THF Top Ten Reasons to Try Group Exercise

The hardest thing about working out isn’t lifting an extra 5 lbs or running another half a mile. It’s staying motivated and creating a routine so that working out becomes part of your lifestyle, not something you force yourself to do three times a week.

I have found that group exercise is a great way to keep yourself motivated when it comes to exercising regularly creating a workout routine. Here are the top ten reasons why:

·     Having a teacher lead the class and show you the right moves is just like having a personal trainer, but without the added expense

·     You don’t have to join the gym to do group exercise – you can join a special studio for workouts such as spinning, yoga, palates, kickboxing and more (you could even switch it up from one month to the next!)

·     Most gyms/studios have classes running throughout the day, from early in the morning to late in the evening, so the chance of finding something that works for your schedule is very high

·     Being in a class with a group of people makes you feel like you’re all in it together, not all alone

·     If you know you have to get to the class you like by a certain time you are less tempted to say “I’ll just go later”

·     At most gyms/studios you can sign up for a class ahead of time, so you don’t have to worry about waiting around for the machine you like – just get there in time for the class to begin

·     Group exercise tends to be a very efficient workout (for example, in a 45 minute spin class you burn around 600 calories)

·     If you find a class you like, go regularly and create an expectation with the teacher or your classmates that you’ll be there every week, you start to hold yourself accountable

·    There are SO many different types of workouts you can try, so your routine is less likely to become redundant and boring

·    On that note, the variety of classes helps to keep your workout routine fun, so it becomes something you enjoy doing rather than something you dread

With all that said, I am creating a goal for myself to try a new type of group exercise each month. In January I did a lot of spinning, so I will write about those experiences shortly. On the list for February: ZUMBA!