The Benefits of Group Fitness Classes For The Working Man and Woman
I remember listening to a podcast by Dr Eric Holmes and Omar Isuf called Iron Culture. In this particular episode, one of the hosts said that training some people is like going to the dentist, not something they are happy to do but know they need to. But do you know what makes the dentist a less scary experience? Having someone there with you.
You will still experience some pain but having companionship changes the dynamics of that feeling of fear, very similar to when you and a friend are about to do something you both know is risky. Still, one of you says ‘if you do it I will do it’ and that simple saying changes your thought process.
The same can be true with training in the gym, many people like to have a training partner as it can help with accountability and motivation to adhere to your goals. This is often a common reason a lot of people tend to hire an online coach like myself or an in-person personal trainer. Being held accountable links to your emotions, an internal factor.
When you have a strong internal drive, you are more likely to adhere to the training and better face potential challenges. Building an emotional link to your goal is an integral aspect that will help keep you motivated to achieve it.
You may be in a situation where you are ready and determined to make changes to your lifestyle and the biggest challenge you currently face is training in the gym and being consistent. You would like to have a gym partner, but unfortunately, those close to you have not come to the same realisation you have. This would be a great time for you to consider taking a group fitness class.
What are group fitness classes?
Group classes are instructor-led sessions with a specific focus depending on what the session is. There are a plethora of classes around the world with really catchy names that entice you to sign up. You should focus on what the class offers and how that may benefit you and your progress toward your goals.
That is not me saying do not experiment with new things, I myself have a strength and plyometric (jumping) focus with my training, but I like to attend a pilates class when I get the chance, as it is something different to my usual and a nice change of scene and pace.
If you have a strength focus as your goal, for example, you may want to perform a full-body push-up, then classes that revolve around the focus of strength, lifting weights, and body weight movements may be better suited for you. There is a class out there for everybody, the hardest part is the time for you to search for them and attend.
Benefits of group fitness classes
Relationships
You are aware that group classes can help you with your goals, but they also offer much more than just that. We as human beings are social creatures and we like companionship; friends, partners, gym bros. Group classes are a great way for you to join a community and become part of something outside of your everyday life.
You do not only build a relationship with your other class attendees but also with the instructor too. You get to know each other on a more personal level, and that deeper level of connection is a big drive for your commitment to that class and the effort that you will put into that session. You also feel more confident with speaking to them and giving your thoughts and feelings to certain sessions which in turn will only make the sessions a better experience for yourself and other attendees.
Competition
Whether you want to admit it or not, you like a bit of competition. It could be that person you see every morning walking to the station and you just try and be that step quicker than them, or you could be playing in recreational sport and you have a local rival team. When in a group fitness class you are bound to come across someone who works just as hard as you, and due to the advancement in wearable technology, you can track different things in the session.
Scenario: You have just been to a tough conditioning class, there is another person you see in class who is always there and stands next to you during the session. You and them start talking more and more because nothing brings people closer than suffering together in a class! You begin to talk more and more and they show you how many calories they burned during that session and it was over 500cals, then you look down at your watch and see you only burned 400cals. From that moment, whether you want to or not, you are now in competition with that person.
The competition is a great thing, use it to push you in your group fitness classes. It will help ramp up your class sessions as well as encourage you to keep turning up because as much as it is a competition for you, it is most likely a competition for that other person as well.
The more you continue to go to the classes, compete, and push yourself you also start to see improvements in your strength, physique, and overall conditioning, and this leads to major improvements in your confidence.
Confidence
When I speak about confidence it does not always refer to body confidence and being comfortable within your physique and being happy with what you see when you look at yourself naked. Yes, body confidence has a big factor in how you carry yourself. Overall confidence in the gym space is built through attending group fitness classes.
Starting anywhere the first time is always a bit nerve-racking. The gym could be a new space for you, by consistently going to classes you become familiar with the environment. You most likely won't explore the whole gym on your first day. You might just go into the changing room and then go straight to your class.
As you begin to attend more frequently you start speaking more with other class attendees who may use the gym space outside of the class and will start to encourage you to try out certain pieces of kit or offer to show you around the gym. You also start to build a relationship with the group instructor and build the confidence to ask them questions about training, nutrition, and mindset.
There is no timeline for this, it's all about you feeling comfortable in your environment. Once you are comfortable with the fitness class environment and have been speaking to a few people, you will notice your confidence in the gym starts to shoot up and you feel you have a right to be on the gym floor with the other people out there.
Knowledge
Fitness classes are what you make them, yes they are meant to be challenging, but if you do not push yourself you will not see much benefit. They can also be used as a tool to help build your exercise catalogue, improve your understanding of how a movement is done, and develop the skill to perform different movements.
As a class instructor and an online fitness coach, I advise you to ask questions if you are confused.
Give movements a try before you say you can not do them.
assess how you did.
Share your thoughts with the coach.
A good instructor will be willing to have that conversation with you and supply feedback.
With the catalogue you build up from these classes, you can then utilise the confidence gained, coupled with the competitive drive to improve and work hard, onto the gym floor and introduce yourself to training sessions on the gym floor.
Conclusion
Whether you are new to training or an experienced gym goer, group fitness classes can be structured to suit all abilities. A vast amount of classes are available and they are not only focused on conditioning. Think about your goal and how a class can aid you, but remember that classes will not be a fast track to your goal but an aid. The best way to attain your goal is through solo training sessions, or hiring a coach who will give you more guidance, structure and accountability. helping you adhere to your journey!
