The advantages of Group Fitness classes.

In a previous Post I have talked about the benefits of Group Fitness Training - particularly when starting out. Groups offer 'safety in numbers', the chance to meet new friends and like minded people, and the opportunity to get into a routine before perhaps going it alone, or with a PT. It is a structured, organised and relatively safe environment and everyone will be at a different level - but that's OK because that factor is recognised by your Instructor and it adds to the enjoyment anyway. Below is an article I sourced from 'articlesbase' (http://www.articlesbase.com/fitness-articles/the-advantages-of-group-fitness-7143361.html) and is written by Scarlet Lenoir, who provides some further insight into the benefits and advantages that such Group classes offer. Read on if your are wondering!




Health, fitness and good looking bodies are issues that more and more people are concerned with every passing day. Whether they worry about their health, they want to look fitter or they wish to lose weight, people have started eating healthier, exercising more and basically just pay more attention to the way they feel in their own bodies. For a while now, personal training was hugely promoted and everybody was talking about the great benefits of working with the best personal trainers that most towns & cities now have to offer. Celebrities were doing it, political figures were doing it, everybody in the community was doing it, so you had to do it too. While it cannot be said that personal training has its perks and gives results where it should, there is also a lot to be said about group fitness programs, as these types of programs have been widely overlooked due to the frenzy caused by the personal fitness training trend.

One of the first and most important advantages of group fitness programs is motivation. Personal training also gives you the right kind of motivation, but it only comes from one direction: your coach. While personal trainers can be vastly experienced and highly skilled in inspiring people and motivating them to move forward, for some individuals one voice is just not enough. There are people who, although lack personal motivation from their character, they become highly competitive when in a group or community. To that extent, group training is the best course of action for them, as they get motivated not only by the personal trainers, but also by the progress of other members in the group, always trying harder and harder to get ahead and to remain there.

Another great benefit of group fitness training is the feeling of inclusion. There are individuals who, when training alone, they feel just that: alone. When things get hard and the process frustrated, they imagine they are the only ones dealing with such hardship, which is demoralising. Training as part of a group gives them the feeling of affiliation that they need, showing them that they are not alone and that there are many other people who are going through the exact same thing and this helps them move forward.

All things taken into account, however beneficial it may be to work out with personal trainers, group training is not to be overlooked, as it brings important advantages to the table, some of which personal training cannot offer. It is also important to look for the best suitable group fitness, as there are many gyms, fitness centres and boot camps that offer this type of service and they all have different approaches, so you have to take a little time and research the market well before deciding on a certain provider. Luckily, you now have the full support of the Internet, which will significantly facilitate the research process, as most of the gyms and fitness centres today have websites where they present and promote their services and from where one can find out detailed information about their programs.

WhyWeight - Don't hesitate, participate, before it's too late!

-Steve, at WhyWeight-