Why is group fitness so effective and why is it a great option for so many people? There are many forms of group fitness, from exercise classes like Zumba and Body Pump, circuits, bootcamps, spin and boxercise style classes to running groups, Triathlon clubs, CrossFit and F45. I have always been a HUGE fan of group fitness and have 15 odd years of group class experience at a variety of different clubs, from huge national chain gyms, to locally-run bootcamps and everything in between. I love it for a number of reasons …
- There is something to suit everyone. Whether you want to try martial arts, get your heart rate up in a HIIT class, have the variety of a circuits class or want to try lifting light (Body Pump) or heavy (CrossFit), you will be able to find a class that fits in with what you want to do.
- Group classes are generally very sociable and a great way to meet new people. I know that sometimes people can find group classes a little bit cliquey but in my experience, that has generally been at bigger health clubs with lots of members. For the most part, my experience of group fitness is that it is extremely friendly and a fab way to meet other like-minded people who want to get fitter and healthier. Smaller, locally-run classes tend to be extremely friendly and I have also found the CrossFit community to be super friendly and inclusive over the past 3 years. Since I have been running my classes in Bristol, I have met some of the friendliest, most approachable people I have ever come across.
- Group classes are generally suitable for all ages and abilities and if you are worried about not knowing what to do, it is unlikely you will be the only new person attending! The nature of group classes means that although there are always regulars, there are also a number of more transitionary attendees who may come along sporadically or may come along for a short burst before disappearing, never to be seen again. This means that you don’t need to worry about the fact that you don’t know anyone there because others also won’t and it also means that the person running the class should check in with you regularly during each session to make sure that you are comfortable with what you are doing .
- You can attend with friends. If there are a couple of you who want to get fit together, then you can all attend group classes together, increasing your chances of regularly attending because it’s even more social and you get to have a good catch up at the same time (or before and after!!)
- Classes are generally a lot of fun - we are social beings and working out with others is a great way to have a laugh and form strong bonds with the other attendees. They can also be slightly competitive which means you may find you push yourself harder than you would if you were working out on your own.
- You don’t have to think about what you are doing…. When you work out on your own, you have to always think of new things to do to make your work outs fun and to make you want to do them. When you attend a class, the instructor will have it all planned out to make sure you are working hard and to keep you inspired.
- The music - generally fitness classes have awesome music to keep you pumped up and working hard, I’ve always found that decent music makes the experience even more enjoyable and definitely encourages me to work harder!
I run several bootcamps in and around Bristol (see my timetable for full info) as well as small group fitness for people who want to have a more personal experience but still want to work out with friends. All of my classes are really good fun and full of friendly, approachable people - fill out the contact form here for more info