You're on the stationary bike or elliptical trainer looking to burn off body fat and improve your cardiovascular endurance. After 30-60 minutes of literally spinning your wheels you're thinking, "This sure gets boring after a while." Or perhaps you may be thinking, "This bike seat is hurting my bum." I will admit, I am a loner when it comes to getting my cardio in. I like to sit on the bike and read, do some research for my blogs or just watch a hockey game while pedaling away. You may find yourself becoming bored or even hitting a weight loss plateau as mentioned in last week's blog. Many fitness facilities offer group fitness classes which will help you reach your fitness goals. Unlike the "aerobics classes offered in years gone by, this new wave of group fitness focuses on full body conditioning. Classes like Kickfit, Zumba, Group Power, Group Core, Aqua Fitness etc. will not only offer a cardio workout but will offer so much more. Below is a list of reasons you may want to consider taking group fitness classes to help reach your fitness goals.
CERTIFIED INSTRUCTORS WILL CREATE AN EFFECTIVE AND SAFE PROGRAM
If you can't afford the a certified personal trainer who will develop a program designed to meet your specific goals while working with your existing injuries and limitations, group fitness is the next best thing! You will receive a workout that is designed to workout your body in a supervised setting. All the research is done for you. A group fitness class offers a great way to work your body while taking the guess work out of the planning. A good instructor will move around the class making adjustments and offer variations of each exercise to suit your specific needs/limitations.
CREATES A WORKOUT SCHEDULE THAT YOU'RE MORE LIKELY TO STICK WITH
Classes are offered on a specific day and time. You cannot call the instructor and reschedule the session as you can with your personal trainer. By committing to a specific class, you set yourself up for a structured fitness routine. This is great for people who find themselves struggling with being consistent with their workouts. Knowing the specific class is going to be scheduled every Monday at 9am will create a routine that will allow you to see results. Signing up for a specific class such as spin, will create a sense of obligation to show up and thus again, will help create consistency and results.
A SENSE OF BELONGING My TRX and Kickfit classes are an excellent example of this. I have witnessed first hand fellow classmates cheering one another on. I have seen one another texting and encouraging each other. People notice if you haven't been to class in a while. When you attend a group fitness class consistently, you get to know the "regulars". which creates a family, a camaraderie that will encourage and fuel your fitness success. Group fitness classes bring people from various fitness levels, ages, social backgrounds and ethnic backgrounds and brings us all together with a common purpose... lose body fat, shape our bodies and improve our cardiovascular system. We all are there to become a better version of ourselves! This creates an energy that will help motivate you even when you've had a long day and walking on a treadmill just won't cut it!
VARIETY IS KEY
How often do we find ourselves gravitating to our favourite cardio machine, mindlessly hopping on and we hit cruise control,,, just coast through our workout. Group fitness classes are an excellent way to learn new exercises, experience new forms of movement and create a new sense of excitement as you try to master new classes. Do you dread running on the treadmill? Why not try a Zumba class? Bored with riding the stationary bike? Try a spin class to learn some new ways to create a better stationary bike ride. Feeling like your usual circuit training workout is not yielding results? Try a yoga class to increase not only your breathing and flexibility but also work muscles by using a variety of isometric muscular contractions!
IT MAKES YOUR PERSONAL TRAINER HAPPY!!!
Ok, I'll admit this one is not the most scientific based reason to take a group fitness class. But, one of the common complaints personal trainers have is that we only see some clients in the gym for their scheduled appointment. I LOVE when I see the people who train with me taking group classes. It lets me know they take their fitness goals seriously. I know they are getting a cardio workout in that is both safe and effective. When I do weigh-ins, I can tell who has been doing their cardio and who hasn't! There are 168 hours in each week. I see most of my clients for one or two hours each week. That leaves 166-167 hours each week that you must use effectively. What you do with those 166-167 hours will determine your success. We all have the same amount of time each week. What we eat, how much sleep and how much activity we plan in those hours will determine our success. Taking one or more group fitness classes will help you get your cardio in, shed body fat, tone muscle and make my job a lot easier which makes me happy... AND YOU WANT ME TO BE HAPPY DON'T YOU?!? : )