The Benefits of Group Fitness Classes
Over the years, you have made multiple attempts to lose the spare tire hanging sadly around your waistline, only to fall short after a tough week at work, taking a holiday that disrupts your routine, or after hurting yourself by trying to do too much too fast. Maybe the fact that many of your workouts contain monotonous activities that could be considered inspiring also plays a role, but the salient issue is this: the state you are in has to change, as you’ve lost your mojo in the bedroom, your self-confidence isn’t far behind, and after having watched some disturbing videos linking excessive sugar consumption and obesity with a dramatically higher risk of diabetes, pancreatic cancer, and liver failure, you have been motivated to get going.
Already today you have taken an important action towards this goal by enrolling yourself in some group fitness classes, but you have started to get cold feet about this bold step. “What if they laugh at me, or what if I hurt myself again? What if it doesn’t work?” may be thoughts that are plaguing your brain since making that fateful phone call, but take heart: group fitness classes are often the x-factor for many people when it comes to not just starting an exercise regimen, but sticking to it and making a part of the routine of a healthy lifestyle.
If you still aren’t convinced of this, consider the following benefits of taking part in group fitness classes, as they have qualities and advantages that solo exercise regimes simply do not possess…
Make friends and get healthy
If the lone wolf /every person for themselves mentality in your local gym seems alienating to you, it’s not that you have the wrong attitude. If you are an extrovert, this sort of environment may seem draining to you, but in a group fitness class, it’s the exact opposite, as you are alongside your peers in a social, engaging environment. This arrangement is far more empowering for people like you, and if you’ve been struggling to meet others since moving to your current city, taking up a group fitness class will go a long way to helping you find people with which you share common interests.
You’re in the very capable hands of a trained expert
If the spectre of injuring yourself hangs over your delicate psyche like The Sword of Damocles, rest easy, as when you are in a group fitness setting, you aren’t calling the shots … the instructor at the front of the classroom is. This group leader has trained for countless hours at their discipline, not only learning the intimate details of the movements that they are teaching, but how to do them safely. They are almost always trained in First Aid, so if the event that anything serious occurs, they are adequately equipped to deal with the situation.
Your new tribe mates will keep you honest
Back when you were a one person show at the gym, if you missed a workout or two due to work running late / being tired / your favorite TV show being on, there was nobody else there to notice your absence. In a group fitness environment, missing a class will lead your classmates to ask you why you were absent. This fact alone will decrease the chances of you cheating on your new exercise routine, as the guilt you have to carry around for doing so (or lying about it) will act as sufficient intrinsic motivation for you to keep at it.
Help each other get there together
Often times, losing fat and getting healthy isn’t the easiest task to complete, especially when you are the only one around to motivate yourself. Group fitness classes give you allies on the path to a healthier future, making adherence to an active lifestyle easier to achieve, especially when you have not successfully done it yourself before.
