ONE Team ONE Dream

Group atmosphere provides a unique environment that’s hard to re-create in a solo lifting session with your headphones. From Ballet Blast, to Weightlifting to Muay Thai, there are exercise classes to suit every goal, whether your goals are cardiovascular improvement and weight loss, muscular endurance and strength, or flexibility. Spicing up your workout routine with some group exercise classes is an excellent way for gym-goers to get in a great workout alongside friends and motivators, with proper coaching from the instructors. Here are six reasons why you should integrate fitness classes into your regime.

Motivation

The thought of pushing through a gut-wrenching workout on your own might not get you excited about hitting the weights - but smashing out an hour-long workout with twenty other people is a totally different story. The instructor will push you to your limits, provide a different playlist to yours, and there’s always the issue of not wanting to appear lazy in front of your workout class mates. So come on, skip to the beat!

Stick to Goals

Doing the same old routine over and over can feel dull after a while, leaving you trying to remember why you even started. But group fitness classes always provide a fresh level of fun while still getting you in shape. And, with the growing number of class types, there's bound to be one to fit whatever mood you happen to be in, helping you maintain a varied workout and keep you coming back for more.

Expert Guidance

Joining a class such as Muay Thai, GRIT, or Barre, gives you access to a qualified instructor or PT coach. They’re not going to let you get away with throwing a wonky punch (and potentially injuring yourself) or hold a saggy plank, so will help you master the right movement or position giving you the skills to go and practice yourself or incorporate the new exercises to your workout routine.

Socialise

You are likely to have more fun exercising in a group than working out on your own. You may have a laugh with the person next to you about getting the moves wrong, smile at someone who’s a regular class attendee, or simply start a conversation in the queue before the class. It’ll also help you familiarise faces in the gym, so that the weights area or the Powerzone don’t feel so intimidating.

Accountability

Skipping a solo workout has few consequences. Ditching your friends, however, could lead to some unwanted social shunning. Simply put, meeting workout buddies for a sweat session makes you much more likely to head to the gym. Multiply that effect by the number of classmates, and you’re less likely to skip the fitness class.

Team Spirit

A boxing bag will never be as responsive as a boxing partner, and you'll never master pad-holding whether you box alone or with a trainer. Whether you're all pushing for the same fitness goal in a class, working together to perfect an intricate boxing combination, or helping someone squat their personal best, there's nothing like a little encouragement from your friends.

By Connie Foster-Hall