Six Great Benefits of Group Fitness Classes
When it comes to enhancing your health and fitness, group fitness exercise is a great way to do it. Regardless of whether your goal is sports training, weight loss, or simply improving your overall health and well-being, group fitness classes are your perfect bet. You don’t need to come up with your workout routine, you can simply choose fitness classes that suit your schedule. You meet new people with similar fitness goals, and you all work together towards that goal. The entire fitness journey becomes so much more fun and satisfying. There are several benefits of group exercise, which include:
Lose weight and reduce the risk of disease
With nearly two-thirds of American adults being overweight, the primary goal of most people joining a fitness class is weight loss. Joining a group fitness class can help you achieve just that. Moreover, getting the recommended 150 minutes of exercise each week can help reduce your risk of developing certain weight-related diseases such as heart ailments and diabetes. Structured workouts in a group environment prove very effective in boosting the fitness and overall well-being of the participants.
Accountability and motivation
One of the biggest benefits of exercising in a group is that people of different abilities, ages, and fitness levels motivate each other. When you see others in the group do well, you will be motivated to push yourself harder and do better. In fact, it has been shown that those who work out in a group are more likely to exert themselves harder and that participants gravitate towards the behavior (high fit or low fit) of those around them.
Structured workouts
Group fitness classes help you get a good workout without having to plan or think about anything. The classes are pre-planned and structured with a warm-up session, then a workout, and finally, a cool-down. The instructor helps the entire group through each segment of the workout and makes sure everyone has the right form.
Group fitness classes are fun
The best thing about group fitness classes is that they are fun. If you are someone who finds exercise boring and you don’t feel excited enough to do it every day, group fitness classes are perfect for you. The energy of the group makes the whole environment fun and exciting. In a group, even the most strenuous of exercises can turn into a fun experience.
Greater endorphin release
Group workouts increase your endorphin output. Research has shown that “endorphin release is significantly greater in group training than in individual training even when power output, or physical exertion, remains constant.” Working out to music in a group setting, and being led by an instructor can increase the release of these happy hormones. In short, a group exercise class not only boosts your fitness but your mood as well.
Make new friends
Group exercise classes are a fantastic way to meet new people. The best thing is that all the people you meet at the fitness class have common interests and goals. You can socialize with like-minded people and at the same time indulge in some serious workout.
As you can see, a group fitness class is very beneficial. When working out in a group, you are not only more likely to stick to the fitness routine, but you will enjoy yourself too. If you are starting out on a fitness journey, start with a group exercise class. You will be amazed at how much fun workouts can be.