There’s no denying it, January is the most popular time of the year to get into exercise. We’ve all overdone it at Christmas and are now feeling the effects. We want to do something positive to kick start the New Year. We want to feel good about ourselves and we’d love to look good too.
So you dust off your trainers and start googling gym memberships. You begin researching the different types of exercise.
Here are 4 reasons why you should sign up to a group fitness class in 2019…
Motivation
If you’re flying solo you have to be self-motivated. It’s YOU that decides how long you workout for, what exercises you do and how hard to push yourself. If you attend a class you know you’re going to be exercising for its set time. The instructor decides what exercises and routines you are doing and what body parts you are targeting. You don’t have the option to avoid working on a certain area because you don’t feel like it or find it hard. Whilst it’s ultimately up to you how hard you push yourself whether you exercise on your own or in a class, it’s easier to push yourself when you have an instructor encouraging you and class mates to exercise with. We tend to go for it more when others are around us.
That positive, upbeat and supportive atmosphere of a class can really make a difference to the effort you put in. The energy of others can be infectious. We all know how hard it is to peel ourselves off the sofa in the evening to do some exercise. You want to make sure when you actually get down to the exercise part, motivation increases not decreases. So many women I teach have admitted that despite promising themselves to do exercise at home, they never do it. If you struggle with self-discipline then a group class could be the answer to your problem.
Enjoyment
It’s a lot less lonely and a lot more fun working out with others. Group classes are great places to make new friends and enjoy a bit of socialising. With others at your side you can laugh off those exercises you find hard rather than beat yourself up about them. Most tasks feel more enjoyable when done with a friend. Exercising is a task but it doesn’t have to feel like a chore! A workout buddy can help you look forward to exercise.
Obviously when you first go to a class alone you probably won’t know anyone. BUT it gives you the opportunity to get to know other people, other people in the same boat as you who you can relate to.
There’s a real sense of camaraderie in a group class. There is no need to fear judgement.
When you start getting into exercise, that’s when you really start to enjoy it.
Commitment
Many classes require you to book in advance which can be the type of commitment people need to make to ensure they don’t skip a workout. This aside, once you become a class regular you inevitably feel guilty about missing a class. You don’t want to let the instructor or your class mates down. You know people will want to know where you were if you don’t attend so it helps keep those excuses at bay. This keeps you accountable.
In addition, when you attend a class every week it feels odd not to attend. It becomes part of your weekly routine. You know if you miss a class, you’ve missed out. You can’t postpone it like you might postpone a solo workout. You can’t say “I’ll do it tomorrow” instead.
Instruction
At a group class you are following the instructions of a trained professional and have their advice at your disposal. The few times I have been to the gym I’ve seen so many people not warming up or stretching before working out. You can never rule out the possibility of getting an injury when it comes to exercise but you can reduce the risk.
You don’t have to do any guess work at a class as the instructor will tell you what you should be doing, how and why. They can correct technique and form. For beginners this is especially important. Why struggle alone when you can take guidance from an instructor?
