healthy body tips

A recent study found that in addition to women, more and more men are participating in group fitness classes. By offering a variety of different training techniques, environments, and challenging workouts for all fitness levels, group fitness classes are on the rise. Here are ten reasons to rethink your workout and join the crowd!

1. More Cost-Effective: Perhaps the most convincing argument in favor of the group experience is cost. Personal training sessions are roughly three times the cost of a single group fitness class, and many studios offer discounted rates for packages, making the experience even easier on your budget.

2. Efficient and Fast-Paced: Group Fitness Classes tend to feel as if they go by quickly. By changing up the pace, routine and exercises, you’ll be so focused on following the instructor, you’ll find yourself forgetting to watch the clock.

3. Social: Made up of similarly motivated individuals, group fitness classes can be a great way to bond with others over your common goals and experiences.

4. You Can Choose Your Environment: Group fitness comes in a variety of environments, allowing you to choose what best motivates you. Whether you prefer a small local studio or an outdoor adventure in a local park, you can find something that works for you.

5. Motivating: The group experience can help motivate people to work harder. In addition to being lead and challenged by the instructor, working with others offers an additional level of competition and camaraderie.

6. Challenging: Being motivated to keep pace with the group means that you’ll be challenged to work harder. Working out on our own is great, but most of us tend not to work as hard as we can when we’re alone. Exercising with others and having a leader guide the group provides a boost to the workout, making us work harder and push ourselves more.

7. Variety: Group fitness offers so many different options; bootcamp, spinning, boxing, pilates, yoga, running clubs and hiking groups. The newest trend in group fitness are classes that offer a variety of options, like Burn SF in San Francisco, which offers a mix of Pilates, cardio, and weight training, or Burn60 in Los Angeles, which focuses on cardio and strength training combinations.

8. Educational: A good class will not only challenge and motivate, it will teach you new moves and show you how to do them properly. Trying something different is a great way to exercise your mind and your body. 

9. Safety: When beginning a new or different fitness routine, it’s especially important that you do so in a safe manner. The right instructor will be able to help explain what you’re doing, how to do it, and what you should be feeling. Instructors are able to model exercises and use tactile cues to help ensure the safe execution of their routines. Be sure to ask questions or as for alternative exercises if you need additional assistance. 

10. You Can Go at Your Own Pace: An experienced group fitness instructor will be able to offer modifications that allow for different fitness levels among the participants. Most classes will offer beginner, intermediate, and advanced exercise options. If you’re concerned, be sure to show up a few minutes prior to class and chat with the instructor and ask for advice. Developing a relationship with your instructor is key to finding the workout that will challenge you in a safe manner.