Do Group Fitness Classes Beat the Gym?
Here are 5 Reasons They Do:
1. Friends
It is well known that working out with a buddy helps motivate you and keep you on track. If that’s true, then how motivating will 25 friends be? A class full of workout buddies will keep you up to date on all the juicy happenings around town, give you a much needed social outlet and will make sure you don’t miss a workout.
2. Workout
I love to hear people claim that they “went to the gym for 3 hours today,” it cracks me up. Who has three hours to spend in a gym? Most of the time spent in a gym is spent walking around, talking to people, avoiding people you don’t want to talk to and watching tv while plodding along on a treadmill or elliptical that lies to you about how many calories you just burned. In a typical 50 minute class you will actually work for 50 minutes. This results in burning the same amount of calories (for real this time) as the 3 hour gym tour.
3. Instructor
We are making decisions all day long. Not just for ourselves, but for our family and for that one friend that can’t decide anything without a consensus. The last thing you need is to figure out and decide what to work out today. In comes the instructor, cape and all! The only decision you have to make is where to set up, then just follow along, no thinking needed. Instructors are also there to make sure you are executing the moves correctly, which means you work harder with no injuries, and that leads to big changes.
4. Music
I’m a big advocate on working out to a great playlist. It makes the workout go faster and a great beat can make you work harder. Not only are classes filled with great music but who knew great singers as well! I love it during a class when everyone sings along and the words speak to us. Great music is the ultimate motivator.
5. Something New
The biggest reason classes beat the gym: The only way to change your body is to challenge your body in ways it has never been before. Doing the same thing every day will not only bore you to death, but it will do nothing to change your body. New and different moves in class will excite and challenge every muscle in the body, and your fitness level will climb to new heights!
So, what do you think, do group classes beat the gym? I would love to hear your opinion. Feel welcome to comment in the “Leave a Reply” space below.
See you in class!
xoxo
jen