also leads to a greater sense of well-being, better self-esteem, improved body image and less depression.
Finding the Right Class
To reap all these benefits, of course, you first have to join a class. And that means finding a program that will give you the most mind-body bang for your buck. The most enjoyable — and thus wildly popular — classes all have a few important traits in common, but personal taste is also a huge factor, so be prepared to shop around until you find the right class for you. Here are the four top factors you’ll want to watch for:
1. An Inspiring Instructor
The first key ingredient in the recipe for a great class is undoubtedly a superb leader-instructor, because he or she will naturally foster all the other factors that make a great class and attract the kinds of participants that make the magic happen. But what makes for an über-instructor? Skills, style, spirit — and perhaps most important, a knack for intuiting your needs.
2. A Feel-Good Vibe
Whether it’s high-voltage (Zumba, Salsa Funk, boot camp) or more meditative (yoga, Nia, Pilates), a great class will have a force or trans formative energy that grabs you — outwardly or inwardly — and holds your attention.
3. Tight Community
Another key to success is a sense of togetherness — the friendship, support, familiar faces and accountability that come from your classmates.
Typically, it’s the instructor who fosters this sense of community. People can get more out of their classes if the instructor creates the space for safety, acceptance and interaction.
Having members shadow and interact with one another makes classes less intimidating, he says, and friendships flourish:
4. A Super Workout
The best classes push you to work out harder than you do alone or by following along with a DVD at home.
There are a couple of reasons for this. The music, energy and enthusiasm of the instructor are infectious and cause you to give more. Meanwhile, fellow classmates help elevate your workout, too. It’s a subtle form of peer pressure: “You know that others may be watching, and you step it up.” Plus, the group setting can spark a feeling of friendly competition