Group workouts. Most people either love them or hate them. There are always pros and cons to group workouts. Whether it’s a class you attend or a group of friends you meet up with to get your sweat on, group workouts can be a great change to your workout routine. Don’t know if group workouts are for you? Get out there and try it!
Here are seven advantages to group workouts.
Motivation
Group workouts give you motivation that you may not get doing a workout on your own. Your instructor will push you and challenge you. You’ll find people in the class who you make it your goal to stay up with. Your classmates will encourage you. You’ll find that you are motivated by the people around you and that’ll make the workout much more enjoyable to do.
Get it right
In a class setting you’ll likely have an instructor or a coach working with you. They should be keeping their eye on you and everyone else in the class to make sure you are doing the moves for the workout correctly. Nobody likes to be corrected, but it’s better to be doing the moves right than putting yourself at risk for injury or not getting the most out of your workout.
Having someone to explain to you a certain technique or strategy for an exercise is a huge bonus to joining in with a group workout.
Accountability
Need someone to keep your accountable for being consistent with your workouts? Then a group workout may be for you. Try missing a class. Depending on your class size your instructor will ask you why you didn’t show up. So will the person you normally workout next to you. Having a regular group to workout with will motivate you to get to class so you aren’t that one person who skips. You won’t want to miss out!
Working out with a group of friends is a great way to stay accountable too. Not only can they keep you in check with workouts, but also with other things in life such as the healthy eating you are trying to stick to.
Learn
Working out with others will be a learning experience. By watching others you can learn what not to do or how to do. It gives you a visual and in-person example of exercises you may be newly learning or getting a refresher on. Your instructor or trainer will be able to guide you through the movement.
A workout class could also include discussions about proper nutrition or other topics relate to your workout of choice.
Spice it Up
It’s easy to fall into a rut or repeatedly do the same workouts again and again when you work out solo. Working out in a class setting can add some spice to your workout routine. You may be trying a new move in yoga class or a new kickboxing routine. Having an instructor to plan the classes will result in a few surprises along the way that’ll keep you coming back for more.
If working out with friends is your style, rally your friends to go try that barre class you’ve been dying to try. Or take a road trip for that half-marathon.
Get Social
Group workouts offer you the advantage of getting to meet people who may have similar interests to you. You can get to know people in your community and make new friends. They may be people you see outside in your everyday life or people you never see outside of the gym. Either way it’s a great way to form new relationships.
Working out with a group of friends is also a prime opportunity to socialize too (as long as you don’t let the talking take over your workout). It’s a productive way to spend time with people who are close to you.
Have Fun
Working out in a group will normally add a fun atmosphere. You’ll enjoy the energy and hard work you can feel being produced by you and the people you’re with. The motivation you receive and the people you are surrounding yourself with, will make a group workout a fun experience.
There are several benefits to working out in a group setting. While group workouts may not be for everyone, you should try it at least once! You may find out that a group atmosphere is what you need to stay challenged and accountable with your fitness goals!
Skylar Starbuck is a 22 year old college student who has a passion for leading an overall healthy lifestyle. Before going off to college Skylar had always been involved in year round athletics in school, so her personal fitness journey began her freshman year of college. She then realized that it was now up to her to take care of her physical... Read More
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