Exercise plays an important role in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Whether your fitness goals include losing weight, building strength, increasing flexibility, or improving mental health, taking advantage of group classes at the gym can help you work toward your objectives. With a variety of group classes offered at gyms, people can often find a class that interests them.

Shake Up Your Routine

Variety is the spice of life, and it’s also an important part of any fitness regimen. Repeating the same exercises over and over again can reduce the overall effectiveness of your workouts and put you at risk of developing an injury. Varying your usual exercise routine can create new stimuli for your body and enhance your progress over time. Group classes are a great way to diversify your exercise sessions. Trying something new like yoga, kickboxing, or aerobics might even introduce you to a new favorite activity.

Find a Community

Making new friends, especially those who share your interests, can be challenging. Group classes bring people together with the common goal of physical fitness. Even if you’re a total novice, you can likely find a class suited to your skill level and connect with others who are also just getting started. Participating in a group class can help you discover a supportive community of people who enjoy similar activities. Research suggests that being part of a healthy community may help reduce stress and feelings of isolation, improving both physical and mental well-being.

Benefit from Expert Instruction

Group classes at fitness clubs are staffed by friendly and enthusiastic professionals who aim to help you reach your goals. Expert instructors can provide the motivation to keep going, offering a positive push you might not get when working out alone. Certified instructors can also monitor your technique, helping ensure that you’re performing exercises correctly to reduce the risk of injury and sharing tips to maximize your session.

Stay Accountable

Sticking to a consistent routine is often one of the biggest challenges for sustained progress. Studies have shown that many people give up on regular exercise because of hectic schedules and the lack of immediate results. University of Alberta PhD candidate Heather Larson underscores the importance of a buddy system for those who struggle to find fitness motivation. “Sometimes it works better if you’re not too close to that person,” Larson notes. “If it’s a person that maybe you don’t know quite as well, there’s a bit more of an obligation to meet up with them at the gym and not let them down.” Joining a group class in your area could help you find an accountability buddy. Not only can your health benefit from your commitment, but you’ll also help someone else work toward their fitness goals.

Joining a group class at the gym might feel intimidating, but with benefits like healthy variation, newfound community, expert coaching, and increased accountability, your body and mind could reap the rewards. Trying out a group class might be the missing ingredient in your workout routine that inspires you to look forward to going to the gym.

Published by Joshua F.